Ben Beattie of Forbeats discusses the challenges that using chemical containers poses to companies and explore the best approaches to ensuring safety

Many industries often need to re-pack chemicals into smaller amounts. This means moving them from a large container to several smaller ones. When this happens, it is crucial that every smaller container is as safe as the large one. T

Saudi firm Chemanol has signed a share purchase agreement to acquire an 84% stake in Addar Chemicals for $12.3 million in cash. This is contingent on meeting predefined performance indicators and achieving a targeted return on investment. The transaction is due to be completed on 31 March 2024.

CDMO Cambrex has sold its Drug Product business unit to Noramco. Terms were not disclosed. The business comprises product development, clinical and commercial manufacturing and packaging from facilities in Mirabel, Québec, and Whippany, New Jersey.

CEO Thomas Loewald described this as “the result of a strategic decision to focus on core areas of growth and investment”. The company will henceforth prioritise its drug substance and analytical testing businesses, which are based across 13 sites worldwide, including the recently acquired Snapdragon Chemistry and Q1 Scientific.

Solvay has published materials for an extraordinary shareholders’ meeting, including details of the executive leadership nominations for when it splits into two firms. The meeting will be held in Brussels on 8 December for shareholders to approve the split, which has been unanimously recommend by the board and the executive leadership.

Italian CDMO Olon Group has announced a €10 million, multi-year expansion plan for its production site in Mahad, India. This will increase its chemical synthesis capacity for intermediates and APIs by 45%, particularly for products in high demand where Olon is already the market leader.

Sergey Nozhenko, a solution expert in SAP’s chemicals industry business unit, explains how value management can help speciality chemicals businesses assess and continually improve upon the ROI of their core IT outlays

Show me the money. It seems a simple enough request – or, perhaps better, demand - but it is one that has been asked imperfectly over the decades of enterprise resource processing (ERP) system implementations in the speciality chemicals business.

During its Q4 earnings update, Ashland announced plans for a series of “portfolio optimisation actions to further strengthen the company’s resilience and improve margins and returns in this uncertain environment”. These are expected to improve adjusted EBITDA margins by about 2% and returns on net assets by 1.5-2%.