BASF has notified Ineos that it intends to close its hexamethylene diamine (HMD) at the Seal Sands site on Teesside, UK. It has also served notice on its contract to supply services and utilities there until 2028. As a result, Ineos has begun consultation on the proposed closure of the services and utilities plant. In all, some 30 jobs could be lost.
Shell is to take a 40% stake in a C$875 million plant being developed at Varennes, Québec, by Canadian clean tech company Enerkem. This will produce 125 million litres/year of low-carbon fuels and renewable, methanol-based chemicals from 200,000 tonnes/year of non-recyclable waste and wood waste, using a proprietary thermochemical technology.
Lanxess has entered into exclusive negotiations to acquire the Theseo Group. Subject to the usual French processes of consultation and regulatory approvals, this should be completed in mid-2021, the company said.
Based at Laval, France, Theseo mainly makes disinfection and hygiene products mainly for livestock farming in Europe and Latin America, particularly pigs and poultry. It is also active in water hygiene.
USalco, an HIG Capital affiliate that makes aluminium-based speciality chemicals mainly for water and wastewater treatment processes and refinery catalysts, has acquired Al Chem Specialties and CalChem. The two firms are also active in chemicals for municipal water treatment and wider industrial applications, with plants in Ohio and California. CEO Scott Williams will remain with the firms.
I am pleased to be able to inform our readers that Speciality Chemicals Magazine has resumed publication as of this week. We are now an operation of in2 Publishing.
We had not published since the April 2020 issue, though I continued to add news and update the website in the interim. Like so many other companies in the field, SCM's then owner TRMG was badly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and had to put almost all of its staff on furlough. Now, with a new owner, we are looking forward to working with you again in the coming years.
Azelis has acquired a majority stake in two Vietnamese firms, MKVN Chemicals and Viet Chemicals, via their parent company Bellekimia Singapore. This continues a recent spree of acquisitions and investments in Asia for the global distributor.
Both companies were founded in 2000 and have offices in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. They are active in personal care, industrial chemicals, agrochemicals and food, with about 700 customers. They also have personal care laboratories.
TiO2 producer Tronox is facing a Phase 2 investigation from the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) into its proposed acquisition of the TiZir titanium and iron business from French mining and metallurgy group Eramet. The company said that it may offer unspecified ‘remedies’ before this goes ahead.
