Heraeus Precious Metals and Sweden’s Hulteberg have agreed on a strategic partnership to jointly develop and commercialize a variety of catalysts that are required for the operation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). These are said to represent a promising technology for the electrochemical conversion of hydrogen and fuels into electricity.
Granules India and Greenko ZeroC have formed a strategic partnership to promote ‘integrated green pharmaceutical zones’. The first part will be a 40-hectare greenfield facility at Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh, for large-scale manufacturing of key starting materials, intermediates, APIs and fermentation-based products, including DCDA, PAP, paracetamol and metformin.
Univar Solutions has confirmed that Brenntag has ended discussions with it about a potential merger. The company said that it is “committed to acting in the best interest of its stockholders and will continue discussions relating to other indications of interest that have been received with respect to a potential transaction”.
Brenntag originally opened discussions with Univar in November. The deal would have brought together the world’s largest and second largest chemical distributors. Brenntag and Univar had sales of €14.4 billion and $9.5 billion respectively in 2021.
Non-profit organisation CDP (formerly the Carbon Disclosure Project) has issued its rankings for 2022. These rate about 15,000 companies in multiple industries from about 18,700 who submitted data about their emissions on a scale from A to D- in three categories. In all, 283 received an A for Climate Change, 25 for Forests and 103 for Water Security.
Merck KGaA has closed its previously announced details to acquire M Chemicals, the company recently incorporated by Mecaro to operate its chemical business. This will bring it around 100 new employees as well as advanced production and R&D facilities in Korea.
The company said that the newly acquired operation is “expected to complement a key segment of Merck’s Semiconductor Solutions portfolio”. This in turn is one of the ‘Big 3’ growth engines recently identified as driving Merck’s ‘Level Up, growth programme.
Evonik has completed the previously announced sale of its TAA derivatives business from its Specialty Additives division to Italian firm Sabo. The company said that it in doing this it was “taking the next step in focusing its portfolio on speciality chemicals”, by divesting a business that did not fit in with this strategic focus. TAA derivatives are essential precursors to light stabilisers.
Swedish biotech I-Tech and Lanxess have combined their respective marine antifouling technologies for the first time, with what they claim to be promising results. This follows tests on 35 paint formulations with a 12-month lifespan in static testing environments in the Caribbean, Eastern North Sea, the North Mediterranean and Sea of Japan.
