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BASF-YPC to add more specialities

BASF and Sinopec are to further expand their verbund site operated by their BASF-YPC joint venture at Nanjing, adding capacity in several downstream plants for speciality chemicals.  These will come onstream in 2023. Precise details were not disclosed. The products involved are:

* Propionic acid, a mould inhibitor for the preservation of food and feed grains, which is also used in the production of pharmaceuticals, crop protection agents, solvents and thermoplastics

Surfactant made from carbon emissions

Earth Day, 22 April, saw a world first in the launch of the first product using a surfactant made from industrial carbon emissions. This was developed by Unilever, LanzaTech and India Glycols (IGL), and was used in an Omo laundry capsule in China.

Sinochem-ChemChina merger is approved

China’s State-owned Assets Supervision & Administration Commission (SASAC) has approved the long-planned merger of Sinochem and ChemChina. Partly to alleviate competition concerns, they will operate as separate subsidies of a newly created holding company owned by SASAC.

The combined entity will be by far the largest chemical producer in the world, with assets of about $245 billion. “This joint restructuring will create synergy, build up a world-class chemical company and promote a high-quality development of the chemical industry in China,” Sinochem said.

Major distributors in further portfolio moves

The world’s two largest speciality chemical distributors, Brenntag and Univar Solutions, have both concluded further acquisitions, disposals and deals in 2021. This follows on from numerous such advances by their rivals, Azelis and IMCD, in 2020.

Sunliquid into China

Clariant’s Biofuels & Derivatives business line has formed a strategic partnership with Chemtex Global to market its Sunliquid technology for second-generation biofuel projects in China. It will supply technology licences, technical services and starter cultures from its proprietary enzyme and yeast platform, while Chemtex will offer engineering, procurement construction services.

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