Merck KGaA has broken ground for a new production facility on a 150,000 m² site for its Semiconductor Solutions business at Kaohsiung, Taiwan. It will produce speciality gases and semiconductor materials for thin film and patterning from 2025 onwards.

Semiconductor Solutions has been designated as one Merck’s ‘Big 3’ growth drivers. It forms part of the Electronics business sector, which started its ‘Level Up’ growth programme in 2021 with the aim of investing “significantly more than €3 billion” in innovations and capacity expansion projects by 2025.

Cabot plans to invest about $75-90 million to add 15,000 tonnes/year of conductive carbon additives (CCA) capacity at its site in Pampa, Texas. This is part of planned investment programme in CCAs of about  $200 million in the US over the next five years that will use the grants, loans and tax incentives on offer from the federal government.

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.

Albemarle has acquired a location in Charlotte, North Carolina, where it will invest at least $180 million to establish the Albemarle Technology Park (ATP), aided by a $13 million incentive package from the state of North Carolina. The company expects to move in by early 2025 and complete of the campus by late 2026.

Midas Pharma is diversifying into new areas based on its longstanding non-GMP capabilities. We spoke with senior director Dr Peter Markus

Midas Pharma of Ingelheim, Germany, is mainly known as a family-owned, full-chain supplier of products and services to the pharmaceutical market. The company continues to grow in this area, with sales close to €500 million/year and over 250 employees. However, it is also looking to other fields.

International Chemical Investors (ICIG) has made a firm and binding offer to acquire sodium metal specialist Métaux Spéciaux (MSSA) from Nippon Soda. It has also completed the acquisitions of Inprotec from Paragon Partners and its minority co-shareholders, and of Benvic Group from Investindustrial Growth.

Livent has opened what will be the first of several major expansions of its operations around the world Bessemer City, North Carolina. The company has increased lithium hydroxide production capacity by 50% to address growing demand for electric vehicle battery materials. The company added aided by long-term growth opportunities and downstream incentives from the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act, which encourages use of lithium produced or processed in North America.