Univar Solutions, the world’s second largest chemical distributor, has announced its Streamline 2022 (S22) programme. This may lead to the sale of over $200 million in non-core assets and Univar will incur up to an incremental $50 million in charges in 2020 to implement it. The stated aims of S22 are to improve operational agility, drive faster sales growth, particularly in North America, reduce leverage to 3.0x by the end of 2021 and improve EBITDA margins to 9% by the end of 2022.

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.

It has been confirmed that the 10th Annual Chemspec Events Scholarship Golf Outing will go ahead on 21 September 21 at the Manufacturers’ Golf & Country Club in F

India's UPL, which is now the world’s fifth largest agrochemical firm, has announced the opening of its ‘OpenAg Centre’ in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The company has already begun recruiting the 30 agricultural scientists and technical staff who will staff it.

Nouryon plans to expand its capacity for monochloroacetic acid (MCA) at Delfzijl, Netherlands, by the end of 2020. Together with the opening of a new joint venture plant in India later this year, which will increase its global capacity by 20%.

Momentive Performance Materials has outlined what it calls “a series of steps to accelerate its global transition from commodity basics chemicals to speciality silicones”. By the end, it expects to have 300 fewer employees in the Capital Region, where it is also considering investment in R&D facilities.

Ineos used the occasion of the British Grand Prix on 1 August, where it was sponsoring the Mercedes team, to launch Ineos Hygienics, its new global healthcare business. This will be based at Newton Aycliffe, UK, and produce hospital grade hand gels, sanitiser sprays for hands and surfaces and sanitiser wipes out of the facilities the firm converted earliest this year here and in France, Germany and the US.