Basell unveils novel Ziegler-Natta PP catalysts Basell introduced a new Ziegler-Natta catalyst family based on ethyl-benzoate as an internal donor that improves polymer morphology and bulk density. The proprietary ethyl-benzoate catalysts are designed specifically for gas-phase polypropylene processes and are also suitable for liquid-phase polymerization. Basell has developed this catalyst on an advanced magnesium chloride […]

Dow Chemical Company to acquire Celanese acrylics business The Dow Chemical Company and Celanese AG announced that they have reached an agreement for Dow to purchase the acrylics business of Celanese. Dow will acquire Celanese’s acrylics business product line, including intellectual property, inventory, and technology for crude acrylic acid, glacial acrylic acid, methyl, ethyl and […]

Sumitomo Chemical and Mitsui Chemicals dissolve joint polyolefins business Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd. and Mitsui Chemicals Inc have agreed to dissolve the business arrangementfor their polyolefins joint venture company, Sumitomo Mitsui Polyolefin Co., Ltd. (SMPO), effective October 1, 2003. Accordingly, SMPO will transfer its marketing and research functions back to both companies, and employees will […]

Dow to idle 900 million pounds of polyethylene capacity Dow Chemical announced that it had begun the process of idling about 900 million pounds of North American PE capacity due to low polyethylene demand, higher feedstock costs and eroding polyethylene margins. Dow began the idling process Aug. 14, and the company said that most of […]

ExxonMobil Corporation and Symyx Technologies, Inc. form an alliance on high throughput experimentation – Symyx Stock (SMMX) jumps +15% ExxonMobil Corporation and Symyx Technologies, Inc have formed a technology alliance focused on high throughput experimentation (HTE). The companies will work together over a five-year period to develop the system for chemicals, lubricants and fuels products […]

BP and Philips starts up HDPE Plant BP Solvay and Chevron Phillips Chemical have started up their joint 700-million lbs/year high density polyethylene (HDPE) plant at Cedar Bayou, TX. The new plant replaces three lines at Deer Park, TX which had a combined HDPE capacity of 260 million pounds per year. BP Solvay Polyethylene North […]

Borealis to invest €200 million in new Borstar polyolefin capacity at Schwechat, Austria Borealis announced its plans to invest €200 million in the construction of a new 350,000 MT/year polyethylene (PE) plant, based on its proprietary Borstar bimodal-PE technology, and a 90,000 MT/year expansion of the existing Borstar polypropylene plant to 300,000 MT/year at its […]

DuPont Dow Elastomers starts up new 135,000 MT plant for Engage® polyolefin elastomers DuPont Dow Elastomers has announced that in May 2003 it produced the first prime pounds from its new 300 million pounds/135,000 MT per year facility for Engage polyolefin elastomers in Plaquemine, Louisiana. With this new facility on stream, DuPont Dow’s total capacity […]

Eastman & Hanwha announce joint venture development & licensing program for ENERGX technology Eastman Chemical Company, through its Voridian division has announced that it has signed a joint development and licensing agreement with Hanwha Chemical Corp. to further enhance Eastman’s proprietary Energx DCX polyethylene (PE) technology and allow Hanwha to sublicense the technology. According to […]

ChevronPhillips and ExxonMobil to cross-license PE loop slurry technology Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LLC and ExxonMobil Chemical Company entered into an agreement to exchange proprietary technology using loop slurry technology, first developed by ConocoPhillips. The cross-licensing agreement establishes Chevron Phillips as the exclusive licensor to third parties of loop slurry process technology. ExxonMobil Chemical gains […]

ExxonMobil to Grant rights for its metallocene technology to Sumitomo Chemical ExxonMobil has agreed to license intellectual property rights for the use of metallocene technology to Sumitomo Chemical Company. Sumitomo intends to use the metallocene technology in its solution process plant in Chiba for the production of novel amorphous propylene-based copolymer. Products manufactured via the […]

Exxon to sell Tonen stake in retreat from Japan Exxon Mobil plans to sell most of its 50 percent stake in Japanese refiner TonenGeneral Sekiyu KK and unload other assets in Japan in a roughly $5 billion deal, sources with knowledge of the matter said. The deal will mark a retreat from the world’s third-largest […]