NEWS
Enzymaster into US
Enzymatic biocatalyst specialist Enzymaster is moving into the US market by launching business relationship models to address its specific needs . The company described this as the next step in the strategic effort to extend the capabilities of its manufacturing centre in Ningbo , China , and its international office in Düsseldorf . Facilities in the US should follow .
Element to buy Coventya
Speciality chemicals firm Element Solutions has made a binding € 420 million offer to acquire Coventya Holding , a French-based supplier of metal-finishing speciality chemicals , from Silverfleet Capital . This should be completed in late Q3 or Q4 2021 . President and CEO Benjamin Gliklich said that the combined entity would “ benefit from enhanced scale and strong complementary product offerings ”.
Nansha expansion
Lonza is to invest around € 18 million in GMP laboratories and mid-scale manufacturing at its API centre in Nansha , China . These are due onstream between Q1 and Q3 2022 . In all , the firm will add six 1,000-litre small molecule reactors , four 1,500-litre vessels and isolation equipment providing mid-scale capacity to bridge between earlyphase and late-phase production . The new labs will also be able to make HPAPIs to GMP standards .
Stepan opens centre
Stepan has opened its new Agricultural Innovation Centre in Barrow County , Georgia , near to its manufacturing site in Winder and two major universities . This will carry our collaborative R & D with customers in the sector . Key features include a training centre for formulation development , a spray chamber for studying driftable fines and labs for liquid and dry formulation design .
Mitsui takes most of Honshu Chemical
Mitsui Chemicals ’ ¥ 1,830 / share tender offer for the common stock of its Japanese compatriot , Honshu Chemical Industry , was completed on 11 June making it the majority owner . The company had originally announced its intention to buy most of Honshu Chemical eight months previously . During the 25-day tender , shareholders representing 3,519,137 shares accepted the offer . This was more than double the minimum Mitsui Chemicals needed to continue pursuing the acquisition and nearly 62 % of all the shares available , not including treasury stock owned by Honshu Chemical . Honshu Chemical is active in three main segments . Chemicals has two separate businesses offering cresol derivatives the separation and refinement of meta para cresol for use in animal feed , pharmaceuticals , agrochemicals , electronic chemicals and antioxidants ; and biphenol for liquid crystal polymers and polyphenylsulfone , plus bisphenol F , a material for low-viscosity epoxy resins . High Performance Materials makes photoresists for use in manufacturing processes for semiconductors and flat panel displays ; and speciality bisphenols for optical lenses , high heat resistance plastics and other functional resins . Finally , Industrial Materials includes the bisphenols for high-heat resistance polycarbonate resins made by Hi-Bis , a 55-35-10 joint venture with Mitsui and Covestro at Bitterfeld-Wolfen , Germany , plus the contract manufacturing subsidiary Honshu Kosan .
Honshu Chemical ' s main site in Japan
Bio-BDO venture by Cargill & Helm
Agribusiness giant Cargill and German chemical marketing and distribution firm Helm have formed a joint venture called Qore and will invest $ 300 million to build the first commercial-scale , renewable 1,4-butanediol ( BDO ) facility in the US , at Cargill ’ s biotechnology campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville , Iowa . This should be in operation in 2024 . Qore has licensed Genomatica ’ s BDO process technology and is using Cargill ’ s global feedstock supply and fermentation manufacturing expertise to produce at least 65,000 tonnes / year , under the brand name Qira . Helm will work with brand owners , OEMs and their suppliers to incorporate Qira into their products . Qira is made via the fermentation of plant-based sugars and it is claimed , can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 93 % compared to the manufacture of the same chemical intermediates from fossil sources . Applications include fibres , biodegradable plastics , polyurethane coatings , sealants and artificial leathers .
10 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981