Alkoxylation boost
Stepan is to build a $ 220 million , world-scale alkoxylation plant at its site in Pasadena , Texas . This will have a capacity of about 75,000 tonnes / year and will supply raw materials for surfactants for use in the agricultural , oilfield , construction and household markets , and for polymers . It is due to come onstream in late 2023 .
ADM invests
Via its venture arm , ADM is making a large but unspecified equity investment in Acies Bio , a Slovenian specialist in R & D and manufacturing services for synthetic biology and precision fermentation technologies for food , agriculture and industrial applications . ADM said that this would help it to advance precision microbial fermentation projects more rapidly .
Peptide partnership
AmbioPharm has acquired exclusive rights to use CEM ’ s large-scale microwave technology for solidphase peptide synthesis at up to multi-kilogram quantities using proprietary scalable reactors . It is now implementing microwave synthesis into its operations at North Augusta , South Carolina . CEM is also licensing to AmbioPharm the coupling methodologies it has optimised for high temperature reactions .
Vertellus buys again
Vertellus is to acquire the potassium chloride , caustic pellets and vaccine adjuvant businesses of diversified US chemical firm Chemtrade . This will expand its capabilities in speciality pharmaceutical ingredients , notably medications for hypertension and diabetes , and products for next-generation biologics and vaccines . Vertellus has also completed the previously announced acquisition of IM from ESIM Chemicals .
Minafin reorganises itself
As “ part of its strategy to meet the evolution of customer needs in fine chemicals and services ”, the Minafin Group has reorganised itself into three divisions , each with its own CEO , with effect from 1 October . They are :
• Health Chemistry , comprising the pharmaceutical activities of Minakem CDMO , Minakem Generics and HPAPIs , led by a CEO who is still to be named
• Green Chemistry , comprising the mainly non-pharma activities of Pennakem , Minasolve , Minagro and EcoXtract , under Gust Desmedt
• Challenging Chemistry , made up Minascent Technologies and Pressure Chemicals , both dedicated to atypical and niche chemical processes , led by Dale Fannin “ The group has been reconfigured to focus resources on key expertise ; to strengthen the skills and talent of its teams in accordance with the evolution of market needs . Each division will concentrate efforts on customer relations , while making strategic inroads internationally ,” Minafin said . Turnover has increased steadily in recent years , reaching € 243 million in 2020 . Minafin is now looking to expand its global footprint and believed it was necessary “ to focus resources on key expertise ” and “ strengthen the skills and talent of its teams in accordance with the evolution of market needs ” in order to do this .
New China plant for Protex
French speciality chemicals firm Protex International has completed and made its first shipments from a new manufacturing operation for its Guangdong Prox-Chem Speciality Chemicals subsidiary . This makes Protex ’ s full range of additives for water-based paints , inks and dyeing aids and textile finishing products for clothing , furnishings and technical textiles textile processing The facility , at the Sihui Industrial Park about 50 km from Guangzhou , has an area of 20,000 m 2 and about 20,000 tonnes / year of capacity . Construction and equipment installation took 36 months , due to the pandemic . A workshop , with unit sable to use hazardous products , and a Class A storage facility and store are now operational . Guangdong Prox-Chem had been in operation at Gaoyao since the early 1980s but the area around it had become increasingly residential and the authorities wanted “ to lead chemical manufacturers to a specific platform ,” Protex said . It therefore “ decided to turn this situation into an opportunity for the future . Some staff from Gaoyao have now moved over to the new site .
10 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981