che_november-2024 - 11

Business News
Plant Watch
BASF completes superabsorbent
polymers expansion project in Texas
October 16, 2024 - BASF SE (Ludwigshafen,
Germany; www.basf.com) announced that
its petrochemicals division has completed
production upgrades for superabsorbent
polymers (SAP) after a $19.2-million investment
in its Freeport, Tex. site. The project, which
began in 2023, involved the installation of new
equipment to increase production rates and
the optimization of existing processes at the
SAP plant, ultimately resulting in up to 20%
higher throughput.
Mitsubishi Chemical Group expands
production of ion-exchange resins
October 16, 2024 - The Mitsubishi Chemical
Group (MCG; Tokyo; www.mcgc.com) has
decided to increase its production capacity of
ion-exchange resins at the Kyushu-Fukuoka
Plant in Kitakyushu City, Japan. The upgraded
facilities are scheduled to go into operation in
April 2026. MCG's ion-exchange resins are
used in various applications, including the
production of industrial water, the refining of
pharmaceuticals and food products and the
production of ultrapure water for semiconductors.
Air Liquide to supply oxygen to LG Chem
for battery plant in Tennessee
October 16, 2024 - Air Liquide S.A. (Paris;
www.airliquide.com) will invest around $150
million to expand its production capacity and
pipeline network in Clarksville, Tenn. to supply
oxygen for LG Chem Ltd.'s (Seoul, South Korea;
www.lgchem.com) cathode active material
plant. This investment involves the construction
of a second air-separation unit at the site, as
well as additional liquefaction, storage and
pipeline capacities. The expansion is expected
to be commissioned in 2027.
DuPont completes expansion of
photoresist facility in Japan
October 4, 2024 - DuPont (Wilmington, Del.;
www.dupont.com) completed a significant
expansion for photoresist manufacturing
capacity at an existing DuPont site in Agano-shi,
Niigata, Japan. With this expansion, DuPont has
now nearly doubled its photoresist production
capacity at the site, also adding new cleanroom
capabilities to reduce contamination risks.
Evonik breaks ground on major silica
expansion in South Carolina
October 2, 2024 - Evonik Industries AG (Essen,
Germany; www.evonik.com) broke ground
on a significant expansion project at its site in
Charleston, S.C. This new development will
boost the production capacity of precipitated
silica by 50%.
Fujifilm to expand semiconductor
materials business in Japan
September 30, 2024 - Fujifilm Corp. (Tokyo;
www.fujifilm.com) invested ¥20 billion (around
$133 million) in its semiconductor materials
business to further strengthen its facilities
for the development, production and quality
evaluation of advanced semiconductor materials
in Shizuoka and Oita, Japan. The new unit at the
Shizuoka site is scheduled to begin operations
in late 2025, and the new unit at the Oita site is
scheduled to begin operations in early 2026.
Fujifilm's slate of semiconductor chemicals
includes photoresists, photolithographyrelated
materials, chemical-mechanical
planarization materials, thin-film chemicals
and polyimides.
HIF Global announces
e-methanol project in Brazil
September 27, 2024 - HIF Global (Houston;
www.hifglobal.com) plans to develop a facility
to produce up to 800,000 metric tons per year
(m.t./yr) of e-Methanol - its first project in
Brazil. To be located at the Port of Açu, located
in the state of Rio de Janeiro, the plant will use
electrolyzers to produce " green " hydrogen,
which will be combined with recycled CO2 to
form e-methanol.
Avient to expand medical
TPU production capacity in China
September 26, 2024 - Avient Corp. (Cleveland,
Ohio; www.avient.com) is expanding its
manufacturing capabilities for thermoplastic
polyurethane (TPU) at its plant in Suzhou, China.
The TPU products at this site are primarily used in
catheter applications, including cardiovascular,
intravenous and other specialty segments.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Phillips 66 to sell interest in
Switzerland-based joint venture
October 16, 2024 - Phillips 66, Inc. (Houston;
www.phillips66.com) entered into a definitive
agreement to sell its 49% non-operated equity
interest in Coop Mineraloel AG (CMA) to its
Swiss joint venture (JV) partner for a sales price
of approximately $1.17 billion. CMA focuses
on mineral oil, as well as the procurement and
sale of petroleum products (such as fuels and
fuel oil), and also operates 324 retail sites
and petrol stations across Switzerland. The
transaction is expected to close in the first
quarter of 2025.
Rio Tinto to acquire
Arcadium Lithium for $6.7 billion
October 9, 2024 - Rio Tinto plc (London; www.
riotinto.com) plans to acquire Arcadium Lithium
plc (Philadelphia, Pa.; www.arcadiumlithium.
com) in an all-cash transaction that values
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NOVEMBER 2024
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