Chemical Engineering May 2021 - 10

Business News
LINEUP
ACCENTURE
AMYRIS
BASF
CHEVRON
CELANESE
DSM
EASTMAN
ENI
EVONIK
HEXPOL
HONEYWELL
LANXESS
LINDE
PETROBRAS
PRAJ INDUSTRIES
SIKA
SUEZ
SUMITOMO CHEMICAL
TOYOTA
VEOLIA
Plant Watch
Chevron and Honeywell start up alkylation
unit using new ionic-liquids technology
April 13, 2021 - Chevron Corp. (San Ramon,
Calif.; www.chevron.com) and Honeywell
International, Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.; www.
honeywell.com) announced the commissioning
and startup of the world's first commercial-scale
Isoalky process unit at Chevron's Salt Lake
City, Utah refinery, which utilizes ionic liquids to
produce alkylate. Using a non-aqueous liquid
salt, the Isoalky technology is an alternative to
conventional liquid-acid alkylation systems.
Sika expands admixtures capacity and
begins epoxy-resin production in Qatar
April 13, 2021 - Sika AG (Baar, Switzerland;
www.sika.com) has expanded its production
capacity for concrete admixtures and has also
started manufacturing epoxy resins in Doha,
Qatar. Sika's expanded footprint in Qatar will
serve the growing construction sector, which
is being boosted by the expansion of energy
and utilities infrastructure in the region.
Praj Industries to set up India's largest
sugarcane-syrup-based ethanol plant
April 12, 2021 - Praj Industries Ltd. (Pune,
India; www.praj.net) was awarded a contract
by Godavari Biorefineries Ltd. (GBL) to set
up a new sugarcane-based ethanol plant in
Karnataka, India. As a part of this project, Praj
will expand GBL's existing ethanol-manufacturing
capacity to 600,000 L/d, using sugarcane
syrup feedstock. When commissioned, this
plant will become India's largest-capacity
syrup-based ethanol plant.
Lanxess to begin producing electrolyte
solutions for lithium-ion batteries
March 30, 2021 - Through collaboration with
Guangzhou Tinci Materials Technology Co.,
Lanxess AG (Cologne, Germany; www.lanxess.
com) will begin producing electrolyte formulations
for lithium-ion batteries. For electrolyte production,
Lanxess will use a plant in Leverkusen, Germany,
operated by its subsidiary Saltigo.
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Toyota commissions commercial-scale
hydrogen production site near Melbourne
March 29, 2021 - The Australian subsidiary
of Toyota Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.toyota.
com) commissioned a commercial-scale
hydrogen production, storage and refueling
facility at its former Altona manufacturing site
near Melbourne. Hydrogen is produced on
site by a 200-kW electrolyzer that has the
capacity to generate up to 80 kg/d of hydrogen.
Power for the electrolyzer is drawn from a
combination of an 87-kW solar array, 100-kW
battery storage and the main grid.
BASF invests in new superadsorbents
pilot plant in Antwerp
March 26, 2021 - BASF SE (Ludwigshafen,
Germany; www.basf.com) will invest €25 million
to build a superabsorbents pilot plant at its
Verbund site in Antwerp, Belgium, bolstering
the company's commitment to the acrylics
value chain. Proximity of the new pilot plant to
BASF's superabsorbent production activities
in Antwerp will accelerate scaleup and
commercialization cycles.
Celanese to build new
UHMW-PE facility in Europe
March 26, 2021 - Celanese Corp. (Dallas,
Tex.; www.celanese.com) intends to expand
its ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene
(UHMW-PE) capacity in Europe with the
construction of a new facility. This site is expected
to start up in 2024 with an annual nameplate
capacity of around 34,000 metric tons per year
(m.t./yr). Site selection is currently underway.
Evonik completes sodium methylate
capacity expansion in Alabama
March 23, 2021 - Evonik Industries AG (Essen,
Germany; www.evonik.com) has completed
a significant capacity expansion of its sodium
methylate production facility located in Mobile,
Ala. With the expansion, the production unit
will now be capable of producing up to 90,000
m.t./yr. Besides Mobile, Evonik also produces
sodium methylate in Germany and Argentina.
Eastman to upgrade extrusion
capacity at Massachusetts facility
March 23, 2021 - Eastman Chemical Co.
(Kingsport, Tenn.; www.eastman.com) is investing
to upgrade and expand the extrusion capabilities
at its manufacturing facility in Springfield, Ma.
The investment will increase Eastman's supply
capability for polyvinyl butyral (PVB) products.
The project is expected to be complete in the
fourth quarter of 2021.
Mergers & Acquisitions
Veolia and Suez move forward with
merger plans
April 12, 2021 - The board of directors of
Veolia Environnement S.A. (www.veolia.com)
and Suez S.A. (both Paris, France; www.suez.
com) reached an agreement on the key terms
and conditions of a merger between the two
groups. This agreement would create a global
entity with revenues of around €37 billion.
Hexpol acquires Spain-based
rubber compounder Unica
April 12, 2021 - Hexpol AB (Malmö, Sweden;
www.hexpol.com) has signed an agreement to
acquire 100% of rubber compound manufacturer
http://www.basf.com http://www.chevron.com http://www.honeywell.com http://www.celanese.com http://www.sika.com http://www.evonik.com http://www.praj.net http://www.eastman.com http://www.lanxess http://www.veolia.com http://www.suez http://www.toyota http://www.hexpol.com http://www.chemengonline.com http://WWW.CHEMENGONLINE.COM
Chemical Engineering May 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering May 2021
