Albemarle has announced planned investments of up to $540 million to expand and modernise two bromine facilities in Magnolia, Arkansas, where it currently has more than 400 employees and 200 contractors. These investments have already begun and will continue through 2027.

Clariant opened two new facilities at the Dubai Science Park in late October. The company said that the EMEA region technical centre for its Oil Services business, which it said “will leverage the latest technologies and more sustainable oilfield chemicals” in both oil and gas production.

Livent has opened what will be the first of several major expansions of its operations around the world Bessemer City, North Carolina. The company has increased lithium hydroxide production capacity by 50% to address growing demand for electric vehicle battery materials. The company added aided by long-term growth opportunities and downstream incentives from the recently enacted Inflation Reduction Act, which encourages use of lithium produced or processed in North America.

Kao has signed an agreement with its Japanese compatriot Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare, a specialist in over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, to collaborate in joint development in skin care, using each other's skin- and health-related fundamental and formulation technologies. Daiichi Sankyo Healthcare will use Kao's skin product formulation technology to develop OTC drugs.

The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA), the voice of the chemical and petrochemical industry in the Arabian Gulf, has announced that Mohamed Al-Mady has won the 4th GPCA Legacy Award ‘Al-Rowad’ (Honour of a Lifetime).

Pharmaceutical CDMOs are continuing to invest in a buoyant market. We report from CPHI Frankfurt

The mood among CDMOs remained buoyant at the rebranded CPHI Frankfurt show, which took place on 1-3 November. There were several announcements of major investments and most of the exhibitors SCM spoke to were optimistic about continued rapid growth, particularly in new modalities of all kinds.

CEFIC has called on the European Commission and EU Member States to “immediately design and implement closely coordinated pan-European measures to limit the impact of energy prices vis-à-vis competing economies, increase energy supply and incentivise reductions in energy consumption”, both for the upcoming winter and beyond. “Skyrocketing gas and electricity prices vis-à-vis competing economies, the potential risk of gas supply shortages and mandates of electricity consumption reduction are putting hundreds of chemical plants at risk throughout Europe,” the association said.