Wacker Chemie has held a kick-off event at its site at Zhangjiagang in China’s Jiangsu province to mark the start of construction of several new production lines for functional silicone fluids, silicone emulsions and silicone elastomer gels. It will invest about €150 million on the expansion project. The lines are due onstream in 2H 2025
Speciality chemicals company Elementis has come under pressure after an investor, Franklin Mutual Advisers, published an open letter to board chairman John O’Higgins, calling for it to put itself up for sale before its Q3 results on 31 October. Elementis has responded by saying it did not think this to be in shareholders’ best interests.
Brenntag has announced an agreement to acquire independent speciality chemical distributor of Chemgrit Group of Johannesburg, South Africa, in a deal that is expected to close in Q4. Shortly afterwards, it also opened operations at two new innovation and application centres for personal care in France and the UK.
Amyris and some of its US domestic subsidiaries have begun voluntary Chapter 11 proceedings in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware as part of an operational and financial restructuring. This process does not affect its subsidiaries outside the USA.
Apical Oleochemical (Taixing), an RGE China operation, has celebrated on the completion of the initial phase of its ‘oleochemical industry integration project’ at Taixing in Jiangsu province. Construction for the initial phase began in July 2021 and was completed in March 2023, with production starting in June.
Subject only to official approval, Evonik has acquired Novachem, a maker of biotechnological, natural and sustainable actives for skin and hair care applications based in Buenos Aires. Novachem will be integrated into the Care Solutions business line within the Nutrition & Care division.
Oleon has opened what it claims to be “Europe's most innovative plant for the production of sustainable oleochemicals” at Oelegem, Belgium. Built a cost of €17.4 million, including €13.3 million in European subsidies, this will operate using only enzymes of natural origin and has 3,000 tonnes/year of capacity. It is connected by canal to Antwerp’s port.
