Industrial gases giant Air Liquide and semiconductor producer STMicroelectronics have announced plans to “engage in a collaborative initiative to accelerate the development of digital solutions for industrial applications”. ST is already a customer to Air Liquide for gas, materials and equipment at multiple sites.

Sustainable technology company Anellotech has confirmed significant progress in its Bio-TCat technology development programme and has begun planning for scale- up design and engineering of a commercial plant with its process development and design partner IFPEN and commercialisation, engineering and licensing partner, Axens.

Bayer spin-off and polymer materials company, Covestro, is investing €1.5 billion (US$1.7 billion) in the construction of a world-scale methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) plant in Baytown, US. The investment at the existing site is the largest single investment in the history of the company. Total capacity will be 500 kilotons/year and production is expected to start in 2024. Total MDI capacities in the region will reach around 740 kilotons/year, making Covestro the industry capacity leader in the region.