global integration manager Ciba atBASF, offers the intriguingly titledcontribution ‘Crossing the “Valleys ofDespair” - Successfully IntegratingAcquired Businesses’, while KoichiNakamura of Kao Corp will discuss‘Defining the Future of Highly Eco-Friendly Washing through Innovation’and Erwin Annys of CEFIC will tacklethe complexities of REACH, amongother presentations. On the final day,which deals with product development,topics range from the measurement ofsustainability, through computationalchemistry, to the psychology of winning- an eclectic mix!

Caroline Edser

RAWMATERIALS

Oleochemicals

Kyowa Hakko looks to Asia to boosthigher-alcohol sales

Kyowa Hakko Chemical isaggressively cultivating markets inAsia for its nonanol and tridecanolalcohols, targeting to boost sales by2-2.5 times within several years. Themarketing drive in China is led by thecompany’s Shanghai representativeoffice, and in Southeast Asia andIndia by its Singapore representativeoffice. Nonanol, a C9 straight-chainfatty alcohol, is traditionally sold inJapan and Europe as a cosmeticingredient but Kyowa Hakko is noweyeing new markets such as India.Tridecanol is used as a nonionicsurfactant for detergents.

Japan Chemical Web, 25 Jan 2010 (Website:http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)

Marubeni seals deal to distributeP&G’s lauryl alcohol in Japan

Marubeni Corp will be distributinglauryl alcohol from Procter & Gamblein Japan beginning Feb 2010.Marubeni will put up storage tanks inChiba to store the lauryl alcohol,which will be shipped from Malaysia.Japanese users of lauryl alcoholinclude surfactant manufacturers.

Japan Chemical Web, 22 Feb 2010, (Website:http://www.japanchemicalweb.jp)

Growth in Malaysian & Indonesianpalm oil production

According to ECM Libra InvestmentResearch, production of crude palmoil (CPO) in Malaysia is likely towitness an increase of 5% to 10% in2010. In 2009 production was 17.6 Mtonnes (17.7 M tonnes in 2008). It isalso predicted that CPO prices willnot be sustained above Ringgit2500/tonne with the production down-cycle ending in Feb or Mar 2010. In2008, the export of palm oil productswas Ringgit 65.2 bn (€15.2 bn). Thegovernment of Malaysia isconcentrating on increasing exportvolume of value-added products,services and palm oil relatedtechnologies to reach a target ofRinggit 100 bn in 2020.

Indonesia produced 19.2 M tonnesin 2008 and 19.4 M tonnes in Jan-Sep 2009. Some 20.9 M tonnes is thetarget for 2010, and 27.9 M tonnes in2014. Indonesia is also aiming toachieve higher added value andincrease export revenues from itspalm oil processing industries. Thecountry is to invest up to $2.5 bn inthe next five years on the introductionof new technology and oninfrastructure expansion in palm oilgrowing regions. The contribution ofpalm oil derivatives to the overallexport value of the palm oil industry isto increase from the current 30% toaround 50%. Indonesia is the world’slargest CPO producer, with Malaysiasecond. The two account for 85% ofworld palm oil production. Accordingto one market research company,global CPO demand will grow from anestimated 47.5 M tonnes in 2010 to60 M tonnes in 2014.

The Star, 12 & 26 Jan 2010, (Website:http://www.thestar.com.my) & Nachrichten fuerAussenhandel, 2 Feb 2010, (Website: http://www.nfa-online.de) (in German)

Other

BASF raises prices for ethanolamines,ethyleneamines andisopropanolamines in Europe

With immediate effect, BASF isincreasing the sales prices forethanolamines, ethyleneamines andisopropanolamines in Europe,existing contracts permitting. Theincreases will be: +€50/tonne formonoethanolamine, triethanolamine,

ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine,aminoethylethanolamine, piperazineand AMIX 1000; and +€60/tonne formonoisopropanolamine, diisoprop-anolamine and triethanolamine. MEA,TEA, EDA, DETA, AEEA, piperazineand AMIX1000 are high-classintermediates used in themanufacture of agrochemicals, paperchemicals and wood protectants,surfactants for detergents andcleaning products, among other uses.BASF produces MEA and TEA at itsVerbund sites in Ludwigshafen,Germany, and Antwerp, Belgium, andethyleneamines at the AntwerpVerbund site.

Press release from: BASF SE, D-67056 Ludwigshafen,Germany, tel: +49 621 600, website:http://www.basf.com (2 Feb 2010)

SURFACTANTSCognis launches new APG microsite

Cognis has launched a new micrositethat provides comprehensiveinformation about alkyl polyglucosidesurfactants (APG). Obtained fromnatural, plant-derived raw materialssuch as vegetable oils and starch,APGs are used in environmentallysound high-performance products forthe personal care, home care andindustrial and institutional cleaning(I&I) markets. Consumers demandproducts that combine sustainabilitywith the level of performance thatthey have come to expect fromconventional products. Completely inline with Cognis’ sustainabilitystrategy, the company’s APGsurfactants help to turnmanufacturers’ formulations greenwithout compromising onperformance, fulfilling diverseworldwide environmental organizationrequirements. In 1989, Cognis, at thetime still part of the Henkel Group,was the first company that succeededin designing an industrial productionprocess for APG surfactants. Thecompany is now the world’s largestmanufacturer of the original APGsurfactants. The company’s newmicrosite is designed to providecustomers, journalists and thegeneral public with backgroundinformation about these materials. Itcontains details about the products’application areas, the specific

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benefits that APGs bring to thesemarkets, and shows manufacturersand formulators at a glance whichecolabels and certification bodieshave already approved APGsurfactants. For more information visithttp://www.cognis-apg.com.

Press release from: Cognis GmbH, Postfach 130164,D-40551, Düsseldorf, Germany, website:http://www.cognis.com (2 Feb 2010)

Siltech buys in Canada

Siltech has purchased Rhodia’s plantin Mississauga, ON, Canada. Thecompany will retain the facility’s 42employees and will continue makingRhodia’s products under a long-termdeal. The Mississauga unit makessurfactants and polymers.

Chemical Week, 1 Feb 2010, (Website:http://www.chemweek.com)

ASSOCIATEDPRODUCTS

Builders

Anti-dumping investigation initiatedconcerning EU imports of Zeolite A

The Commission has received acomplaint pursuant to Article 5 ofCouncil Regulation (EC) No1225/2009 of 30 Nov 2009 onprotection against dumped importsfrom countries not members of theEuropean Community, alleging thatimports of Zeolite A powder,originating in Bosnia andHerzegovina, are being dumped andare thereby causing material injury tothe Union industry. The complaintwas lodged on 4 Jan 2010 byIndustrias Quimicas del Ebro SA,MAL Magyar Aluminium, PQ SilicasBV, Silkem doo and Zeolite Mira SrlUnipersonale representing a majorproportion, in this case more than25%, of the total Union production ofZeolite A powder. Zeolite A powder,which is also referred to as ZeoliteNaA powder or Zeolite 4A powder, isused as a builder in detergentpowders and tablets, among otheruses. The complainants haveprovided evidence that imports ofZeolite A from Bosnia and

Herzegovina have increased overallin absolute terms and in terms ofmarket share. Having determinedthere is sufficient evidence to justifythe initiation of a proceeding, theCommission hereby initiates aninvestigation pursuant to Article 5 ofthe basic Regulation. Theinvestigation will determine whetherdumping is occurring and whether thishas caused injury to the Unionindustry. If the conclusions areaffirmative, the investigation willexamine whether it is in the Unioninterest to impose measures. Theinvestigation will be concluded within15 months of the date of thepublication of this notice in the OfficialJournal of the European Union.Provisional measures may beimposed no later than nine monthsfrom the same date.

Official Journal of the European Union C Informationand Notices, 17 Feb 2010, 53 (C40), 5-9 (EuropeanCommunities, website: http://eur-lex.europa.eu)

Bright development prospects forpolyaspartic acid in China

Recent progress towards thecommercialization of polyaspartic acidin China is outlined, with particularreference to the role of DesaiChemical Co Ltd. Current andpotential consumption of the aminoacid polymer in the Chinese watertreatment and chemical fertilizersectors is discussed. In thehousehold chemical sector, demandfor polyaspartic acid as a replacementfor phosphate in detergents hasincreased to about 3000 tonne/y inChina.

China Chemical Reporter, 6 Feb 2010, 21 (3), 27-28

Other

ISP launches ‘greener’ biocides

ISP Performance Chemicals hasexpanded its Nuosept brand with theintroduction of new ‘greener’ biocidesthat deliver broad spectrum protectionto coatings, adhesives and otherwater-based industrial formulations.Nuosept BMc 422 and Nuosept WConcentrate inhibit microbial spoilageand do not add to the VOC orformaldehyde of the productspreserved. Nuosept BMc 422 is abroad spectrum preservative thatfights microbes, bacteria and fungi

levels at use levels of 0.05-0.5% byweight. It serves as an in-canpreservation solution for a number ofproducts, including water-basedpaints and coatings systems. NuoseptW Concentrate Broad SpectrumPreservative brings together theantimicrobial functions of CIT/MIT andBronopol at higher concentrationscompared with existing products,allowing formulators to cut costs-in-use. It preserves adhesives,tackifiers, coatings and detergents atnormal use levels of 0.025%-0.1%.

Coatings World, Feb 2010, 15 (2), 45

APPLICATIONS

Personal care &household

Cognis and LaboratoiresSerobiologiques at In-Cosmetics 2010

At the In-Cosmetics trade show inParis, Cognis Care Chemicals and itsactive ingredients businessLaboratoires Serobiologiques (LS)exhibited innovative solutions thathelp manufacturers benefit from thelatest market developments. Theingredients and concepts presentedmeet global consumer demand fornature-based, high-performancewellness products, while at the sametime taking into account thedifferences of regional markets.Cognis Care Chemicals focused on arange of new personal careingredients that give manufacturersmore choices in creating greenproducts. These included a neweconomical wet wipes compoundbased on a gentle solubilizer systemcombined with a natural biolipid andmoisturizer for various mild personalcare applications, and a mildsurfactant blend for EO-free andsulfate-free shampoos and showergels. A number of new polymers werealso featured. Cognis Care Chemicalsand LS also launched their new “Abeauty adventure around the world”concept. Cognis’ new “Free yourformulation” concept was alsopresented.

Press release from: Cognis GmbH, Postfach 130164,D-40551, Düsseldorf, Germany, website:http://www.cognis.com (23 Feb 2010)

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