15.05.2012

The Chemical Plant of the Future

The 2008-2009 crisis signaled the start of a paradigm shift in chemical plant engineering and construction. Traditional EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) suppliers (general contractors based in the Western industrialized nations) are facing increased competition from Asia. At the same time, the plant engineering teams at global chemical companies are intensifying their partnerships with EPC suppliers and spreading the workload across the international engineering resource base.
more03.05.2012

Lanxess Strengthens Its Butyl Rubber Site in Belgium

Specialty chemicals company Lanxess is strengthening its butyl rubber plant in Zwijndrecht, Belgium. The company has significantly invested to expand the production capacity of the existing plant and to build two new pilot plants for the development of production technology for butyl rubber. The biggest share of butyl rubber produced in Zwijndrecht is premium halobutyl rubber. more18.04.2012

Lanxess to Employ Evocatal Biotechnology

Lanxess cooperates with biotechnology expert Evocatal in the development of biotechnological methods for the synthesis of precursors for the rubber production. more18.04.2012

Lanxess: New Plastics Application Development Center in Hong Kong

Lanxess is strengthening its ties with automotive customers in the growing Asia-Pacific region. The specialty chemicals company will open a new application development center in the Hong Kong Science & Technology Park in the second half of 2012. more16.04.2012

Right Trends, Right Markets

Finance - For all the planning that goes into any company's strategy, there will always be outside factors that limit the ability to control one's financial destiny. Right now, those factors include the wavering euro and political indecisiveness in Europe; a debt crisis and upcoming presidential election in the U.S.; as well as a volatile raw materials market worldwide.
more19.03.2012

Bio-Production of Light Olefins

Alternatives To Oil - Light olefins, or short alkenes, are key platform molecules for the chemical industry. They are almost exclusively obtained from fossil oil. Because of the projected rise in oil prices in the next decade, the chemical industry is looking for alternative resources combined with new transformation methods to cost-efficiently synthesize those molecules. First And Second Generations more14.03.2012

Thermoplastic Lightweight Construction Solutions for Green Mobility

Thermoplastic composite constructions open up great potential in the automotive industry for weight reduction, thus allowing a significant reduction of the emissions and the fuel consumption of vehicles. Dedicated to the concept of Green Mobility, Lanxess is expanding its position in fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites for lightweight construction applications. Extensive investments already have been made, in areas ranging from the development of custom materials and simulation methods, and the determination of characteristic material values to component testing. more24.02.2012

BASF Defies Doomsters with Forecast for Growth

Germany's BASF, the world's largest chemical maker by sales, dismissed analyst forecasts its business would shrink this year, saying sales and earnings would rise, driven by an economic rebound in the second half led by emerging markets. more09.12.2011

X-Tan: Tanning Made in Germany

Organic Tanning - In September 2011, Lanxess launched X-Tan, an innovative organic tanning technology based on a newly introduced tanning agent. CHEManager Europe has asked Christopher Tysoe, Director Wet End at Lanxess' Leather business unit, to explain some of the most prominent characteristics and advantages of this new system. CHEManager Europe: What are the key features of the new tanning process? more23.11.2011

Sibur: Weak China Demand Weighs On Chemicals Prices

Sibur, Eastern Europe and Russia's largest petrochemical company, is feeling the pinch from a sharp decline in global prices for its synthetic rubber and polymers, brought about by cautious Chinese customers. more