A massive explosion occurred at the waste disposal centre of the chemical park operator Currenta in Leverkusen on 27 July. Black clouds of smoke could be seen over the city. At least two people were killed in the subsequent fire of a solvent tank.

GEA has been awarded an EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contract by the biotechnology company Aker BioMarine to establish the world’s first pilot plant for hydrolyzing krill protein. The facility is expected to be operational by 2022.

Raízen Argentina has awarded a contract to KBR for modernizing its Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) unit at its Buenos Aires Refinery in Argentina. Under the deal, KBR will provide a basic engineering package for the FCC New Configuration Project.

Pfeiffer Vacuum has launched a new HiScroll Atex scroll pump which is ideal for pumping potentially explosive gases. The scroll pump can be used for analytics, industry or research & development.

Honeywell UOP’s Unionfining technology has been chosen by the Société Ivoirienne de Raffinage, the state-owned refining company of Cote d’Ivoire, to produce cleaner-burning diesel in Africa. The technology will enable the state government to meet regional emission standards.

Eastman has partnered with Hydrogenious LOHC to make the storage and transportation of hydrogen more secure, easier and affordable. The LOHC specialty product which ensures safe and easy logistics and storage of hydrogen is produced at Eastman's site in Marl, Germany.

Under a long-term agreement signed between Air Liquide and Severstal, Air Liquide will build a new ASU plant at the Severstal Chermk site in Russia, which is claimed to be one of the largest oxygen sites in continental Europe.

Air Liquide Engineering & Construction will provide Cryocap FG, a unique solvent free technology solution to Zeeland Refinery in order to capture more than 90 % of emissions at its Vlissingen site in the Netherlands.

Vynova has plans to construct a new potassium carbonate manufacturing plant at its site in Tessenderlo, Belgium. On completion, the new facility will be the largest plant of its kind in Europe.

On July 5, a major fire broke at the Ming Dih Chemical factory which produces plastic foam and plastic pellets in Thailand. The fire has been extinguished however; the cause of the fire is still unknown.