A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held by Covestro to develop a new world-scale Aniline Production Facility in Antwerp, Belgium. The project is expected to strengthen the company’s European production network for MDI.

Itochu has been selected for Japan’s ‘Imported Neat SAF Model Demonstration Project’ under which the company will import neat SAF from Neste and demonstrate its blending with fossil jet fuel. This is Japan’s first import of neat SAF.

Ineos Enterprises has plans to acquire Ashta Chemicals from Bigshire Mexico. The deal will also include a 100 ktpa potassium hydroxide/65 ktpa Chlorine plant which is located close to the Ineos pigments facility in Ashtabula, Ohio, USA.

With an aim to strengthen and expand its bioenergy business especially in the US, BP has plans to acquire Archaea Energy for 3.3 billion dollars in cash and around 800 million dollars of net debt. The move will assist BP as well as its customers to achieve their respective decarbonization goals.

A joint project by Toho Gas and Nagoya University aims at the development of technology for CO2 separation, capture, and the like. To support the development and demonstration of this project, JGC Japan will focus on the Cryo-Capture technology which makes use of unused LNG cold energy in CO2 capture from factory exhaust gas.

The deal with Italy-based firm Sea Vision Group will enable the Marchesini Group to create packaging lines which are even more integrated with vision and inspection systems. The acquisition aims to combine Marchesini Group’s mechanical engineering business with some of the leading software and vision companies in Italy.

Vianode has inaugurated the Vianode Technology Center (VTC) in Norway with an aim to expand its R&D activities in sustainable battery materials. The move is expected to strengthen the idea of developing a complete battery value chain for the European market.

Anellotech has demonstrated its new direct route to light olefins and BTX from conversion of mixed plastic waste. The firm’s Plas-Tcat catalytic pyrolysis technology was used for the demonstration which was carried out in a 0.5 tpd pilot plant.

Under a joint collaboration between Borealis and Verbund, both the parties intend to produce green hydrogen on an industrial-scale which can then be used for manufacturing fertilizers, melamine and technical nitrogen.

In the background of rising inflation, W. R. Grace has announced an increase in global prices for its Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) catalysts. The company states that the move was necessary as inflation was impacting the energy as well as raw material markets.