Under the MOU, Lyondell Basell and Bora will form a 50:50 JV in China. The new JV will also operate a 1.1 million tonne ethylene cracker which is expected to produce olefins & polyolefins in order to expand Lyondell Basell’s participation in the rapidly growing Chinese olefins & polyolefins market.

Evonik has officially begun construction on its largest investment to date in Germany. A ceremony, which was also attended by customers, employees, and representatives from the world of politics, signaled the launch of the polyamide 12 project in Marl.

The ‘Global Pharmaceutical Functional and Multifunctional Excipients Market, Forecast to 2023,’ report by Frost & Sullivan mentions that innovative drug delivery technologies, a growing generic and biosimilar drug market, and aging population are the core factors responsible for the growth of the functional and multifunctional excipients in the pharmaceutical industry.

Clariant has inaugurated the waste water treatment plant at the zero liquid discharge site, Bonthapally in India. The plant is expected to treat 300 kilolitres of waste water per day.

Mitsui Chemicals announced that it has entered into a materials sector-based partnership agreement with Plug and Play, a Silicon Valley-based firm that supports the growth of startups.

Dow announced an agreement with the Fuenix Ecogy Group from the Netherlands for the supply of pyrolysis oil feedstock, which is made from recycled plastic waste. The feedstock will be used to produce new polymers at the chemical group's production facilities at Terneuzen, the Netherlands.

The Daesan integrated refining and petrochemicals complex has begun its new ethylene production capacities in South Korea. Now, the complex can produce 1.4 million tonnes per year of ethylene, an increase of 30 %.

Saudi Aramco has completed the acquisition of Shell’s 50 % stake in the Sasref refining joint venture in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The move is in line with Saudi Aramco’s long term downstream growth strategy.

Skids, package units and flexible modules: The trends and facts in modular plant engineering – Flexible like a construction kit and powerful like a made-to-measure system: Modularisation has the potential to herald in a new era of plant construction. However, on the way there, there are not only technical hurdles to overcome — definitions are also being fought over. An status-report between PED, process skids and MTP.

Sibur and Sinopec have signed a framework cooperation agreement to produce SEBS. Under the terms of the agreement, both the companies will establish a 50/50 joint venture in Russia to produce at least 20 ktpa of SEBS.