For new stockyard projects, operators must consider capital costs and the operational efficiency of equipment and must choose between the virtually infinite possibilities offered by the market. Homogenisers, blenders or storage only and circular or linear storage are the main decisions.

The grinding stage in a cement plant is extremely energy-intensive, consuming almost half the plant’s total electric power requirement. Expert systems designed for cement production, can use real-time plant data to make precise statements about the plant’s quality parameters.

While in recent years the main focus was on optimisation of single parts like mine planning or advanced automation solutions now a seamless integration of all subsystems and an overall optimisation from the mine to the power plant is requested.

In January 2014 the "new" FDA process validation guide celebrated its 3 years anniversary - and in February the European Commission launched EMA's draft to a new European Annex 15 for Validation and Qualification in the GMPs. However, although Annex 15 is only a draft, we already know enough to prepare our validation and qualification approach for the future. Actually some of the new practices are already becoming regulatory expectations - sometimes with significant impact on observations or even warning letters for pharmaceutical companies.

The caravan moves on — while markets like China and India took the spotlight during the last years, the Middle East is about to tap into its industrial resources. Major plant projects boom in states like Bahrain. Now wonder that the country was able to attract companies like BASF, Siemens, DHL and many others …

Rentschler Biotechnologie has built a reputation as one of the biopharmaceutical industry’s top contract manufacturing organizations with the help of Quattroflow quaternary diaphragm pumps. In the company’s new single-use production facility, these pumps’ ability to operate with minimal pulsation helps to keep the process within validation boundaries, especially when it comes to minimizing pressure fluctuations during critical filtration steps.

With a ten percent increase of it's Baytown Syngas facility, Oxea strengthens its production capacity for oxo-intermediates and oxo-derivatives.

The port of Khalifa and the adjacent Kizad industrial zone are among the biggest infrastructural mega-projects in Abu Dhabi to date. The declared objective is to turn the region into one of the world’s biggest industrial areas. The hub is set to become increasingly interesting for German companies too.

Jacobs Engineering signed a sulfur recovery technology licensor agreement with Paqell, a joint venture between Shell Global Solutions and Paques, for use of its Thiopaq Oil and Gas technology in refineries and gas treating facilities across the globe.

The Dow Chemical Company and K2 Pure Solutions (K2 Pure) have celebrated the successful start-up of a new chlor-alkali plant at Dow’s Pittsburg, California site. The new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility will produce bleach to serve municipal water treatment facilities in Northern California. In addition, the plant will supply Dow’s Pittsburg operations with chlorine for the manufacture of crop protection products and other materials.