The Indian plastics industry is at par with its global counterparts. It has been growing at an increased pace despite challenging economic conditions. Subhash K Kadakia, president of Plastindia Foundation and Managing Director of Kadakia Plastics & Chemicals, talks about the industry and how it can boost the growth of other sectors in the country. Here are a few excerpts from an interview with PROCESS India.

Haldor Topsoe announced its plan to close Topsoe Fuel Cell, a subsidiary company within the Topsoe group focused on the development and commercialization of components and technology for high temperature solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC).

Linde officially has opened its new Pilot Reformer research facility at Pullach near Munich, Linde’s largest location worldwide. The reformer will be used to refine steam reforming technology for the production of synthesis gas — a mixture consisting of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon feedstock for synthesis gas can be in the form of natural gas, liquid petroleum gas, naphtha or even carbon dioxide.

For BASF Nigeria is a particularly dynamic growing market for construction chemicals in West Africa. The new production plant for concrete additives in Lagos/Nigeria will help the construction industry to become less dependent on imports and reduce long lead times for supplies. Besides Nigeria BASF concentrates on neighboring west African countries, too.

Technip FMC had supplied steam reforming technology and had also undertaken EPC of the 40 million standard cubic feet-per-day hydrogen plant which is now in full operation.

Quo vadis process automation? — Every 18 months, the processor performance of a chip doubles. This statistical observation, which is described with Moore’s Law, also promotes the developments in the sensor and measurement technology at a fast pace. The following statement should fuel the necessary discussion regarding the future of process automation for users and suppliers.

Borealis and United Chemical Company (UCC) have signed a Joint Development Agreement (JDA) for the development of a world-scale polyethylene project, integrated with an ethane cracker, in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Basf will be offering its customers in Europe GPPS (general purpose polystyrene) from its production facility in Ludwigshafen.

The world's first subsea gas compression system went on stream recently at the Statoil-operated Åsgard field. Aker Solutions has delivered the subsea compression system for this field development.

Looking for new analytical indstruments, lab equipment or machniery? Why not buy second hand? Equip Net India, a specialist in used laboratory instruments and production equipment, suggests measures to buyers to make the most of their purchasing deal – In this article, the background to the growing second-user revolution in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and chemical industries is highlighted.