Oxea plans to significantly expand its supply of carboxylic acids in the short to medium term. To this end, the company is already evaluating various strategic options for its worldwide production sites to be able to meet increasing global demand in the future.

Hydrogen specialist Air Products breaks ground for a world-scale steam methane reformer (SMR) at Covestro’s Baytown facility in Texas. The already sold-out site shall be connected to world’s largest hydrogen plant and pipeline system…

The benefits of single-use technologies include cost savings, reduced risk of product contamination, and increased flexibility in multi-product facilities. Current biomanufacturing trends have brought the demand for single-use to a new level.

Dr. Thomas Steckenreiter is to become the new divisional head of Operation Support & Safety at Bayer Technology Services (BTS). Steckenreiter, currently Director of Marketing at Endress+Hauser Conducta, is transferring to BTS on July 1, 2013 and will be the successor of Dr. Norbert Kuschnerus, who retires after almost 30 years at Bayer.

Petronas and Evonik Industries signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to jointly embark on the development of production facilities of specialty chemicals within Petronas’ Refinery & Petrochemical Integrated Development (Rapid) project in Pengerang, Johor/Malaysia.

The Bayer Group plans to expand its business in Japan – despite the difficult conditions following the earthquake and tsunami disaster – and continue to grow sales in the coming years.

Lanxess is strengthening its commitment to Brazil with three major new investments totaling roughly € 30 million, which will create more than 100 jobs. The investments will support the growing trend toward green mobility in the Latin American country. Lanxess’ high-tech materials will offer innovative solutions to the growing local automotive market.

Germany-based Evonik Industries will build a new production plant for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in Jilin Province in northeastern China. The Group invests more than one hundred million Euro.

Technology company The Linde Group has been awarded a long-term contract to supply Vietnamese steel company POSCO SS-Vina (PSSV) with industrial gases. The deal will see Linde construct the country's largest air separation unit at the Phu My industrial park in Ba Ria (Vung Tau province). The Group will be investing a total of around EUR 40 million in the project.

The founding of a subsidiary in India is another step taken by the German pump specialist Flux-Geräte to extend its worldwide distribution network. Pune, one of India’s biggest cities, will be the company’s basis for its development of the huge Indian market.