A plant revamp is much more than just a scheduled shutdown: Done right, it can become the perfect solution to re-establish competitiveness and comply with regulations and market demands — As good as new or even better: Plant revamping to achieve capacity increase, modernization to conform to ever changing regulations or product diversification can put an established production site back on top of the competition. But such delicate rejuvenation projects require dedicated specialists. With the right partners, a production plant can stay forever feasible …

Verdezyne has reached an agreement with Bio-Xcell Malaysia to construct Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility in Bio-Xcell’s premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar, in southern Malaysia. It will be the world´s first bio-based plant for the production of Dodecanedioic Acid (DDDA).

The efforts of both the specialised companies will enable the diversion of polystyrene waste from landfills by converting it back into valuable polymers and monomer building blocks. In addition to this, Green Mantra’s secondary product from the polystyrene depolymerisation process is expected to be evaluated for use as a raw material by Ineos Styrolution for its polystyrene resin production.

Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in the Netherlands, announced that it has reached an agreement regarding the sale of the remaining part of DSM Elastomers to Lanxess for € 310 million on a cash and debt-free basis. The intended sale is expected to close in the first months of 2011, subject to regulatory and other customary approvals and notifications.

Low-shear pumping action, responsive control and reliability were critical considerations for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) systems specialist Nalco FabTech when designing and installing a 21-pump polymer injection facility for a Wyoming oilfield. Looking beyond the established plunger-type pumps in general use for polymer injection, the company turned to an alternative.

Changchun/PR China, Essen/Germany – Evonik Industries is significantly expanding its polyether ether ketone (PEEK) capacity in response to growing global demand. Along with a number of optimization measures, the company is modernizing an existing plant. The project at the Changchun site in China is scheduled to be completed by 3rd quarter 2011.

With an aim to accelerate value creation for the Solvay Group, the company has plans to simplify and realign its Executive Committee. With this new plan, members of the Executive Committee will be responsible for execution of corporate strategy and financial performance of their respective portfolios.

How can you accelerate the pace in the Chemical Process Industry (CPI) and reduce time to market? The container concept developed within the framework of the Copiride Project provides some answers.

The mega plant will be responsible for producing amino 11 monomer and Rilsan polyamide 11 resins. The strategic location offers many benefits including infrastructure, logistics, industrial integration and operational excellence, as well as optimisation of the activity’s carbon footprint.

Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) has commenced implementation of its planned world-scale projects in India across the polyester chain.