US firm Huntsman Corp. has acquired the remaining stake of Huntsman NMG, its Russian PU joint venture with NMG, the manufacturer of PU in Russia and other areas of the former Soviet Union. With the acquisition of the residual stake, Huntsman is now the sole owner of the company Huntsman NMG. Thus, Huntsman NMG will get the opportunity to gain greater access to the Russian market in the arena of high value coatings, adhesives and elastomers.

Shanghai Sinopec Mitsui Elastomers, a 50:50 joint-venture between Chinese firm Sinopec and Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals, will build an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPT) production plant in Shanghai Chemical Industry Park. The EPT production plant will have a capacity of 75,000 tonnes/year. The plant is expected to commence commercial production in Q1 2014 and will use metallocene catalyst in its production.

Swiss speciality chemicals group Clariant is acquiring the remaining 40% share of a joint venture between the holding company Alvigo, based in Tallin/Estonia and Süd-Chemie, which has been acquired by Clariant. Süd-Chemie Alvigo Catalysts produces syngas catalyst and is based in the Ukraine.

Belgian firm Solvay has started up its EUR21 million speciality polymers compounding plant at Changshu, targeting the electronics, automotive, consumer and industrial applications markets with compounds of Amodel polyphthalamide (PPA), Ixef polyarylamide (PARA) and Kalix, a modified PARA. The firm says the plant is fully adaptable for future expansion of overall capacity as well as production of compounds made out of other high performance polymers. It is adjacent to another polymers plant under construction for the production of Solef polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), Technoflon fluoroelastomers (FKM) and the essential monomer VF2.

US firm Huntsman Corp. has acquired the remaining stake of Huntsman NMG, its Russian PU joint venture with NMG, the manufacturer of PU in Russia and other areas of the former Soviet Union.

Shanghai Sinopec Mitsui Elastomers, a 50:50 joint-venture between Chinese firm Sinopec and Japan-based Mitsui Chemicals, will build an ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPT) production plant in Shanghai Chemical Industry Park

Swiss speciality chemicals group Clariant is acquiring the remaining 40% share of a joint venture between Alvigo and Chemie.

Belgian firm Solvay has started up its EUR21 million speciality polymers compounding plant at Changshu, targeting the electronics, automotive, consumer and industrial applications markets.

German automotive Tier 1 supplier Faurecia has opened a major R&D centre in Pune, India. Employing 800 automotive engineers, the facility will serve interior systems, automotive seating and automotive exteriors.

US international aerospace and industrial manufacturing and service provider Barnes Group will acquire privately held hot runner maker Synventive Molding Solutions for US$335 million.

US firms Bermis has tied up with Norwegian Thin Film Electronics to develop the Bemis Intelligent Packaging Platform for the commercial development of functional sensor labels manufactured from new and emerging printed electronic technology made from Thin Film’s propriety read/writable printed memory and programme logic

Not only did German robot maker Krauss-Maffei Automation celebrate its 30th anniversary since its foundation, it also marked it with its 1,000th robot delivery from the “robot wharf” of its branch in Schwerin.