US-based silicones company Momentive Performance Materials is to be acquired by a consortium led by South Korean building materials firm KCC Corporation, private equity fund SJL Partners, and semi-conductor equipment maker Wonik QnC Corporation in a transaction valued at approximately…
Dow to spur investments in silicones globally; to add on capacity for products/intermediates
US-headquartered chemicals company Dow Chemical says it is investing in new low capital intensity, high return investments in its upstream and downstream silicones franchise to accelerate innovation and support global customers’ demand in high growth markets, such as high performance building,…
Pirelli withdraws from Venezuela after 28 years
Italian tyre maker Pirelli has closed down its car tyre factory in Guacara, Venezuela, and has ceased all activities in the country after 28 years. Previously, the plant had temporarily shut down after the Venezuelan economic reforms. The decision comes as the…
Bridgestone recalls nearly 3,000 tyres in the US
Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations and Bridgestone Canada (Bridgestone) have issued a voluntary recall of approximately 2,700 tyres of all positions, wide base radial commercial truck tyres in size 425/65R22.5. The recall includes the following tyres: Firestone FS818 tyres in size 425/65R22.5…
Bridgestone to expand retail footprint into UK with ETB takeover
Bridgestone, the world’s largest tyre and rubber manufacturer, has taken up 100% shareholding in UK automotive service provider ETB that covers the south-west of Britain. Bridgestone says the acquisition will help strengthen its retail footprint in the UK. Under the…
IRGCE 2018: Condoms get a sweet upgrade
They did durians, nasilemak, and now ONE is back – this time with their Teh Tarik (Kurang Manis – less sweet)condoms. The limited edition prophylactics will be launched soon and available online and at outlets like 7-Eleven and MyNEWS in…
IRGCE 2018: “Zero-accelerant” gloves for sensitive skin
Malaysian glove manufacturer Adventa Health has debutedtheir Finessis surgical glove series.No accelerators or binding chemicals are added in the manufacturing process as the glove film is casted as solid film from true solutions without any crosslinking agent required. The process…
Shin-Etsu to invest US$1 bn into silicones business in Japan and Thailand
Japan’s Shin-Etsu Chemical Co. will invest close to 110 billion yen (around US$1 billion) to expands its silicones business, one of its main businesses. It will expand its production capacity of silicone monomer, the intermediate product of silicones, and various…
Adnoc commissions delayed specialised coker/carbon black unit in Ruwais
Adnoc Refining, a subsidiary of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), has completed the commissioning of a specialised coker unit, as part of its Carbon Black and Coker Project. With this, Adnoc says it will extract the maximum value…
Synthetic rubber market growth to come from tyres, says Ceresana
Elastically deformable plastics have been a necessity across the board, in technical applications and in everyday objects. Per year, more than 12.7 million tonnes of these polymers are consumed worldwide. Ceresana, a German market research institute and consultancy company for…






