grace exits bankruptcy

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with the continued improvement of technologies to commercial manu- facturing levels and increasing revenues. Intermediate chemicals like adipic acid and lactic acid are expected to post the highest growth from 2 M tonne/y to 4.9 M tonne/y in 2017. Meanwhile, bio-derived polymers will increase their current 1.1 M tonne/y capacity by 18%/y through 2017. According to the report, players like Segetis and Solazyme will benefit from the 46% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of speciality chemicals like farnesene between 2014 and 2017. North America is seen to emerge as the top region in terms of global capacity as start-ups like Gevo construct more American facilities. Europe’s capacity share will amount to 37% in 2017. First-generation sugar-starch feedstock like sugarcane and corn will continue to lead all bio-based sources. New sources like bio-oils and waste gas will drive the decline of cellulosic feedstock’s market share from 67% to 27%. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 4 Mar 2014, (Website: http://www.chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2014 Alcohol and starch/sugar enzyme market worth $2238 M by 2018 The report “Alcohol and Starch/Sugar Enzyme Market by Type (Carbohydrase, Protease, and Lipase), by Application (Industrial, Specialty) & Geography - Global Trends & Forecasts to 2018”, defines and segments the global alcohol and starch/sugar enzymes market with analysis and forecast of the global value for alcohol and starch/sugar enzymes. It also identifies driving and restraining factors for the global alcohol and starch/sugar enzymes market with analysis of trends, opportunities, burning issues, winning imperatives, and challenges. The market is segmented and the value is forecasted on the basis of major regions such as North America, Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World (RoW). Alcohol and starch/sugar enzyme market is projected to be worth $2238 M by 2018 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9% from 2013 to 2018. Original Source: MarketsandMarkets, 2014. Found on PR Newswire, 24 Mar 2014, (Website: http://www.prnewswire.com) COMPANY NEWS ADM invests in biotech Rennovia Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) has announced a $25 M equity investment in Rennovia, a biobased chemical start-up company. Rennovia is developing a catalytic process that will produce adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine from sugars. The two chemicals are used to produce nylon 6,6. ADM expects that the technology and its products will be combined with the company’s offerings of renewable chemicals. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 17 Feb 2014, 92 (7), 16 (Website: http://www.cen- online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014 BASF produces first commercial volumes of butanediol from renewable raw material BASF has manufactured the first batch of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) from renewable raw material through a proprietary fermentation technology of California, US-based Genomatica, which uses dextrose as a renewable feedstock. Volumes of BDO produced by the company will be available in the market for testing and commercial purposes. BASF intends to include selected BDO derivatives based on renewable feedstock, such as polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF), in its product portfolio. BDO and its derivatives are used in the production of various chemicals such as plastics, textiles and electronic chemicals. In Jul 2013, BASF announced its plan to expand its global capacities for BDO to 650,000 tonnes and for PolyTHF to 350,000 tonnes in the next two years. Original Source: Green Chemistry Network Newsletter, 31 Jan 2014, (45), 20 (Website: http://www.greenchemistrynetwork.org) © Green Chemistry Network 2014 China’s new PDH unit employs Clariant’s catalyst technology Switzerland-based Clariant has started the operations of its 600,000 tonne/y propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit in Tianjin, China, utilizing its Catofin method and catalyst technology. The Catofin technology is licenced through CB&I. The shale gas boom and increased demand for propylene production drives the steady growth of global Catofin catalysts demand. High Chinese polypropylene and other propylene derivatives demand strengthens PDH interest in the country. Numerous Catofin manufacturing facilities are slated for startup in China in the coming 12-18 months. Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 28 Jan 2014, 163 (Website: http://www.chemicalweekly.com) © Sevak Publications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2014 Metathesis unites Elevance, Versalis Versalis and Elevance Renewable Sciences have teamed up to develop a new metathesis technology that will enable the production of bio-based chemicals from vegetable oil. While Elevance already has a facility in Gresik, Indonesia, that utilizes the technology, the partners will create a molybdenum-catalyzed metathesis technology that Elevance has shown with XiMo, a start-up catalyst facility in Switzerland. Versalis is an Italian firm with expertise in catalysis process development. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 10 Feb 2014, 92 (6), 16 (Website: http://www.cen- online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014 Grace exits bankruptcy On 3 Feb 2014, W R Grace & Co announced its exit from bankruptcy after almost 13 years of court protection. To achieve this, it made a series of settlements on asbestos claims. The most recent settlement was made in late 2013, in which the company agreed to pay $4 bn to victims of asbestos-related diseases and clean-up of asbestos contamination. The company, a producer of catalysts, construction products, and speciality chemicals, records sales of $3 bn/y. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 10 Feb 2014, 92 (6), 6 (Website: http://www.cen- online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014 Green Biologics raises 15.4 M Green Biologics, Oxford, UK, specialises in the production of bio- alcohol. It is raising its capital by 15.4 M (18.5 M) led by Sofinnova Partners in cooperation with Swire MAY 2014 3 FOCUS ON CATALYSTS

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Page 1: Grace exits bankruptcy

with the continued improvement oftechnologies to commercial manu-facturing levels and increasingrevenues. Intermediate chemicals likeadipic acid and lactic acid areexpected to post the highest growthfrom 2 M tonne/y to 4.9 M tonne/y in2017. Meanwhile, bio-derivedpolymers will increase their current1.1 M tonne/y capacity by 18%/ythrough 2017. According to the report,players like Segetis and Solazyme willbenefit from the 46% compoundannual growth rate (CAGR) ofspeciality chemicals like farnesenebetween 2014 and 2017. NorthAmerica is seen to emerge as the topregion in terms of global capacity asstart-ups like Gevo construct moreAmerican facilities. Europe’s capacityshare will amount to 37% in 2017.First-generation sugar-starchfeedstock like sugarcane and corn willcontinue to lead all bio-basedsources. New sources like bio-oilsand waste gas will drive the decline ofcellulosic feedstock’s market sharefrom 67% to 27%.

Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 4 Mar 2014,(Website: http://www.chemicalweekly.com) © SevakPublications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2014

Alcohol and starch/sugar enzymemarket worth $2238 M by 2018

The report “Alcohol and Starch/SugarEnzyme Market by Type(Carbohydrase, Protease, andLipase), by Application (Industrial,Specialty) & Geography - GlobalTrends & Forecasts to 2018”, definesand segments the global alcohol andstarch/sugar enzymes market withanalysis and forecast of the globalvalue for alcohol and starch/sugarenzymes. It also identifies driving andrestraining factors for the globalalcohol and starch/sugar enzymesmarket with analysis of trends,opportunities, burning issues, winningimperatives, and challenges. Themarket is segmented and the value isforecasted on the basis of majorregions such as North America,Europe, APAC, and Rest of the World(RoW). Alcohol and starch/sugarenzyme market is projected to beworth $2238 M by 2018 and isexpected to grow at a CAGR of 7.9%from 2013 to 2018.

Original Source: MarketsandMarkets, 2014. Found on PR Newswire, 24 Mar 2014, (Website:http://www.prnewswire.com)

COMPANYNEWS

ADM invests in biotech Rennovia

Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) hasannounced a $25 M equity investmentin Rennovia, a biobased chemicalstart-up company. Rennovia isdeveloping a catalytic process that willproduce adipic acid andhexamethylenediamine from sugars.The two chemicals are used toproduce nylon 6,6. ADM expects thatthe technology and its products will becombined with the company’sofferings of renewable chemicals.

Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 17 Feb 2014, 92 (7), 16 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014

BASF produces first commercialvolumes of butanediol from renewableraw material

BASF has manufactured the firstbatch of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) fromrenewable raw material through aproprietary fermentation technology ofCalifornia, US-based Genomatica,which uses dextrose as a renewablefeedstock. Volumes of BDO producedby the company will be available inthe market for testing and commercialpurposes. BASF intends to includeselected BDO derivatives based onrenewable feedstock, such aspolytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF), in itsproduct portfolio. BDO and itsderivatives are used in the productionof various chemicals such as plastics,textiles and electronic chemicals. InJul 2013, BASF announced its plan toexpand its global capacities for BDOto 650,000 tonnes and for PolyTHF to350,000 tonnes in the next two years.

Original Source: Green Chemistry Network Newsletter,31 Jan 2014, (45), 20 (Website:http://www.greenchemistrynetwork.org) © GreenChemistry Network 2014

China’s new PDH unit employsClariant’s catalyst technology

Switzerland-based Clariant hasstarted the operations of its 600,000tonne/y propane dehydrogenation(PDH) unit in Tianjin, China, utilizingits Catofin method and catalysttechnology. The Catofin technology is

licenced through CB&I. The shale gasboom and increased demand forpropylene production drives thesteady growth of global Catofincatalysts demand. High Chinesepolypropylene and other propylenederivatives demand strengthens PDHinterest in the country. NumerousCatofin manufacturing facilities areslated for startup in China in thecoming 12-18 months.

Original Source: Chemical Weekly, 28 Jan 2014, 163(Website: http://www.chemicalweekly.com) © SevakPublications & Chemical Weekly Database P Ltd 2014

Metathesis unites Elevance, Versalis

Versalis and Elevance RenewableSciences have teamed up to developa new metathesis technology that willenable the production of bio-basedchemicals from vegetable oil. WhileElevance already has a facility inGresik, Indonesia, that utilizes thetechnology, the partners will create amolybdenum-catalyzed metathesistechnology that Elevance has shownwith XiMo, a start-up catalyst facility inSwitzerland. Versalis is an Italian firmwith expertise in catalysis processdevelopment.

Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 10 Feb 2014, 92 (6), 16 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014

Grace exits bankruptcy

On 3 Feb 2014, W R Grace & Coannounced its exit from bankruptcyafter almost 13 years of courtprotection. To achieve this, it made aseries of settlements on asbestosclaims. The most recent settlementwas made in late 2013, in which thecompany agreed to pay $4 bn tovictims of asbestos-related diseasesand clean-up of asbestoscontamination. The company, aproducer of catalysts, constructionproducts, and speciality chemicals,records sales of $3 bn/y.

Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 10 Feb 2014, 92 (6), 6 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org) © American Chemical Society 2014

Green Biologics raises 15.4 M

Green Biologics, Oxford, UK,specialises in the production of bio-alcohol. It is raising its capital by 15.4M (€18.5 M) led by SofinnovaPartners in cooperation with Swire

MAY 2014 3

F O C U S O N C A T A L Y S T S