Recently added articles from Urethanes Technology:

Swimming in murky waters.(comment)

Apr 01, 2008; White, Liz ... "World records in swimming have been falling at an alarming rate this year. In the early months of 2008, 37 world records have been smashed, 18 of them at one meeting in the UK in April. Is this suspicious? Observers say not necessarily: it's an Olympic year, when ...

Huntsman may add 400 KTPA MDI plant at Rozenburg: European MDI project and second China unit go hand-in-hand in group's strategy.(international newslines)

Apr 01, 2008; White, Liz ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Woodlands, Texas -- Huntsman Corp. is looking at adding a 400-kilotonnes-per-annum plant for MDI (methylene diphenyl diisocyanate) at its facility at Rozenburg, the Netherland (pictured above). The US group revealed that its final plan may also include ...

Perstorp to add Rhodia, Lyondell isocyanates operations: Swedish speciality chemicals group adds to its portfolio for the polyurethanes sector with aliphatics for coatings.(international newslines)

Apr 01, 2008; White, Liz ... Paris -- Rhodia and Lyondell Chimie TDI SCA are in exclusive negotiations for the sale of their isocyanates businesses to the Perstorp Group. Included in the deal are Rhodia's aliphatic isocyanates--HDI (hexamethylene diisocyanate), iPDI (isophorone diisocyanate) and ...

Bayer adds again in systems by buying Resina Chemie ...(international newslines)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Leverkusen, Germany -- Bayer BV of Mijdrecht in the Netherlands is taking over Foxhol-based polyurethane systems house Resina Chemie BV. The partners signed the contract 3 April 2008. Resina Chemie focuses on systems for rigid foams for refrigeration and construction ...

Chemtura spends 13m [pounds sterling] on Baxenden deal.(international newslines)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Middlebury, Connecticut -- Chemtura Corp. has acquired Croda International plc's stake in UK-based polyurethane specialist Baxenden Chemicals Ltd for 13 million [pounds sterling] ($26 million) in cash. The deal means that Chemtura has raised its stake in Baxenden to 100 percent, having ...

Baxenden opens new PUD laboratory.(international newslines)(Baxenden Chemicals Company Ltd.)(polyurethane dispersions)(Brief article)

Apr 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Droitwich, UK -- Baxenden Chemicals has opened a new, state-of-the-art laboratory at the company's Droitwich UK site, which the UK-based operation said is "to support further growth in its range of Witcobond polyurethane dispersions (PUDs)." ...

Conzzeta has vigorous growth but foam unit disappoints: problems with start up of latex unit cause difficult year for FoamPartner business.(europe newslines)

Apr 01, 2008; White, Liz ... Zurich, Switzerland -- Conzzeta Group, which owns the FoamPartner operation, had "an excellent year" in 2007, with consolidated net revenues up 18.3 percent to CHF 1507.0 million ($1490 million, previous year: CHF 1273.6 million), the group's 2 April results statement said. But ...

Czech PU part supplier gets Jaguar deal.(europe newslines)

Apr 01, 2008; Higgs, Richard ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] London -- Czech automotive component producer Tanex Plasty has won a contract to supply interior plastic parts for Jaguar's latest model, the XF saloon. Tanex Plasty, based in Jaromer, Czech Republic, has already begun to provide Jaguar with ...

Seat maker Grammer fights Polytec bid.(europe newslines)(Brief article)

Apr 01, 2008; Mayer, Bettina ... Munich, Germany -- Interiors specialist Grammer is trying to discourage Austrian rival Polytec from launching a takeover bid. In January, Polytec bought a 9.6-percent stake in Grammer, which is restructuring to cope with rising material and expansion costs. Citing a ...

Moroccan, Russian plants for Faurecia.

Apr 01, 2008 ... Paris -- French automotive supplier Faurecia will invest 10 million [euro] in its first factory in Morocco. The factory, in Kenitra, 40 km north of Moroccan capital of Rabat, will supply seating trim covers to Renault-Nissan and Volkswagen group plants in Europe, the company ...

Polyurethane sales rise 9 percent for BASF in 2007.(europe newslines)(Financial report)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Ludwigshafen, Germany -- BASF had another record year in 2007, thanks to organic growth and "very positive development" of acquired businesses, with sales of almost 58 000 million [euro] ($92 000 million) and income from operations (EBIT) before special items of more than 7600 million ...

ISOPA gains Frank as new secretary-general.(europe newslines)(ISOPA the European diisocyanate and polyol producers association has appoints Dr Wolfram Frank as secretary general)(Brief article)

Apr 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Brussels -- Dr Wolfram Frank, formerly of Elastogran, succeeded Mike Jeffs as secretary general of ISOPA the European diisocyanate and polyol producers association--on I April 2008. Jeffs, who has been in the role since August 2002, retired at the end of ...

Elastogran's sales up 5 percent in 2007.(europe newslines)(Financial report)(Brief article)

Apr 01, 2008 ... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Lemforde, Germany -- Elastogran Group raised its sales volumes by about 5 percent in 2007 compared to the previous year, while consolidated net sales rose by about 7 percent to 2200 million [euro], said the BASF unit, in a 21 Feb results statement. ...

Peters to follow Tesche at KM.

Apr 01, 2008 ... Munich, Germany -- KraussMaffei AG's Reaction Process Machinery Division has a new leader. Frank Peters took over as general manager, on I April 2008. Peters succeeds Walter Tesche who will be retiring mid-year, said KraussMaffei, in an 18 March statement. ...

Recticel's restructuring results in return to profit.(europe newslines)(Financial report)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Brussels -- Foam producer Recticel Group has announced a return to profit for 2007, saying its gross profit for the year was up 36 percent since 2005, and commenting that it has achieved a "stable cost structure." Sales at the insulation, bedding and automotive group of 1611.8 ...

REPI appoints Rath to lead PU business.(Michael Rath)(polyurethane)(Brief article)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Lonate Ceppino, Italy -- Colour additive manufacturer REPI SpA has appointed Michael Rath as managing director of its polyurethane division. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Rath, who worked for 20 years for German colour producer Isl Chemie, took up his new post on I March ...

Mercury catalyst ban predicted.

Apr 01, 2008; Vallely, Ian ... Roydon, UK -- A recent US court case could lead to new laws banning mercury as a catalyst in the manufacture of polyurethane elastomers this year, according to Dr Barrie Colvin, managing director of IFS Chemicals. The European Union is also likely to ban use of mercury totally in ...

Safic Alcan to represent Air Products.

Apr 01, 2008 ... Paris -- Following a decision to reorganise its distribution network, Air Products & Chemicals Inc. has appointed Safic-Alcan as its distributor for Polyurethane Additives in Italy, Spain and Portugal, an arrangement that started 1 Jan 2008. A statement from French group ...

Kingspan has record sales/earnings in 2007.(europe newslines)(Financial report)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Cavan, Republic of Ireland -- Insulation manufacturer Kingspan reported strong organic growth in 2007, resulting in record earnings, with operating profit surging 22 percent to 236.7 million [euro]. Turnover for Kingspan, at 1863 million [euro], was 27.5 percent up on the ...

See more on the web.(europe newslines)

Apr 01, 2008 ... Find the news we can't fit into the magazine at www.urethanestechnologyinternational.com ... TS 16949 auto certificate for iSL Chemie ... Lear restructures seating business ... Ter Group buys Simon & Werner ... Financier purchases Delphi auto ... Hellstern to head Chemtura's PU ...