Thomas Swan & Co. has completed a joint venture transaction in large-scale graphene production with Canadian-based graphite firm Mason Graphite. Black Swan Graphene (BSG) will be based in Québec, Canada, and will seek to penetrate industrial markets with low-cost graphene. CEO Harry Swan and Michael Edwards, business director for the Advanced Materials division, will join the BSG board.
Chloe Kirby of Blue Label Labs discusses how two new digital technologies are changing our industry
Like many others, the chemical industry is facing a slew of challenges in 2021 and beyond. Apart from the post-pandemic recovery, to which every industry is adjusting, chemical companies are seeking a better way forward as everyone rethinks business practices and operations. A major shift is occurring to manufacturing and production in the chemical industry and others adjacent.
Two workers have been confirmed dead after an explosion at Chempark Leverkusen in Germany at around 09.40 on 27 July and a subsequent fire in the tank farm of the Bürrig disposal centre that sent a blanket of smoke across the city and was heard 40 kilometres away.
Draslovka, a multi-family-owned Czech speciality chemicals firm, has agreed to acquire the Mining Solutions business of Chemours for $520 million, or 10 x EBITDA in 2020. This came shortly after its agreement to buy Sasol’s sodium cyanide business $101.7 million. CEO Pavel Bruzek said that the deals were “highly synergistic” with each other.
Three South Korean conglomerates have announced major investments into battery materials in the past month, in anticipation of projected market growth from under €30 billion/year in 2021 to nearer €75 billion in 2026. SK Materials is to build a lithium-silicon battery materials, while Posco Chemical will build a cathode materials plant and LG Chem has even bigger, longer-term plans.
US toll manufacturer Monument Chemical has acquired KMTEX, a privately owned speciality chemical distillations manufacturer. The company said that this brings it a site at Port Arthur, Texas, 50 new and advantages in terms of capacity, capabilities, assets and logistics.
Azelis has agreed to acquire Quimdis, a French distributor of ingredients for flavours and fragrances (F&F), animal nutrition, personal care, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals and food. Closing is expected to take place end of August. Terms were not disclosed. This company said that this strengthens it in “fast-growing and attractive markets, while also enhancing the position of Azelis France in the life science sector”.
