Content about chemicals

Chemical solutions company PI Industries has an outstanding reputation, both as a supplier of agrichemicals and a researcher of fine chemicals, that it has built up over the past half century. By developing close relationships with both customers and suppliers, it has become a significant force in the Indian and world markets, as Jane McCallion finds out.

Farming makes a major contribution to Brazil’s GDP and exports. Agro Amazonia’s director Roberto Motta explains to Gay Sutton how the company is helping farmers increase productivity, build a safer workplace, and reduce their impact on the fragile and precious natural environment.

After cleaning and greening South Africa, Judy Nankervis, managing director of Blendwell Chemicals, talks to Jayne Alverca about extending the company’s reach across the African sub-continent and beyond.

In a host of industrial, commercial and manufacturing settings, cleanliness has vital implications for employee and customer safety and satisfaction. Grease and dirt is not only unsightly, it can harbour all manner of unpleasant micro-organisms and easily lead to litigation, especially in food handling industries.

Since opening its first warehouse in 2005, Doha-based Gulf Warehousing Company has grown at an impressive rate. Chief executive officer Ranjeev Menon talks to Gay Sutton about building the new Logistics Village and plans to replicate this highly successful business model internationally.

After almost 115 years in business, Godrej Industries has an excellent track record in ethical behaviour. Managing director Nadir Godrej explains to Gay Sutton how good labour relations and environmental best practice have helped to promote growth.

The last 10 years have witnessed an incredible blossoming in the Indian economy, and one of the companies playing a key role in promoting India as a producer of quality chemical products is Godrej Industries, part of the Godrej Group.

A world leader in engineering, procurement and construction for onshore pipeline systems with an emphasis on safety, innovative technology and getting the job done on time.

As discovery succeeds discovery, the Gulf of Guinea is shooting up the ranks of global oil and gas producing regions—and servicing its demands is Luba Freeport, the new Jebel Ali.

It was in 1999 that the government of Equatorial Guinea realised that the port of Malabo would never be able to cope with the demands of an oil industry. But the island of Bioko is perfectly placed, not 50 miles from the coast of Cameroon and nestling between the Bight of Biafra and the Gulf of Guinea.

Israel’s Koor Industries has announced the sale of its subsidiary MA Industries, the world’s biggest maker of crop protection chemicals, to China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina).

The deal, which values MA at $2.4 billion, will see Koor retain 40 per cent of the maker of fungicides, pesticides and herbicides. ChemChina will buy the 53 per cent of MA currently held by the public for $1.27 billion, and will pay Koor $168 million for an additional seven per cent.

The “serial entrepreneur” Keith Maxwell, CEO of Spark Energy Gas & Electric, was named yesterday as national winner of Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 in the energy, chemicals and mining category.

Now in its 24th year, Ernst & Young's Entrepreneur of the Year encourages entrepreneurial activity and recognizes leaders and visionaries who demonstrate innovation, financial success and personal commitment as they create and build world-class businesses.

National Starch, a subsidiary of the former UK group ICI, was taken over by Netherlands-based AkzoNobel as part of its acquisition of ICI in January 2008, but isn't considered part of AkzoNobel's core business. AkzoNobel is the largest coatings and specialty chemicals company in the world.
In 2009 National Starch had revenue of $1.2 billion from sales of specialty starches to local and multinational customers in the food, papermaking, consumer and industrial markets. With 2,250 employees around the world, it operates 11 plants in eight countries.

Worth its salt
The growth of Saltcor and the Donald Brown Group of Companies led one commentator to describe the salt business as “a better bet than producing gold”. Ruari McCallion takes a closer look.
The reaction of most people when asked what comes to mind when they hear the word ‘salt’ will probably be something to do with the white stuff that is kept in the kitchen cupboard. There is, of course, a lot more to it than that. Salt is at the heart of the chemicals industry and is used in the production of chlorine, caustic soda, hydrogen and sodium for use in chemical multiplexes. Plastics use salt, so you’ll find it in the cabling and pvc components in cars. Offshore drilling rigs pump salt into the outer cavity of their drills in order to steer them. It’s an essential element in the food industry—take a quick look at the ingredients table of pretty much any food on the supermarket shelf and salt will be on the list.