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Werner Mueller set up his own company, CHD Technologies, after a management career in chemistry, so he can do research.

The article features Kurt Bock, the new chairman of German chemical company Badische Anilin und Soda Fabrik (BASF) as of June 2011. It notes that BASF has 400 production sites and subsidiaries in more than 80 countries. After finishing a business administration degree at university followed by a doctor of philosophy (Ph.D.) in economics, Bock joined BASF in 1985. It also discusses the complex range of businesses managed under BASF, at which Bock claims they are successful.

The article offers a look at the efforts of automatic dishwasher detergent (ADW) manufacturers in the U.S. to seek the help of the chemical industry to make their products phosphate free. It cites the response of consumers to the initiative of Procter & Gamble to lessen the phosphate content of its Cascade ADW. The alternative products being promoted by the chemical industry to address the phosphate gap in the ADW industry are also mentioned. The role of protease and amylase enzymes in phosphate-free ADW is also explained.

The article reports that the chemical manufacturers in Europe have been trying to end the production of mercury-based chlor-alkali. It states that the companies are racing to meet an end-of-2017 deadline to move to free method of manufacturing chlorine and caustic soda. It mentions that some of the chemical companies have not embraced the deadline on December 11, 2017.

The article focuses on how chemical firms which supply the cleaning products industry are responding to increasing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products in the U.S. It is stated that consumer product companies like Clorox should venture into the market for the so-called green cleaning products. In addition, chemical companies are reducing packaging and avoiding certain ingredients at the behest of retailers.

The article discusses the efforts of several chemical companies to upgrade cleaners for next-generation computer chips. DuPont EKC Technology has developed CuSolve EKC520, an aqueous cleaner designed to remove photoresist ash as well as trace copper oxide and organometallic copper compounds. ATMI Inc. has developed Ideal Clean 815, a fluoride-based formula for aluminum post-etch residue removal. General Chemical has developed photoresist removers and other cleaning and stripping formulas.

The article focuses on the life and career of former scientists at E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. after the company closed most of its businesses. In 1995, the company was considered as one of the world's largest companies employing 105,000 people worldwide. When du Pont sold its large business, many of its employees ended at new firms. These firms are providing opportunities for these employees in an entrepreneurial environment. Stories of former scientists of the company are offered.

The article discusses the contention of Japanese fine chemicals makers to further their business through outsourcing. Though outsourcing of drug ingredients rises, still its drug companies have kept to their conservative ways. Another is the restructuring at some drug companies that creates separate manufacturing subsidiaries. These can be attributed to the regulation of Japan's Pharmaceutical Affairs Law to market and manufacture new drugs just like U.S. Food & Drug Administration.

Reports that chemistry services industry in the U.S. struggles to adapt to new global outsourcing environment. Demands for chemistry services from drug companies; Challenges faced by pure contract research organizations; Assertion of most chemistry services executives that the business they are in today is much different and much more difficult than it was just a few years ago INSET: France's Cytomics Goes Offshore‗To U.S.…..

Highlights the Semicon West Semiconductor equipment and materials trade show in San Francisco, California. Intention of the chemical makers to enter in the chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) slurries; Introduction of CMP tool by Applied Materials and Novellus; Financial performance of the chemical companies.

Focuses on the electronic chemicals sector in the U.S. Market expectations of chemical suppliers following the growth in semiconductor sales in 2004; Annual growth of the semiconductor materials business; Challenges faced by companies that provide next-generation photoresist and dielectric materials to electronics customers.

Discusses the reevaluation of strategies by suppliers for active ingredient development due to the success of midtier brands. Innovative effects of the development on cost; Introduction of premium brand innovations; Efforts of companies in developing quality ingredients that are cost-effective; Significance of the encapsulation technology used in the fragrance of soaps and detergents for other developments.

Focuses on the challenges faced by electronic chemical companies. Research and development of materials for smaller and faster computer chips; Cost-cutting programs implemented by semiconductor manufacturers; Changes in photolithography and metal used by the semiconductor industry; Joint development agreement with semiconductor companies.

Focuses on the collaboration in the chemical industry for research and development. Growth in the use of development partnership by Henkel; Reason for the increase in partnership; Focus of the projects on consumer-driven benefits. INSETS: Diverging Trends Drive Percarbonate.;Wrinkle Reduction Evades Detergent Researchers..

Focuses on the growth of the chemistry services of Albany Molecular Research Inc. in the U.S. Increase of the chemistry research revenues; Allocation of funds for MediChem expansion; Improvement of the drug discovery process.

Reports efforts of chemical companies and semiconductor producers to produce computer chips in the United States. Impact of the copper research of the International Business Machine Corporation on the computer industry; Details on the low-k solution developed by Novellus Systems; Information on the XLK product line of Dow Corning. INSET: Wet chemicals woes are slowly lifting..

Focuses on the plan by chemical companies to pursue the nutraceuticals market. International firms building up businesses in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and other nutritional ingredients; Prospects growth for the sector; Factors that make the PUFA business profitable. INSET: Tough times for cholesterol-lowering food..

Focuses on the importance of interaction between formulators and chemical suppliers in the adhesives industry. Tiers of operation of the industry; Reliance of adhesives formulators on chemical suppliers such as Eastman Chemical, Bayer and Arizona Chemical; Companies employing global strategies.

Focuses on developments related to chemical industry in Chile as of August 2, 1999. Growth of inorganic chemical company Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile's international business operations; Impact on other inorganic chemical companies' operations. INSET: Chemicals in Chile: A key manufacturing sector..

Profiles Earnest W. Deavenport Jr., chief executive officer of chemical company Eastman Chemical. Career background; Achievements and awards; Company background. INSET: Eastman's plastics problem..

Reports that many fine chemicals makers are increasingly using enzymatic methods to make chiral intermediates. Sample of companies that linked biocatalysis with organic chemistry; Significance of the trend; Prediction of Kevin Taylor, general manager for Zeneca's North America operations, on biotransformation. INSETS: Biocatalysis harnesses power of enzymes;Antibiotic makers learn new tricks.

Features the Frankfurt, Germany-based chemical manufacturer Celanese AG. Sales and earnings in 1998; Acetate and acetyl products, chemical intermediates, ticona and performance products produced by the firm; Management strategy employed by chief executive Claudio Sonder. INSET: Celanese returns to New York exchange..

Reports on the effect of the recovery of the global semiconductor industry to chemical companies that supply raw materials. Downturn's precipitation of significant ownership changes and consolidation among semiconductor makers; Renewed emphasis on reining in semiconductor chip manufacturing costs; Semiconductors firms' reduction of the use of expensive high-purity chemicals.

The article focuses on the materials provided by chemical companies for making budget-priced detergents in the U.S. as of January 2014. Topics discussed include the consumer products firm Procter & Gamble Co. to release the Tide Simply Clean and Fresh detergent, decrease in buying of premium detergents by U.S. consumers and decrease in sales of the Tide liquid detergents. Other topics discussed include the Purex line of laundry detergents from Henkel AG & Co. KGaA.

The article discusses the emergence of contract chemical manufacturers with industrial biotechnology firms. Rivertop Renewables confirmed that DTI has begun manufacturing biobased chemical glucaric acid at DTI's facility in Danville, Virginia. Michigan Biotechnology Institute fermented OPX Biotechnologies' key acrylic acid in a reactor at MBI's facility in Lansing, Michigan. Contract manufacturer Albemarle plans to make pilot-scale quantities of jet fuel out of biobased 1-butanol.

The article focuses on the effort by chemical companies to replace nitrogen trifluoride in the electronics industry with an environmentally friendly gas. It explains the role played by nitrogen trifluoride in the fabrication of electronics. Fluorine has been offered by Linde as an alternative to nitrogen. Research showed that only 1.7% of Air Products' nitrogen was lost during its life cycle. The increase in the calls for regulating nitrogen trifluoride is discussed.

The article offers information on three small U.S. chemical companies which have survived the recession and did not opt to transfer their production abroad. It states that the success of Equinox Chemicals is partially attributed to the diversity of the markets it serves. It says that acquisitions and collaborations helped Monomer-Polymer & Dajac Labs (MPD) to increase its product base. It mentions that Hampford Research Inc. withstood the recession because of structural changes it has adopted.

The article focuses on the condition of radiochemical business in the U.S. after the departure of Sigma-Aldrich Corp. and General Electric Co. in the industry. It mentions that the remaining players in the industry insists that a future is still left for the market of radiochemical research tools. Surendra Gupta, a chemist who founded the American Radiolabeled Chemicals (ARC) notes that, the decline of competitors means a desirable state for the remaining enterprise.

The article offers information on the production of succinic acid with the use of agricultural products. It presents the potential of succinic acid as one of the biobased chemicals and the company ventures which targets succinic manufacturing. It notes that the said succinic acid potential was supported by Jean-François Huc, president of DNP Green Technology Inc. It also features the plans of Myriant Technologies to retrofit its ethanol plant to produce succinic acid.

The article focuses on Mark Rohr, chief executive officer of Richmond, Virginia-based specialty chemical company Albemarle Corp. Rohr believes that he could double the company’s profits again over the next five years. His confidence stems partly from what he sees as the almost limitless opportunities for a research-oriented specialty chemical company that provides solutions to a customer’s problems.

Examines the development of alternatives to dry cleaning solvent perchloroethylene by specialty chemical companies in the U.S. Adverse effects of perchloroethylene use; Adoption of carbon dioxide-based systems by dry cleaners in Los Angeles, California; Pros and cons of decamethylcyclopentasiloxane use.

Focuses on the outcome of the Semicon West trade show held in San Francisco, California in which the chemical companies had presented new efforts to supply exotic materials to semiconductor fabricators and toolmakers. Advances in fast-growing markets for chemical by-products; Disposition of ultra-thin barrier; Focus of the business Aloha of Air Liquide SA on precursors and on systems.

Reports on the business plans of Crompton Corp. president and chief executive officer, Robert L. Wood, for the newly launched specialty company Chemtura in the U.S. Application of the same restructuring techniques he did at Crompton; Reduction of the workforce to generate savings; Presentation of lofty financial goals for the firm.

Focuses on Germany-based chemical company Wacker-Chemie GmbH. Financial performance in 2004; Product development strategies; Research and development strategies.

Explores CEO Thierry Le Henaff's confidence that Arkema, the chemical arm of oil company Total Petroleum Ltd., will be a success when it is launch as a spin-off in 2006. Responsibilities of Le Henaff as CEO of Arkema; Strengths of Arkema; Financial performance; Chlorochemicals, intermediates and performance products to be manufactured by Arkema.

Focuses on the focus of chemical company exhibitors at the Informex custom manufacturing trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada on new kilogram-scale facilities for small quantities of drug compounds made under current Good Manufacturing Practice standards. Question whether the overcapacity plaguing the large-volume end of the custom manufacturing business will migrate to the small-scale end; Reference to companies that are poised to expand its operations; Extension of the Informex theme of kiloscale manufacturing into the nonpharmaceutical realm.

Reports on the chemical industry in Latin America. Auction of assets at the ethylene cracker at the Copene plant at Camacari, Brazil; Step in unraveling the Brazilian petrochemical industry's ownership structure; Major chemical companies with investments in Latin America.

Reports that a number of production technologies for nylon intermediate chemicals are having difficulty advancing toward commercialization. Partnership between DSM and Shell Chemicals to develop a butadiene-based route to caprolactam; Examples of similar projects that have encountered setbacks; Contention by DSM that its process is the low-cost route to caprolactam.

Details efforts of chemical companies in the United States to improve bottle corks in order to prevent wine taint. Novo Nordisk's production of an enzyme that destroys cork contaminants; Neocork Technologies's introduction of a synthetic cork that performs like a natural cork but is contaminant-free.

Reports that production cutbacks in plants can balance supplies and pave the way for a market turnaround in the United States calcium chloride industry. Impact of the tighter supplies and higher prices of hydrochloric acid; Major producers of calcium chloride; Level of demand for calcium chloride in the US.

Reports on the pine chemical industry in the United States. Sale of Hercules Inc.'s pine chemical business; Acquisition of Union Camp by International Paper to form Arizona Chemical; Expansion of Georgia Pacific's tall oil fractionator in Crossett, Arkansas; Profitability of Westvaco. INSET: Pine chemicals: Among the oldest of industries..

Focuses on developments related to the fatty acids sector of chemical industry as of April 26, 1999. Witco's plans for its oleochemicals and derivatives business; Companies' restructuring of their oleochemicals businesses; Factors affecting the market. INSET: Fatty acids: An old-line business..

Focuses on the growth strategy of the Rohm and Haas chemical company. Acquisition of LeaRonal and Morton International; Hiring of Rajiv L. Gupta and J. Michael Fitzpatrick as chief executive officer and president; Businesses that Rohm and Haas are engaged in. INSETS: Top executives are cut from different cloth;Salt is `a keeper' for Rohm and Haas.

Looks at the plans of the chemical industry to participate in electronic commerce. Cost benefits of electronic commerce; Views of Douglas Bailey, electronic commerce business development manager for BOC Gases company; Required technology needed to facilitate electronic commerce. INSET: A vision of chemical e-commerce.

Focuses on the performance of Tetra Technologies Inc. in its links with blue-chip companies and strategy for upgrading low-value raw materials. Financial data of the company; Largest unit of the company; Brief history of the company; Chemicals that are the main area of focus of Tetra.

The article presents information on the importance of shale gas which is a natural gas extracted from the shale deposits. The chemical industry of the U.S. is surviving as compared to other countries like China and few countries of Europe due to the cheap natural gas even though the economy of the country is stagnant. Information on an annual meeting and a press conference regarding the impact of shale gas on the chemical industry of the U.S. is also presented.

The article reports that Cognis, a German manufacturer of specialty chemicals, will be integrated into the care chemicals division of BASF. Gabriel Tanbourgi, head of care chemicals division at BASF, initiated the acquisition of Cognis for 4 billion U.S. dollars, including debt and pension obligations. Tanbourgi's plans for the merged personal care operation are discussed, including not using the Cognis name and relying on Dirk Bungel, senior vice president of BASF's care chemicals business, to move the combined operation forward.

The article reports on the expansion of synthetic menthol producers worldwide. BASF plans to construct the world's largest menthol plant while Symrise intends to double its production capacity for menthol. Among the markets being targeted by both companies are oral care, flavors, cosmetics as well as the tobacco industry. It is viewed that the two German firms are following the lead of Japan's Takasago, which is ranked as the number two synthetic menthol maker. The pre-expansion capacity of Symrise is expected to reach between 3,000-3,600 metric tons.

The article provides information on Belgium-based chemical firm Taminco. The company started by acquiring amines-related businesses from foreign chemical firms and folding them into its own production operations. The company supply clients from its existing offices in Ghent, Belgium and Leuna, Germany. It later entered the U.S. market through the acquisition of Air Products' remaining amines operations.

The article focuses on German chemical company Grillo-Werke's direct combination of methane and sulfur trioxide to make methanesulfonic acid (MSA). Topics include the methane's limited reactivity, reaction temperature, and statement of chemical company BASF regarding the applicability of MSA. Also mentioned are the biodegradability of MSA, direct sulfonation and oxidation of methane.