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The article provides information related to sustainability in business enterprises. Chemical companies see sustainability as an opportunity both for a cleaner, greener world and for bigger sales and profits. Neil C. Hawkins, Dow Chemical's vice president for sustainability, view sustainability as a business opportunity. He added that every product his company produces is used because it is needed and safe to the environment if used correctly.

The article reports on the decision of GE Advanced Materials, maker of silicones and specialty quartz, to leave its mother company General Electric under the new name Mometive Performance Materials. Its new owner is private equity firm Apollo Management. Chief executive officer, Wayne M. Hewett is tasked with the challenge of maintaining the performance of the company without the infrastructure and support of General Electric.

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 the plans of specialty chemical company Cognis under chief executive officer Antonio Trius. Responsibilities of Trius; Emphasis of the firm on vegetable oils and other renewable resources; Growth plans of the firm's care chemicals and health and nutrition units.

Focuses on the business expansion plans of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based electronic materials business enterprise, Rohm and Haas Co. Sales performance; Account on the series of company acquisitions in an effort to be the top supplier of electronic materials; Impact of the emergence of optoelectronics market on the company.

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.

The article focuses on the business planning of Eastman Kodak Co., an American imaging and photographic equipment manufacturer, in the year 2013. It informs that the company has teamed with customers to install chemical manufacturing equipment at its plant in Rochester, New York State. It also mentions that the company has developed customer-focused culture in its specialty chemical business.

The article presents information on the investments consideration of Channellock Inc. at the American companies regarding the supply of molded polymer grips. It mentions the bankruptcy of Taiwanese group of the company, and highlights the need of new investments. It informs the shifting of several companies including Coleman & Co. Inc., Elmer's, and Hackett Group Inc. to the U.S. due to the positive market condition in the country.

The article discusses the marketing strategy of Danisco after turning Genencor into a wholly owned subsidiary. After completing the transaction with Eastman Chemical, Danisco drops the health care business and focuses on enzymes such as amylase and amyloglucosidase. Also, Danisco harnesses Genencor's biotechnology for foods and feeds, and tries other new industrial arenas such as laundry detergent enzymes and fuels and chemicals from renewable resources.

Describes the value-based strategy instituted by Walter Gramlich, head of the intermediates division of chemical firm BASF. Division's response to a corporate strategy program called BASF 2015 that chief executive officer Jurgen Humbrecht launched in May 2003; Important role of the intermediates division in BASF; Division's analysis which of the customers to continue to serve directly, which to transfer to distributors and which to pass altogether to competitors; Aim to increase the scope of the division beyond the commodity diols and amines for which it is best known.

Focuses on the status of the brain drain trend in Great Britain. Observation of the absence of major migration patterns from the chemical industry; Recognition of the selling points of Onyx Scientific to remain competitive in business; Price advantage of British over American firms; Strategy of Peakdale Molecular to compete with low-cost competition.

Focuses on the business plans of Maxygen, a biotechnology company based in Redwood City, California. Vision to transform industries by recombining or shuffling genes resulting to a faster gene evolution; Chemical products manufactured by the company; Deals and partnerships entered by Maxygen.

The article discusses the decision of Clorox Co. to stop the production of its bleach made from chlorine and sodium hydroxide to improve the product's security. It notes that the company will convert its plant in Fairfield, California and six other plants in the U.S. to use safer chemicals and processes. According to Rick Hind, legislative director of the environmental group Greenpeace, Clorox Co. has made an intelligent business decision of eradicating the risks from using chlorine.

The article reports that the Wisconsin-based chemical company Cambridge Major Laboratories Inc. will be introducing a new business called BudgetFTE which will provide full-time equivalent chemistry services at prices midway between what is charged by U.S. and Asian firms. Brian W. Scanlan, Cambridge Major's vice president of corporate development, BudgetFTE will accomplish this feat by staffing its businesses with industrial postdoctors, chemists and scientists.

Reports on the introduction of productivity and cost-cutting initiatives by biotechnology firm E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. Elements of the productivity plan; Possible number of employees to be redeployed; Aim of the firm to accelerate investment in high-technology fields.

Reports on the decision of Chiron Corp. to accept the offer of Novartis Corp. to acquire some of Chiron's stock shares in the U.S. Views of Novartis CEO, Daniel Vasella regarding his plan for Chiron; Reasons of Novartis on the acquisition of the shares of Chiron; Business forecast of Novartis for the global vaccine market in the next few years.

Reports on the acquisition of Julich Fine Chemicals by Redwood, California-based Codexis Inc. Strategy of the company to expand its customer base and geographic reach; Sale of enzymes previously developed but never marketed.

Reports on the launch of an initial public offering (IPO) of stock by Huntsman Corp. Stock price per share at the end of the first day of trading; Number of shares sold; Impact of the sale on the company's net proceeds; Comparison of the IPO between Huntsman and Celanese.

Focuses on the business strategy used by Steven M. Huthchins of Merck and Co. Recognition of the role of Hutchins as the outsourcing director of Merck; Acquisition of healthy business relationships by Hutchinson by treating outside projects as Merck-exclusive projects; Ethos of the company to concentrate of ways to develop the efficiency of the chemist and not to replace them with others.

Reports on the business plans of Cargill to build technology platforms targeted at industrial products from renewable resources in the U.S. Idea of making polymer from corn-derived lactic acid; Joint ventures of Cargill with Dow Chemical; Impact of bioproduct development on chemical industry.

Reports the plan for establishment of chemical subsidiary Codexis for supply of biocatalytic processes by Informex in Louisiana. Process for pharmaceutical intermediates; Relevance of the plan for independence of Maxygen subsidiary; Expansion on gene evolution technology including biocatalyst libraries and pharmaceutical ingredients.