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Business

Business Roundup

August 30, 2010 | A version of this story appeared in Volume 88, Issue 35

Shell is selling its 90,000-barrel-per-day refinery in Heide, Germany, as well as associated chemicals and distribution infrastructure, to the European private equity firm Klesch for an undisclosed sum. In addition to fuels, the refinery makes ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, and xylenes.

AWB, the Australian fertilizer distributor and farm services firm, has approved Agrium’s $1.1 billion acquisition offer (C&EN, Aug. 23, page 17). AWB, formerly known as the Australian Wheat Board, has terminated a previously signed merger agreement with Australian commodities specialist GrainCorp.

Dorf Ketalof India has agreed to acquire Johnson Matthey’s Vertec specialty catalyst business for about $7 million. Based in the U.K., Vertec produces organic titanates used to make inks, paints, and polymers. Most of Vertec’s 50 employees will be reassigned within Johnson Matthey.

Kraton Polymers is considering the construction of a 30,000-metric-ton-per-year plant in Asia for hydrogenated styrenic block copolymers. The Houston-based firm says it anticipates seeking board approval for the project early next year and building the facility by the end of 2013.

Dow Corning is considering the installation of a biomass-powered energy facility at its Midland, Mich., manufacturing site. To be built by Cirque Energy, the facility would gasify organic matter such as waste wood chips and dead trees.

Tata Chemicals and India’s Council of Scientific & Industrial Research will build a 3-metric-ton-per-day pilot plant implementing a CSIR process to produce potassium sulfate for use in agriculture. India currently depends entirely on imports for this fertilizer.

Shell and Brazilian sugar and ethanol maker Cosan have signed agreements to form a joint venture that will produce and distribute ethanol globally. The $12 billion venture will include Shell’s interest in cellulosic ethanol technology developer Iogen Energy and in biocatalyst maker Codexis.

ChemAxon, a provider of chemistry software for the life sciences, has sold a full-product-line license to the Broad Institute of Harvard University and MIT. Broad will have access to ChemAxon’s platform, discovery toolkits, and desktop applications.

Albany Molecular Research Inc. has received a warning letter from FDA about its response to violations found during an inspection of the firm’s Burlington, Mass., facility. AMRI says it is addressing FDA’s concerns and that the warning does not restrict shipments or production at the facility.

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