BUSINESS ROUNDUP

Dyneon, 3M's fluoropolymers subsidiary, has acquired Hitech Polymers, a maker of specialty thermoplastic polymers and provider of toll polymer compounding. Based in Hebron, Ky., Hitech employs about 15 people.

Dow Chemical has been awarded a $1.7 million brownfield tax credit by the State of Michigan in support of a planned facility expansion. The facility will house a $50 million project to develop building materials with integrated photovoltaics.

Albemarle will double capacity at its Chinese antioxidants joint venture, Shanghai Jinhai Albemarle Fine Chemicals. Albemarle says the venture is China's largest producer of polymer antioxidants.

BASF will expand capacity for automotive catalysts at its subsidiary BASF Chemcat in Rayong, Thailand. BASF notes that Thailand will enforce Europe's strict Euro 4 emissions standards in 2009.

Sichuan Tianhua has licensed Invista's processes for making the polyurethane intermediates 1,4-butanediol and polytetramethylene ether glycol (PTMEG). The Chinese firm is spending $340 million to build a 60,000-metric-ton-per-year butanediol plant and a 46,000-metric-ton-per-year PTMEG facility.

Robinson Brothers is acquiring fellow U.K.-based firm Endeavour Speciality Chemicals. The combination will double capacity for custom manufacturing products at the 1-g to 10-kg scale and allow Endeavour to expand the flavors and fragrances side of its business.

Liquidia Technologies has appointed Neal F. Fowler as CEO. Fowler, former president of Johnson & Johnson's Centocor unit, will lead the privately held spin-off from the University of North Carolina, which specializes in imprint lithography methods to make drug-carrying nanoparticles.

W.R. Grace plans to expand production of specialty aluminas at its Lake Charles, La., site. Aluminas are a key raw material in fluid-cracking and hydroprocessing catalysts used by oil refineries. Construction will begin shortly, with start-up planned for next year.

GenTek has sold its Reheis antiperspirant actives business to Summit Research Labs for an undisclosed sum. GenTek says the sale does not include vaccine adjuvants and high-purity potassium chloride businesses operated by Reheis or the Reheis facilities in Berkeley Heights, N.J., and Midlothian, Texas.

Dow Chemical has sold two parts of its Dow Haltermann Custom Processing Business to Indianapolis-based Monument Chemicals. The sale includes Haltermann's site in Houston and its U.S. test and reference fuels business. Dow will keep Haltermann facilities in Freeport, Texas, and Europe.