Business Roundup

Ingevity is spending about $15 million to upgrade its DeRidder, Louisiana, tall-oil-processing facility. The firm will install new storage tanks, enhance a distillation column, and add an adhesive granulator.

AdvanSix says the fire at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions refinery crimped the supply of cumene it uses to produce phenol and acetone. Higher raw material and logistics costs will cut pretax third-quarter income by up to $12 million, the firm says.

Veolia will expand its sulfuric acid regeneration plant in Darrow, Louisiana, by 15%. The firm says it is responding to increased demand by refineries for sulfuric acid as an alkylation catalyst.

Valtris Specialty Chemicals will expand chlorotoluene derivatives capacity at its sites in Tessenderlo, Belgium, and Maastricht, the Netherlands. Valtris acquired the plants from Ineos last year.

Emerald Kalama Chemical says its sodium benzoate preservative has received European Union approval for use in home care products, including cleaners, detergents, and dishwashing liquids. The ingredient is an alternative to more traditional preservatives that have skin sensitization and toxicity concerns.

Metrohm has partnered with Arbin Instruments to launch an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analyzer for battery testing. The tool will provide insight into battery performance and degradation mechanisms, the partners say, aiding development of safe, fast-charging, and long-lasting energy storage systems.

BioEclipse Therapeutics has raised $7.7 million in series A-1 financing to begin testing its oncolytic virus therapy in people with solid tumors. BioEclipse will use intravenous injections of virus-filled immune cells to shuttle the cancer-killing viruses into the tumors.

Codexis has received $50 million from the investment firm Casdin Capital. Codexis, an enzyme technology firm, says it will use the funds to pursue growth initiatives.