DuPont named to the 2014 top 100 global innovators by Thomson Reuters

MOSCOW (MRC) -- For the fourth consecutive year, DuPont has been listed as a Top 100 Global Innovator by Thomson Reuters, reported the company in its press release.

An honoree since the inception of the program, DuPont is recognized for its innovation and the worldwide influence of its inventions.

"The combination of biological and materials sciences at DuPont plays a key and indispensable role across our innovation portfolio. As a result, we have a robust pipeline of next-generation products in development that are poised to drive significant growth for the company," said Senior Vice President and Chief Science & Technology Officer Douglas Muzyka. "We are honored to be included on the list as it recognizes the impact our technology is having on global innovation."

DuPont innovation integrates a full complement of capabilities in science and technology, global market insights and collaboration to renew the portfolio continuously and create step-change solutions for customers in a range of markets. To support this collaboration, DuPont has 13 Innovation Centers that connect customers to our 10,000 scientists and engineers working to grow more and better food, create renewable fuels, and protect people where they work and live.

In 2013, DuPont introduced nearly 1,800 new products, which generated USD10 billion in revenue from new products launched between 2010 and 2013. Recent innovations build on a history of innovative products from DuPont including DuPont Teflon nonstick coatings, Kevlar fibers, Tyvek house wrap and medical packaging, Nomex thermal protection, Corian surfaces, Optimum AcreMax Insect Protection Products, Sorona renewably sourced fiber and Rynaxypyr insect control.

As MRC informed previously, Borealis AG is buying out DuPont Co.’s two-thirds share in their Specialty Polymers Antwerp NV joint venture. No purchase price was disclosed. Wilmington, Del.-based DuPont will continue to sell ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) and acrylate compolymers made at the JV’s plant, which is in Zwijndrecht, Belgium.

DuPont is an American chemical company that was founded in July, 1802. The company manufactures a wide range of chemical products, leading extensive innovative research in this field. The company is the inventor of many unique plastics and other materials, including neoprene, nylon, Teflon, Kevlar, Mylar, Tyvek, etc. DuPont was the developer and main producer of Freon used in the production of refrigeration equipment.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- The Dow Chemical Company has announced that its Board of Directors has declared a 14% increase in the company’s dividend, from USD0.37 per share to USD0.42 per share in the fourth quarter, reported the company on its site.

This brings the Company’s annualized dividend to USD1.68 per share. The Company also announced a new USD5 billion tranche to its share repurchase program, bringing the total program to USD9.5 billion.

"Today’s announcement serves as a firm indication of our Board’s confidence in Dow’s fortified balance sheet position and future earnings potential, and further illustrates our commitment to consistently and increasingly rewarding shareholders," said Andrew N. Liveris, Dow’s chairman and chief executive officer.

"The actions we are taking to mitigate external volatility, coupled with the ongoing implementation of Dow’s strategic growth catalysts and market-aligned business strategy, are delivering consistent results - evidenced by eight consecutive quarters of year-over-year adjusted EPS, EBITDA and EBITDA margin growth and significant increases in cash flow, with more upside to come."

The dividend will be payable on January 30, 2015 to shareholders of record on December 31, 2014. This will mark the 413th consecutive cash dividend issued by the Company. Dow has paid its shareholders cash dividends every quarter since 1912. Since 2009, Dow’s dividend has increased by 19 percent on a compound basis.

Purchases under the share repurchase program may be made over time in open market or privately negotiated transactions. As previously announced, the company has committed to complete its previous USD4.5 billion share repurchase program by year-end. This new tranche brings Dow’s total target to USD9.5 billion, with execution timed to proceeds from portfolio management actions and increases in operating cash flows.

As MRC wrote before, Dow Chemical plans to expand capacity and enhance production technologies and equipment at its four polyethylene (PE) production units in Bahia Blanca, Argentina. The four polyethylene units include LDPE, slurry, gas phase and solution. These investments will enable Dow to produce more high-performance resins for flexible and rigid packaging applications to meet growing demand in Latin America, according to company officials.

The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational chemical corporation. As of 2007, it is the second-largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue (after BASF) and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization (after BASF and DuPont). Dow is a large producer of plastics, including polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, and synthetic rubber.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Dow Chemical plans to expand capacity and enhance production technologies and equipment at its four polyethylene (PE) production units in Bahia Blanca, Argentina, the company announced Thursday.

The four polyethylene units include LDPE, slurry, gas phase and solution.

These investments will enable Dow to produce more high-performance resins for flexible and rigid packaging applications to meet growing demand in Latin America, according to company officials.

The LDPE plant will be refurbished to enable production of resins for extrusion coating used in multiple packaging applications, while the slurry plant expansion will help drive growth of bimodal blow molding resins, which is currently in short supply in the region.

The gas phase plant, which produces resins for geomembranes and pipes, will also be refurbished for improved operational performance.

Finally, the solution plant expansion will bring more of Dow's popular DOWLEX and ELITE resins to market and enable Dow to increase its participation in high-value markets like food packaging and hygiene.

As MRC wrote previously, Dow Chemical has recently announced that it signed a definitive agreement under which ANGUS Chemical Co. will be sold to Golden Gate Capital for USD1.215 billion. The transaction is expected to close during the first quarter of 2015, subject to completion of customary regulatory filings.

The Dow Chemical Company is an American multinational chemical corporation. As of 2007, it is the second-largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue (after BASF) and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization (after BASF and DuPont). Dow is a large producer of plastics, including polystyrene, polyurethane, polyethylene, polypropylene, and synthetic rubber.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Oil & Natural Gas Corp., India’s biggest energy explorer, is seeking to sell to strategic investors a 25% stake each in two petrochemical ventures and a power project before taking the units public, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

Talks are on with a number of potential buyers for stakes in ONGC Petro-additions Ltd., ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd. and ONGC Tripura Power Co., ONGC finance director Aloke Kumar Banerjee said. The holdings could together fetch at least USD1 billion based on the investments the projects require, according to Dhaval Joshi, a Mumbai-based analyst with Emkay Global Financial Services.

State-run ONGC is betting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s initiative to attract foreign investment into India in sectors including energy by easing controls on fuel pricing. The country’s benchmark stock index has risen 16% to a record since Modi swept to power in May with the biggest mandate in 30 years.

ONGC will own 26% in ONGC Petro-additions, GAIL India Ltd. 15.5% and Gujarat State Petroleum Corp. 5% after the stake sale and public offer, according to ONGC’s annual report. ONGC Petro-additions will spend 214 billion rupees (USD3.5 billion) to build a petrochemical plant in the western state of Gujarat, according to ONGC.

ONGC and unit Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd. will offer 51% to large investors and the public after keeping 49%, Banerjee said. The company is building a plant in Mangalore on India’s west coast that will produce paraxylene and benzene, a raw material for making plastic, dyes and detergents.

ONGC will eventually own 50% of ONGC Tripura, while IL&FS Energy Development Co. will have 26% and the government of the northeastern state of Tripura 0.5%. The venture operates a 727 megawatt power station that uses natural gas from ONGC’s fields in the region. The plant cost 40.47 billion rupees to build, according to the annual report.

The S&P BSE India Oil & Gas Index, which comprises 10 stocks, has gained 23% this year, while ONGC has surged 36%. The government freed diesel prices from its control and increased natural gas prices by 33% last month.

As MRC wrote before, ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd (OMPL)'s Mangalore plant commenced regular commercial production of benzene and paraxylene from October 1.

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) is an Indian multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Dehradun, India. It is one of the largest Asia-based oil and gas exploration and production companies, and produces around 77% of India's crude oil (equivalent to around 30% of the country's total demand) and around 81% of its natural gas.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Praxair has signed a long-term contract to provide hydrogen to Repsol, one of the world’s largest producers of petrochemicals, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The new steam methane reformer (SMR) will be constructed at Repsol’s La Pampilla Refinery, in the Callao district, near Lima, and is expected to start up in 2016.

"We are honored to have been selected to build this hydrogen plant in Peru," said Domingos Bulus, president of Praxair South America. "We look forward to demonstrating our strong capabilities in hydrogen production and to building a long-term commercial relationship with Repsol."

The 12 million standard cubic feet/day SMR will use natural gas or naphtha as feedstock for the production of hydrogen.

The La Pampilla refinery produces gasoline, liquefied petroleum gas, jet fuel, kerosene, diesel and asphalts, among other products, to serve the local market. The Repsol refinery will also produce low-sulfur diesel fuel that will comply with the strictest environmental standards and be used to serve customers in the local market.

"Through Praxair’s state-of-the-art plants, products and applications technologies, we are supporting our customers in their efforts to address the global trend of adopting more sustainable technologies," said Bulus.

As MRC wrote before, Repsol declared a force majeure (FM) on ethylene supplies from a cracker in Spain in early November. The impact of the FM on the spot market as well as the restart date for the plant could not be ascertained. Located in Tarragona, Spain, the cracker has a production capacity of 702,000 mt/year.

Repsol S.A is an integrated Spanish oil and gas company with operations in 28 countries. The bulk of its assets are located in Spain.
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