Kemira iacquires minority stake in SimAnalytics

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Kemira has acquired a minority share of SimAnalytics, a Finnish start-up known for its advanced process harmony prediction and analysis tool, according to Indian CHEMICAL News.

The partnership strengthens Kemira’s ability to support customers’ business with data-driven predictive analytics, artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions. The two companies have worked together on customer projects involving pulp and paper production processes, which are typically complex and where disruptions are costly.

“SimAnalytics’ Factory Harmonizer tool has proven its capacity to help process operators run their production more efficiently and with less disruptions. Chemistry plays a crucial role in the production health and performance of paper machines and Kemira has been investing in advanced analysis in this field. Joining forces makes perfect sense and will benefit our customers in the industry with transparency, predictability and higher machine efficiency. It is also an investment into both companies’ future growth. Going forward, we may expand this collaboration also to other water-intensive industries we serve,” states Antti Pirneskoski, Director of Application Development at Kemira.

As MRC reported earlier, in September 2020, Kemira signed a multi year extension of its polymer supply agreement with Ithaca Energy. Kemira said it had signed a multiyear extension to its polymer supply agreement with Ithaca Energy (Aberdeen, UK). The agreement extends the contract between the two companies, signed in 2018, covering the supply of polymers to enhance oil extraction performance at one of the assets operated by Ithaca Energy in the UK North Sea.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's estimated PE consumption totalled 1,176,860 tonnes in the first half of 2021, up by 5% year on year. Shipments of exclusively low density polyethylene (LDPE) decreased. At the same time, PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

Kemira is a global leader in sustainable chemical solutions for water intensive industries. The company's focus is on pulp & paper, water treatment and oil & gas. In 2020, Kemira had annual revenue of around EUR2.4 billion and around 5,000 employees. Kemira shares are listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- OQEMA Group announced the acquisition of Casoria in Ireland. Casoria, based in Cavan, is a distributor of a range of chemicals and metals to the Irish market and was founded in 1998 by Declan Young, said the company.

Declan Young commented “OQEMA is a perfect partner for Casoria to further develop it’s business. We are very proud of the excellent relationships that we have built up with our customers and suppliers over many years and believe that OQEMA's knowledge, expertise and geographical reach will complement and enhance our offering to the market."

Hartmut Kunz, CFO of OQEMA AG, added: “We are delighted that Casoria has become part of the OQEMA family. This acquisition is beneficial to us in many ways, not only by expanding our presence in Ireland, but also through our strategic focus on the food and pharmaceutical industries. Casoria becomes a platform for our broad product range."

The management of Casoria will remain in place and the company will join part of the OQEMA Western Hub which also includes the existing Irish based businesses of the group. The deal value was not disclosed.

As MRC informed earlier, Oqema Group (Korschenbroich, Germany), a chemical distributor, says it has acquired Claus Nitsche & Sohn (Nitsche; Hamburg, Germany). Nitsche supplies essential oils, natural flavors, fragrance ingredients, and ingredient solutions, and the portfolio will complement Oqema’s flavor and fragrance range, the company says. Financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in June 2021 by 10.2% year on year. However, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 8.2% in the first six months of 2021, according to Rosstat's data. June production of polymers in primary form was 937,000 tonnes versus 956,000 tonnes in May. Russia's overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 4,460,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 12.8% year on year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Japan's Sumitomo Chemical is partnering with US chemistry design company NuMat on cutting the emissions generated in chemical production, said the company.

The partnership will focus on developing new sustainable chemical separation technologies. Traditional separation processes require substantial energy to operate, thus posing an emissions challenge. Financial or other terms were not disclosed.

NuMat is a platform chemistry design company, innovating at the intersection of high-performance computing, data engineering and chemistry to deliver transformational solutions to the chemicals, industrials, electronics and life-science sectors. A pioneer in the field of Programmable Chemistries, including Metal-Organic Frameworks, NuMat takes a precision-medicine approach to chemistry – tailor designing materials to solve big challenges at the smallest possible level.

"We're proud to partner with Sumitomo Chemical in unleashing the potential of Programmable Chemistries to address complex sustainability challenges in the chemicals industry," stated Ben Hernandez, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at NuMat Technologies. "Sumitomo Chemical and NuMat are joined by a shared mission to use chemistry in solving the problems that matter, and I’m excited at the innovation opportunities our collaboration can unlock."

As per MRC, Sumitomo Chemical will establish a subsidiary, Sumika Polymer Compounds Poland (SPCP), to build and operate a polypropylene (PP) compounding facility at PoznaA, Poland. The capacity of the planned PP compounding plant will be 30,000 metric tons/year. It is due to commence operations in 2022.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's PP shipments to the Russian market were 727,160 tonnes in the first six months of 2021, up by 31% year on year. Supply of homopolymer PP and block-copolymers of propylene (PP block copolymers) increased. Supply of statistical copolymers of propylene (PP random copolymers) subsided.

Sumitomo Chemical, a leading Japanese chemical company, was founded with a mission to drive societal impact and solve environmental challenges through technology. They have been exploring new opportunities to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

NuMat, based in Chicago, Illinois, is focused on the intersection of high-performance computing, data engineering and chemistry to develop solutions for chemicals, industrials, electronics and life-science sectors.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Sumitomo Chemical Co. (Tokyo, Japan) has decided to construct a pilot facility for chemical recycling of acrylic resin (PMMA, poly-methyl-methacrylate) at its Ehime Works in Niihama City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, according to Chemical Engineering.

The new facility is scheduled to begin pilot tests in the fall of 2022 and to start providing samples in 2023. In parallel with this project, the Company will work to develop a recycling system for PMMA, from collection of used acrylic resin to recycling and reprocessing into products, aiming for early commercialization of chemically recycled PMMA.

Acrylic resins, which possess the highest level of transparency among synthetic resins as well as superior weatherability and processability, are used in a wide range of applications, such as automotive tail lamp covers, electrical appliances, aquariums, outdoor signboards, liquid crystal displays, building materials, and protective partition panels to reduce the spread of droplets. Global demand for acrylic resins exceeded 1.3 million tons in 2020, and is expected to continue to grow steadily in the future.

In response to ever-growing environmental awareness, Sumitomo Chemical is working on the development of various chemical recycling technologies in-house as well as in collaboration with other companies and academic institutions. For acrylic resin chemical recycling, the Company has been pursuing development in collaboration with The Japan Steel Works, Ltd. (“JSW,” headquartered in Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo), combining JSW’s continuous plastic decomposition technology using twin-screw extruders with Sumitomo Chemical’s expertise on MMA (methyl methacrylate) monomers and acrylic resins that it has cultivated over the years.

With its own basic technology to pyrolyze acrylic resin and regenerate it as MMA monomer, which is used as a raw material, now successfully established, Sumitomo Chemical has decided to construct a pilot facility. The acrylic resin produced by re-polymerizing MMA monomer obtained by this technology is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions over the entire product life cycle by more than 60% compared to virgin materials produced from fossil resources, while maintaining the same level of basic properties, such as transparency and strength.

As MRC informed previously, Sumitomo Chemical and Sekisui Chemical are moving forward with a project to convert plastic waste into polyolefin, targeting to start up a pilot plant to produce ethylene as a first step. Sumitomo Chemical has recently established a cooperative relationship with Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd. for the social implementation of the technology to manufacture polyolefin using waste as raw material.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall production of unmixed PVC totalled 580,500 tonnes in the first seven months of 2021, up by 4% year on year. At the same time, one producer reduced its output.

The main sector consuming approximately 75% of MMA is the production of polymethyl methacrylate acrylic plastics (PMMA). Methyl methacrylate is also used to produce methyl methacrylate-butadiene-styrene copolymer (MBS), used as a modifier for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Swiss specialty and construction chemicals company Sika has acquired Shenzhen Landun Holding, a manufacturer of waterproofing systems in China, for an undisclosed sum, said the producer in its press release.

Shenzhen Landun has a range of waterproofing products and technologies that "perfectly" complement Sika’s portfolio, Sika said.

The acquisition provides a platform for Sika to further grow and strengthen its position in the fast-growing Chinese waterproofing market. The product portfolios of the two companies are highly complementary and offer large cross-selling potential through their respective channels. With the two acquired manufacturing facilities, Sika will be able to strengthen its local supply chain and bring its products and services closer to the market.

Shenzhen Landun employs 200 people and has two plants where it manufactures membranes and coatings for various waterproofing applications, mainly supplying infrastructure and commercial projects.

As MRC informed earlier, Sika commissioned a manufacturing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE), which produces epoxy resins aimed at flooring solutions. Sika has decided to invest in the expansion of its manufacturing facilities at the Dubai site in order to increase flexibility in production, shorten delivery times, optimize cost structures, and reduce inventories.

We remind that Russia's output of chemical products rose in June 2021 by 10.2% year on year. However, production of basic chemicals increased year on year by 8.2% in the first six months of 2021, according to Rosstat's data. June production of polymers in primary form was 937,000 tonnes versus 956,000 tonnes in May. Russia's overall output of polymers in primary form totalled 4,460,000 tonnes over the stated period, up by 12.8% year on year.

Sika is a specialty chemicals company with a leading position in the development and production of systems and products for bonding, sealing, damping, reinforcing, and protecting in the building sector and motor vehicle industry. Sika has subsidiaries in 101 countries around the world and manufactures in over 200 factories. Its more than 20,000 employees generated annual sales of CHF 7.09 billion in 2018.
MRC