Kao completes new tertiary amines plant in Texas

Kao Corp. (Tokyo) has completed construction of its first US plant for the production of tertiary amines, a 20,000 metric tons per year unit located on a 45-hectare site in Pasadena, Texas, the company said on Aug. 25, as per Polymerupdate.

“The plant… will be the key point of a global supply chain, ensuring a more stable supply of tertiary amines not only for the North American market but also for a broad range of industries all over the world,” said Daisuke Hamada, president/chemical business at Kao. “Kao is also considering utilizing the site not only for tertiary amine production but also as a platform for working together with outside partners to produce derivatives.”

Kao, which already has tertiary amines plants in Japan, the Philippines and Germany, says it is the largest producer in the world.

Tertiary amines are used in hair conditioners, dishwashing detergents, disinfectants and many other household products.

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Sumitomo Chemical has started up the pilot facility for its new proprietary process to produce propylene di-rectly from ethanol at the Sodegaura site of its Chiba works in Japan, as per Polymerupdate.

With the start-up of the pilot facility, the company will accelerate its demonstration project for this pro-cess, with the aim of commercializing the process and licensing the technology to other companies by the early 2030s.

Unlike other propylene production processes, this new process allows for the one-step production of pro-pylene without passing through intermediates such as ethylene, which is anticipated to reduce production costs. It also generates hydrogen as a by-product.

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Bachem AG (Bubendorf, Switzerland), a peptides and oligonucleotides producer, said Hans Van Hees will take on the role of COO and join the company’s corporate executive committee as of Sept. 1, 2025. Van Hees is currently Bachem’s COO of Europe, as per Chemweek.

The company’s CEO Thomas Meier has also been the COO since 2023. “His efforts over the past two years have allowed for important changes in the operation of our production network and key capacity expansions,” said Kuno Sommer, Bachem’s chairman, for Meier’s performance as Bachem’s COO.
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Air Liquide SA has announced the signing of a binding agreement with Macquarie Asia-Pacific Infrastructure Fund 2 (Sydney) for the acquisition of DIG Airgas (Seoul, South Korea), a prominent industrial gas company, as per Chemweek.

The transaction is expected to close in the first semester of 2026 and is valued at an enterprise value of €2.85 billion for 100% of the shares, representing an EBITDA 2024 multiple of 20.2. However, when considering DIG Airgas’ backlog of signed projects and potential cost synergies, the EBITDA multiple is adjusted to 14.8, with further reductions anticipated from additional growth synergies stemming from this complementary acquisition.

To support this acquisition, Air Liquide will utilize a structured bridge loan, which will later be refinanced through bond issues.

This acquisition marks a pivotal milestone for Air Liquide, significantly enhancing its market position in South Korea, which stands as the sixth largest manufacturing country by GDP and the fourth largest industrial gas market globally. The country is also recognized for its robust innovation spending ratio, making it an attractive market for industrial gas solutions. Air Liquide highlighted South Korea's dynamic economy, particularly its rapidly expanding sectors in electronics, clean energy, mobility and bio-pharma.

DIG Airgas, founded in 1979, boasts an annual turnover of €510 million in 2024 and employs nearly 550 people across 60 plants with an extensive pipeline network of 220 km. DIG Airgas supplies essential industrial gases to key customers in various sectors, including major players in the electronics industry and other prominent South Korean industrial leaders.

Under Macquarie Asset Management’s ownership over the past six years, DIG Airgas has emerged as one of the largest industrial gas players in Korea, diversifying its customer base and expanding into high-growth industries, such as semiconductors and secondary batteries. The company is well-positioned to capitalize on new business opportunities, including securing mega projects in these burgeoning sectors, Air Liquide said.

With over three decades of operations in South Korea, Air Liquide said it has established itself as a trusted local player and business partner, providing advanced gas solutions and technologies, as well as home healthcare services. The acquisition of DIG Airgas is expected to enhance Air Liquide’s local presence and operational density.

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Nippon Sanso Holdings Corp. has announced plans to construct a new air separation plant at Las Vegas, Nevada. The facility will be operated by Matheson Tri-Gas, Inc. (Irving, Texas), as per Chemweek.

The plant is scheduled for completion in 2027.

This new facility is positioned to serve the rapidly expanding US Sunbelt region, which includes key markets in Nevada, California, Utah and Arizona. The plant will produce essential industrial gases — including oxygen, nitrogen and argon — to meet the growing demand from various sectors such as medical, fabrication, construction and food processing, said the company.

The addition of this new plant will enhance the company’s capabilities in providing not only liquid gases but also packaged gases, specialty gases, nitrous oxide, dry ice, helium, and hydrogen and carbon monoxide supply.

Nippon Sanso is a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Corp.

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