Top Chemical Industry Posts You Missed in January

The global chemical industry entered the year with announcements for new facilities and sustainability-related initiatives as companies continued to counter headwinds created by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Chemical players’ continued investments offers hope that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Powder & Bulk Solids editors selected these posts to provide our audience with an overview of some of the most interesting chemical industry-related developments that were reported in the last month.

Global Chemical Industry Faces Turbulent 2021
Powder & Bulk Solids editors examined various perspectives and forecasts on the chemical industry’s progress over the course of 2021 to provide a view of what might lie on the horizon. Crystal ball gazers predict that certain regions and end-markets will experience greater growth than others during the period. 

Chemical Firm Plans New Microcrystalline Cellulose Plant
Japanese firm Asahi Kasei Specialty Solutions SBU is planning to erect a second manufacturing plant for microcrystalline cellulose at its Mizushima Works in Kurashiki, Okayama, Japan. Ceolus microcrystalline cellulose produced at the site will be used by the pharmaceutical and supplements industries as a tablet binder.

EPA Publishes 2019 Annual Toxics Release Inventory Report
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 2019 Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) National Analysis, which shows that EPA and companies that manage chemicals continue to make progress in preventing pollution. The report shows that between 2018 and 2019 total releases of TRI chemicals decreased by 9%.

Celanese Plans New LCP Polymerization Facility
Chemicals and specialty materials manufacturer Celanese Corporation revealed plans last month to erect a new liquid crystal polymer (LCP) polymerization facility in China to support growth in its Vectra and Zenite LCP product lines. The company is currently evaluating greenfield and existing locations for the new plant.

Specialty Chemicals Firm Adopts Tablets for Plant Checklists
Specialty chemical firm LANXESS is planning to replace about 400,000 paper operations and maintenance checklists used in its production plants with digital versions on tablets during a three-year period, the company said this month. The technology will be rolled out to 65 plants in Germany, Belgium, and the US during the first phase of the digitization initiative.

Chemical Activity Barometer Climbs in December
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC), rose 1.1% in December on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis, unchanged from November and October.

Driving Chemical Industry Innovation Through Neural Manufacturing
Tata Consulting Services Head and Process Industry Advisor Amit Bhowmik discusses how the chemicals and process industry reassess their approach to manufacturing to not only ensure a rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic, but also sustain a competitive edge after the crisis.

Beyond Benign Launches its Green Chemistry Commitment
Beyond Benign, a green chemistry education nonprofit, today announced the launch of its Green Chemistry Commitment (GCC) 25x25 Initiative, working to ensure that 25% of graduating chemists in the US have a background in green chemistry by 2025 with the support of Beyond Benign partner Dow. The initiative comes at a time when today's societal challenges are immense, as articulated through the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs).

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