Applied Products Inc., Minnetonka, MN, has moved its West Coast distribution center from Rancho Dominguez, CA, to nearby Santa Fe Springs, acquiring an additional 20,000 sq. ft. of warehouse space and 5,000 sq. ft. of office space. The company is a leader in providing solutions for adhesives and adhesive-related equipment.

Ashland Composite Polymers, Dublin, OH, has announced that Group Arnaud will solely represent it in France for distribution of all unsaturated polyester resins, gelcoats and epoxy vinyl ester resins. Ashland customers in France previously served by Brenntag will be transitioned to Group Arnaud over the next few months.

BYK-Chemie, Wesel, Germany, recently inaugurated an ultramodern technical laboratory at Langfang, China, located between Beijing and Tianjin. The company has also occupied a 754 sq. m technical lab in Singapore that will low the company to deliver customer support in many areas of application.

Celanese Corp., Dallas, TX, has partnered with a subsidiary of Tianjin Shield Fine Chemical Co. on a 50/50 joint venture in China to make, distribute and sell an industrial chemical used to make coatings and adhesives. The venture will focus on the vinyl ester of neodecanoic acid, which is used to make a range of applications, such as coatings and adhesives. The companies expect to have a plant up and running later this year or early in 2008.

The Dow Chemical Co., Midland, MI, and Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. have announced a joint venture involving assets from their polystyrene and styrene monomer businesses in North and South America. Dow plants to contribute a styrene monomer plant in Camacari, Brazil, and six polystyrene facilities in Gales Ferry, CT; Ironton, OH; Joliet, IL; Torrance, CA; Cartagena, Columbia; and Guaruja, Brazil. Chevron Phillips will include a styreme monomer plant in St. James, LA, and a polystyrene plant in Marietta, OH.