Raw Materials and Chemicals - Articles - Page 233

Wacker Expands Binders Production

The Munich-based chemical company plans to build a new spray dryer for dispersible polymer powders at its Ulsan site.

October 6, 2017

Wacker Chemie AG is reportedly expanding its existing production plants for polymer binders in South Korea.

Rheology Modifiers Lead Coatings Additives Market

The estimated 95 billion lbs. of coating produced worldwide in 2017 will consume 92% of the additive volume and the 8.4 billion lbs. of ink the remainder.

October 5, 2017

Global consumption of the five leading additives in coatings and inks in 2017 is a projected 2.7 billion lbs., worth over $5 billion.

EVONIK: Silicone Products

October 3, 2017

Evonik has redesigned the brand profile of its silica portfolio in response to acquiring JM Huber’s silica business in September.

NRC Group Announces Distribution Alliance with Evonik

Melrob and The NRC Group have recently been given the rights to distribute Evonik’s Visiomer® brand products throughout Europe (excluding CIS).

October 3, 2017

The NRC Group will be launching a strategic alliance with Darmstadt-based Evonik Performance Materials GmbH (Evonik) concerning methacrylate monomers.

Reshaping Adhesive and Sealant Formulation Strategies

A new organic/inorganic composite powder simultaneously simplifies formulas and improves product performance, manufacturing operations, and economics.

Ken Thomas

October 2, 2017

Adhesive and sealant manufacturers and end users are always looking for a competitive edge. Faced with a bewildering number of formulation choices and risk/reward tradeoffs, they can end up getting left behind as technologies advance, or make a technical or business mistake if they are too aggressive. There are literally hundreds of raw materials to choose from, a long process to validate and verify new ingredients, and precious little time for internally driven product development projects.

Guest Editorial

Why Smart Manufacturing is a Dumb Idea

Many CEOs have turned away from the astonishing potential of the workforce and turned toward automation instead.

Steven L. Blue

October 2, 2017

Someone asked me recently my thoughts on smart manufacturing—the so-called IT revolution in the factory. They couldn’t believe that I didn’t see smart manufacturing as the salvation of American manufacturing. Don’t misunderstand me; smart manufacturing has a place in reviving American manufacturing.

U.S. Chemical Production Flat in August

Disruptions from Hurricane Harvey were most pronounced in the Gulf Coast region which saw a steep decline, following three months of solid gains.

September 29, 2017

According to the American Chemistry Council (ACC), the U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index was flat in August, following strong gains in July (1.2%) and June (0.8%), as measured on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis.