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The ‘Catalyst’ of Growth for Chemical Process Industry

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11June 2010 | Chemical World

EDITORIAL

T hough the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) sector has seen several cycles of rise and fall in the past, the recent worldwide slowdown

has left some distinct marks of its own. To begin with, the span of the impact was global with industrially advanced regions like the US, Europe and North East Asia taking the utmost brunt. On the other hand, emerging economies, especially China & India went through relatively less severity and recovered much faster with continuation of most of the capital projects.

Now with the recovery on the anvil, the EPC sector is looking forward to better prospects ahead. Here again, China & India will play a key role buoyed by their fast growing economy as well as giant expansion plans. With the rising global interests in renewable and bioprocessing projects to create alternative fuels, power and chemicals, EPC companies offering related products & solutions seem better placed to earn the benefits. However, there remain several challenges.

One of the foremost challenges before the EPC sector is escalating costs. Also, there is a growing need to minimise capital costs and execution time without compromising on safety

and quality. The solution to it - as some industry experts opine - lies in better ways to integrate design, procurement, construction, operation, etc among the project stakeholders so as to maximise efficiencies throughout the lifecycle of the project. For a detailed perspective on the post-slowdown scenario, turn to ‘Sector Watch’ and ‘Industry Update’.

Ever wondered about a field that can bring together physicists, theorists, chemists, material scientists, engineers, and even likely to involve biologists? Well, the answer to this is linked to specialty polymers that are aimed at specialised applications. Some of the growth drivers here include better quality packaging material and the boom witnessed in user-industries such as engineering, electrical & electronics, automotive, healthcare etc. These promise huge prospects for specialty polymers. The ‘Market Trends’ section offers some of the latest insights into this fast evolving domain.

A resurgent phase…

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Editor: Manas R Bastia

Editorial Advisory Board

Pothen Paul Executive Chairman, Aker Powergas Pvt Ltd

D P Misra Director, TCE Consulting Engineers Ltd and Former Director General, ICC

P D Samudra Executive Director (Sales) & Member of the Board, Uhde India Ltd

Manas R [email protected]

Chemical World | June 201012

CONTENTS

Highlights of Next Issue

Note: $ stands for US dollar and £ stands for UK pound, unless mentioned otherwise

SECTOR WATCH : Paints & Dyes INDUSTRY UPDATE : Asset Optimisation

REGUL AR SECTIONSEditorial .................................................... 11

National News ......................................... 14

World News............................................. 22

Tech Updates ........................................... 26

Project Updates ....................................... 30

Events Calendar ....................................... 60

Technology Transfer ................................. 62

Product Update........................................ 64

Product Inquiry ........................................ 75

Advertisement Inquiry.............................. 77

Product Index........................................... 79

Advertisers’ List ....................................... 80

LEADERS SPEAK“The intention of Indian companies should be to look at the business prospects of registration” 32...says, Dr Rudolf Alfred Overbeek, Head – Health and Environmental Services, Intertek

IN FOCUSSabero Organics Gujarat Ltd: A successful blend of right chemistry 36

SECTOR WATCHEPC projects in emerging economies: A new dawn of hope 38

INDUSTRY UPDATE Engineering, procurement & construction: Back on growth track 42Jean Beaudoin, Executive Vice President and Head of Chemicals and Petroleum Division, SNC-Lavalin Group

MARKET TRENDS Specialty polymers: Adding novelty, giving versatility 44Electrically conducting polymers: A paradigm shift in electronics 47

Dr A K Bakhshi and Vinita Arora, Department of Chemistry, Delhi University

COATINGS CORNER Chemicals & coatings market: Tiding over troubled waters 50Dr Mosongo Moukwa, Vice President - Technology, Asian Paints Ltd

SAFETY ZONE Protective gear for arms: A handy safety tool 54K N K Murthy, Consultant

GREEN TECHNOLOGY Biofuels: Energising economy, the green-way 56Anirudh Baxi, Head - Process Engineering (Pune Operations), Aker Powergas Pvt Ltd

CURTAIN RASIER ARC’s Eighth India Forum: Driving sustainable innovations 58

3232

3636

3838

4444 4747


NATIONAL NEWS

NEW FACILITY

Swagelok opens technology centre in PuneSwagelok Company has recently opened its India Technology Center at Pune. The centre was inaugurated by Amit Advani, Managing Director, Bombay Fluid System Components Pvt Ltd; Bob Hastings, Regional Manager, Swagelok Company; and Larry Kohler, Manager - Integrated

Services, Swagelok Company. The new facility in Pune will deliver enhanced assembly and technical services to the company’s customers in the alternative fuels, chemical/petrochemical and oil & gas industries. From this new facility, Swagelok will also support leak testing, tube bending and orbital welding requests from around the region.

Sales & service associates, customers and local officials took part in the

inaugural function. The event concluded with a tour of the technology centre, including a custom assembly area, training room, welding service centre and more.

TIE-UP

LANXESS enters into collaboration with ICT

LANXESS India has entered into collaborative agreement with Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai,

for industrial research and scientific projects. The subjects, around which LANXESS projects can be undertaken by ICT, will include process improvement of existing production lines, process development of new products, equipment design and development of catalysts.

Dr Joerg Strassburger, Managing Director & Country Representative, LANXESS India, commented, “We are eager to collaborate with a renowned institute like ICT in the space of

chemical technology. This is a first of its kind collaboration for us at LANXESS India and we are convinced that this association will be beneficial for both parties.”

In the meantime, LANXESS has also inaugurated a new warehouse at Purna in Thane district. The warehouse spans across approximately 3,400 sq m of built up area and provides automated vertical storage & handling solutions to nine business units of LANXESS India.

RECOGNITION

Dow’s Taloja facility receives safety award

Dow’s heritage Rohm and Haas manufacturing site in Taloja has been awarded ‘Gold’ in the Greentech Foundations’ Safety Award 2010 for its outstanding achievement in safety in the chemical sector. The award is presented annually by Greentech

Foundation to recognise excellence in fire & safety management in the workplace. This award aims to emphasise the duties, responsibilities and concern to save the workplaces from accidents & damages by taking preventive and corrective measures to increase productivity.

The Taloja facility manufactures a wide variety of coatings and adhesives for the Dow Advanced Materials Division. This is the second consecutive award for the Taloja site,

having previously been recognised for its environmental excellence by the Greentech Foundation in October 2009. Applications for the awards are evaluated on performance in the award year as well as track record for the earlier two years. “This award is a recognition of our long-standing dedication and commitment to safety at the Taloja site. Safety is the number one priority of our manufacturing operations,” said Anil Gupta, Plant Manager – Taloja, Dow.

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Atlas Copco launches new small oil-injected compressorAtlas Copco has launched oil-injected 11-30 kW GAe/GAe VSD compressors. With a Free Air Delivery (FAD) and Specific Energy Requirement (SER) fitted to the highest demands of the Indian market, these are aligned with

the government’s increased concern on energy saving & environmental impact. These oil-injected compressors are compact and work silently to operate on a workfloor in this kW range. The integrated dryer simultaneously enhances energy efficiency and air quality. These compressors, which operate and deliver full capacity in ambient temperatures of up to 46°C, offer intuitive monitoring

interfaces. The gearbox of gear driven compressor is highly reliable and protected against dirt.

Officials of LANXESS & ICT exchanging agreement documents

Swagelok’s new technology centre

Atlas Copco’s new GA 30 VSD compressor


NATIONAL NEWS

NEW FACILITY

HPCL plans mega refinery in Western India The state-run Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is reportedly planning to invest Rs 30,000 crore to set up a 15-16 million tonne-a-year refinery on the west coast. The oil marketing and refining major, which reported an 85 per cent dip in its net profit in the quarter ended March 31,

is likely to set up the new refinery in Raigad district of Maharashtra, to relocate its Mumbai refinery.

Arun Balakrishnan, Chairman & Managing Director, HPCL, informed, “We have been shown three pieces of land by the Maharashtra Government. We should be able to finalise the location shortly. We face tremendous space constraint at our 6.5 million tonne-a-year Mumbai refinery. A refinery of this size is spread

over 2,000 acre of land but our refinery is spaced in just 350 acre. We feel, in 5-10 years, the space constraint will make the unit inefficient.”

PAINTS

AkzoNobel to make India its South Asia hub

AkzoNobel, which acquired ICI India in 2008, is planning to make India its South Asia hub. Amit Jain, Managing Director, AkzoNobel India, informed,

“The Dutch parent has major investment plans for India. The top brass from the parent company will visit India in July to give shape to its investment plans. India will become the sourcing hub for countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. We will sell decorative paints in these countries under the Dulux brand name.”

To meet the growing demand for paints in India and cater to the South Asian market, AkzoNobel India will invest in a greenfield plant, which would

produce 50 million ltr paint annually. The investment in this plant will be to the tune of Rs 100 crore. Jain said that the company has identified two states in South India - Tamil Nadu and Karnataka - for setting up the plant.

“We had planned to set up the plant last fiscal, but finding the apporiate land was a challenge, which delayed the project. We hope to strike the land deal by July this year. We require 75 acre for the new plant,” he added.

EXHIBITION

PVC Expo 2010 receives good response

The Pumps, Valves & Compressors Expo 2010 (PVC’10), organised by Conventions & Fairs (India) Pvt Ltd (CFI),

was recently held in Mumbai. The expo witnessed participation from across the globe with companies from China, Italy, UK, the US, etc exhibiting the latest technologies to visitors. The event, supported by Indian Water Works Association and All India Association of Industries, showcased pumps, valves, compressors and allied products. The event was able to bring together major pumps, valves and compressors manufacturers under one roof, claimed the organiser.

“This year, the event witnessed an increase of 47 per cent footfall, compared to the figures recorded last year. The companies that participated in the expo included Kirloskar Brothers, Kirloskar Pneumatics, Shayburg Valves, Atlas Copco, Crane, Ingersoll Rand, Kaeser Compressors, Valbrass SRL and Dandong Colossus,” stated CFI in a press release. The organiser also announced the schedule of next year’s event, which will be held during May 6-8, 2011 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai.

MILESTONE

Ingersoll Rand’s ARO brand celebrates 80 years Ingersoll Rand is celebrating the 80th anniversary of ARO, its premier fluid handling and fluid power products brand. The brand is an important strategic asset of Ingersoll Rand’s Industrial Technologies Division. It is prominently featured in the company’s

fluid product lines including air operated diaphragm & piston pumps, valves, cylinders, controls and Filter-Regulator-Lubricator (FRL) products.

About ARO’s history in India, Jaideep Wadhwa, Vice President & General Manager, Industrial Technologies, Ingersoll Rand India, claimed, “The ARO brand diaphragm and piston pumps were launched in India by the parent

company - Ingersoll Rand - less than a decade ago, but have quickly built a reputation as the most efficient and reliable pumps in the market.”

A view of the expo

HPCL’s Mumbai refinery


NATIONAL NEWS

BUSINESS STRATEGY

Asahi Songwon aims robust growth Asahi Songwon Colors Ltd (ASCL), the Gujarat-based pigment manufacturer, is targeting 20 per cent growth in its top-line and bottom line this fiscal, on the back of an economic recovery and better capacity utilisation. “The economy is looking up, and we are confident of achieving better utilisation. We should

achieve 20 per cent growth this year. Anything less would be disappointing,” explained Gokul Jaykrishna, Joint Managing Director, ASCL.

The company clocked a gross turnover of Rs 127 crore, up 11.70 per centlast fiscal over the year-ago period while its PAT increased four times to Rs 9.54 crore.

ASCL is also planning to expand the capacity of its beta blue product from

the present 1,200 Tonne Per Annum (TPA) to 2,040 TPA by November and then to 4,000 TPA within a year.

EXPANSION

IG Petrochemicals to expand phthalic anhydride capacity

The Mumbai-based IG Petrochemicals Ltd (IGPL) is looking to increase its

phthalic anhydride (PA) capacity by 50,000 tonne. The company, one of the leading manufacturers of PA in the country, has a total capacity of 1,10,000 tonne per year. Nikunj Dhanuka, Managing Director, IGPL, stated, “We are contemplating the project and the feasibility study is on. Once the project begins, it will take us 16-18 months to complete it.”

He further added, “A greenfield project of such a size will take at least 2-2.5 years and will cost about Rs 400-450

crore. However, since we are planning to put this capacity at our existing plant location, the time and cost spent for us will be less.” IGPL has its PA plant located in Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Dhanuka informed, “Going forward, the PA industry is not anticipating a significant increase in supply. However, the sector will witness healthy growth on the back of increase in demand by end-user industries. China is a net importer of PA and is expected to continue to be so at least till 2015.”

TIE-UP

RIL inks pact with Russian firm for butyl rubber

In order to tap the automobile sector, Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) has joined

hands with SIBUR, Russia-based petrochemical company, to produce synthetic rubber at the former’s Jamnagar site in Gujarat. While SIBUR will provide the proprietary technology for butyl rubber polymerisation & its finishing, RIL will supply monomers & provide the JV with infrastructure and utilities, according to a memorandum of understanding (MoU)signed between the two companies.

RIL officials informed, “Indian rubber industry is growing rapidly on

the back of automobile demand in India and the sub-continent. This step reinforces RIL’s commitment to the synthetic rubber industry in India.”

Dmitry Konov, President, SIBUR, said, “The creation of new capacity in close proximity to Asian markets provides both SIBUR and Reliance with exciting opportunities. Rubber consumption in Asia has shown strong growth in recent years, triggered by increased volumes of tyre production.”

STARCH DERIVATIVES

Roquette eyes more stake in Riddhi Siddhi France’s Roquette Freres is in advanced talks to buy the Gujarat-based Riddhi Siddhi Gluco Biols, in a deal that will significantly amplify its presence in a fledgling, but growing market. Roquette is looking to raise its stake to 51 per cent from 14.93 per cent in

Riddhi, which claims to have a 25 per centshare in the country’s starch and starch derivatives market.

The French company is among the world’s leading makers of starch derivatives (used in foodstuff, adhesives and medicines) as well as the largest producer of polyols (used to make a wide range of products like chewing gum, candy and ice-cream).

Its interest in Riddhi also stems from the Indian company’s three production units in Karnataka, Uttranchal and Gujarat as well as exports to more than 25 countries.


NATIONAL NEWS

CAPITAL INVESTMENT

SRF plans Rs 1,000-crore specialty chemicals plant SRF Ltd is reportedly planning to invest around Rs 1,000 crore, over the next four years, in a new plant at Dahej in Gujarat. This would produce mostly fluorine-based specialty chemicals for use as intermediates in the manufacturing pesticides and drugs for customers in Europe, the US and

Japan. The chemical-based industrial intermediates manufacturer is also scheduled to start work on a Rs 143-crore capex proposal to enhance the capacity of its coated fabrics plant at Gummidipoondi in Tamil Nadu.

The company has manufacturing plants spread over eight locations in India, apart from units in Dubai, South Africa and Thailand. “The new facility when completed will enable us to

offer new products such as lacquered tarpaulins and fabrics for tensile structures & awnings as well as Poly Urethane (PU) coated fabrics, which are increasingly being used in the domestic market,” informed Ashish Bharat Ram, Managing Director, SRF Ltd.

EXPANSION

GNFC takes up two new chemical projects

The Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilisers Company Ltd (GNFC) has claimed that its two projects would take the state’s

chemical and fertiliser industry to new heights and would also attract new industries. With the capacity expansion of 50,000 Tonne Per Annum (TPA) Toluene Di-Isocyanate (TDI) project at Dahej in the pipeline, GNFC will become the only company in Asia to have a capacity to produce 65,000 TPA of TDI. The second most important project is manufacturing urea. For this purpose, GNFC is coming up with a plant for ammonia feed stock conversion from FO/LSHS to Natural Gas (NG).

The TDI project with a capital outlay of Rs 1,655 crore is scheduled to be completed by December 2011. While the Rs 1,216-crore urea project, which will be funded by the centre, is expected to be over by June 2012.

Guruprasad Mohapatra, Managing Director, GNFC, informed, “The new projects will not only benefit the state but also the country. GNFC is the only company to have 15,000 TPA capacity. The expansion will make it 65,000 TPA.”

NEW REFINERY

Chennai Petroleum plans Rs 10,000-crore project

Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) is reportedly planning to scrap the oldest of its three units at its

Manali refinery complex and build a new, 9-Million Tonne (MT) refinery in its place. The project is estimated to cost about Rs 10,000 crore. After scrapping the 3-MT, Unit-I at Manali, the net addition to the company’s capacity will be 6 MT.

This proposal comes in the wake of the deferment of an earlier proposal to put up a 15-MT refinery, at a cost of Rs 30,000 crore, in collaboration with CPCL’s parent company, Indian Oil Corporation. The project was first meant

to come up at Ennore, north of Chennai, but was later conceptually relocated to the upcoming Petroleum Chemicals and Petroleum Investment Region (PCPIR) near Cuddalore. “The 9-MT project is definitely coming. We are fast-tracking it,” informed K Balachandran, Managing Director, CPCL.

Today, the Manali complex of CPCL has a capacity to process 10.5 MT of crude. In fact, it added 1 MT, through an exercise of debottlenecking at Unit-III, only recently.

GROWTH STRATEGY

Nagarjuna Fertilizers to set up new unit in KakinadaNagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals is planning to spend around Rs 75 croreat its Kakinada plant in Andhra Pradesh, mainly to improve operations. R S Nanda, CEO, Nagarjuna Fertilizers and Chemicals, stated, “We plan to set up a customised fertilisers unit there, which will take about

Rs 16-17 crore. The plant is expected to get ready by the end of this fiscal.”

In March 2010, Nagarjuna had said that it was investing up to Euro 5 million in speciality chemical firm Spawnt GmbH to acquire it and set up a manufacturing unit. Nagarjuna Spawnt GmbH, the German unit, will make silica-based chemicals used to manufacture solar panels and semi-conductor devices.

Nagarjuna Fertilizer’s Board has also approved setting up a bio-mining project through investment in Bhavani Bio Organics Pvt Ltd.

Guruprasad Mohapatra

K Balachandran


WORLD NEWS

TECHNOLOGY AGREEMENT

Thai Paraxylene to use ExxonMobil’s PxMax technology

ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing LLC and Thai Paraxylene Company Ltd (TPX) have signed an

agreement to license ExxonMobil’s PxMax technology for TPX’s petrochemical plant in Sriracha, Thailand. TPX is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Thai Oil Public Company Ltd (TOP), while PxMax is ExxonMobil’s state-of-the-art technology for selective toluene disproportionation. The PxMax process licensed by EMCTL replaces a non-selective Toluene Disproportionation (TDP) process in TPX’s Sriracha plant. The

selective nature of the PxMax process provides TPX with a paraxylene-enriched mixture that is further processed into sales grade paraxylene product to meet market demand.

David Starkey, Licencing Manager - Global Xylenes, ExxonMobil Chemical Technology Licensing, said, “Based on our success with this technology, we believe TPX will improve the cost-competitiveness of the aromatics business.”

APPOINTMENT

King appointed new President of IChemE

Desmond King, President, Chevron Technology Ventures, has been appointed as the 69th President of Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). King succeeds Ian Shott

as President of the international professional membership organisation. In his address after the appointment, King examined the challenges and opportunities that chemical engineers and scientists are facing in the energy industry.

About his vision for IChemE, King said, “My goal is to ensure that the institution continues to inspire, promote and sustain the development of chemical, biochemical and process engineering, its practical applications and the profession, for the

benefit of all members. There are a lot of challenges waiting for us.”

King, who holds a PhD in chemical engineering from Cambridge University, UK and a Bachelor’s degree from Imperial College, was a chemical engineering college professor for two years before joining Chevron in 1981.

David Brown, CEO, IchemE, averred, “Des brings a wealth of experience to IChemE. He has worked in and with academia, and has held a succession of senior industry positions.”

EXPANSION

Huntsman to expand Llanelli specialty amines manufacturing capacityThe Performance Products Division of Huntsman Corporation will expand the manufacturing capacity of its specialty amines manufacturing facility located in Llanelli, Wales. The planned expansion will increase the existing capacity by more than 50 per cent. Daniele Ferrari, President - Performance Products, Huntsman, said, “Llanelli site is a

strategic cornerstone for meeting our global customer needs. This expansion is strategically important for our future growth and complements other investments in amine manufacturing capacity, especially in Jubail, Saudi Arabia where we have recently commissioned our joint venture ethylene amine plant and announced a memorandum of understanding to study a future Morpholine-DGA® agent investment.”

John Smyth, VP, Performance Products - Europe, Middle East and

Africa, said, “This expansion is required to ensure Huntsman remains ahead of the demand curve and continues to satisfy the dramatic growth.”

NEW FACILITY

Dow to build new emulsion plant in ChinaDow Coating Materials is building a $ 17 million emulsion plant at the company’s Zhangjiagang site in the eastern Chinese province of Jiangsu. The new plant will cater to the growth of Shanghai region and will produce products for Dow’s adhesives and functional polymers

business, as well as its building & construction business unit.

The construction of the new plant is set to begin in the fourth quarter of this year and is expected to be completed in the late 2011.

Bruce Hoechner, Vice President - Asia Pacific, Dow Advanced Materials, said, “More than one-quarter of the emulsion products sold by Dow Coating

Materials in China were invented in the country in the last three years.”

Desmond King


WORLD NEWS

EPC CONTRACT

SNC-Lavalin bags contract to build acid plantSNC-Lavalin has been granted a contract to build a grassroot sulfuric & phosphoric acid complex together with utilities and a power plant in Eshidya, Jordan, by JIFCO. The project value is estimated to be around $ 625 million.

Under the contract, SNC-Lavalin will provide overall project management, detailed design, proprietary equipment items and construction management services for the facilities. The work will begin immediately and is expected to start its operations before the end of 2012.

After completion, the complex is expected to produce 5,00,000 Tonne

Per Annum (TPA) of phosphoric acid and 4,500 TPA of sulfuric acid.

JIFCO is a joint venture between Jordanian Phosphate Mines Company (JPMC) and Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Ltd (IFFCO).

NEW FACILITY

Eastman opens new copolyester plant

To meet increasing market demand, Eastman Chemical Company recently

inaugurated a new plant for the production of Eastman Tritan copolyester at its headquarters in Kingsport, Tennessee, US.

According to the company, it will expand & strengthen its offerings with increased overall sustainability and minimise the environmental impact of its processes and products. Dante Rutstrom, Vice President & General Manager

- Specialty Plastics Business, said, “The future for Eastman Tritan copolyester is promising, especially considering that numerous brands are commercialising innovative applications that require sizable volumes of Tritan. By responding to our predicted annual global copolyester market growth of 6-8 per cent, we are already exceeding expectations of marketplace success.”

NEW UNIT

SOCAR to develop oil refining and chemical complex in Azerbaijan

State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) will be developing Azerikimya, a new processing and petrochemical complex to be constructed in Sangachal in the Garadagh district of Baku. Rovnag Abdullayev, president, SOCAR, said, “The company is looking to develop Azerikimya further, and has plans to

install additional ethylene & propylene plants. The concept of the new complex in Sangachal will help in the refining of up to 10-15 million tonne a year.”

SOCAR has plans to sell approximately 70-80 per cent of the chemical production in Azerbaijan and export the remaining.

EXPANSION

Lubrizol to expand US plant

The US-based Lubrizol Advanced Materials will invest $ 40 million

to increase production capacity and update infrastructure at its Calvert City manufacturing facility in Kentucky, the US. The facility produces Carbopol polymers, which are used in a number of refillable and consumable applications, including consumer goods for personal care,

home care and pharmaceutical markets. The expansion will also include advanced proprietary process technology to provide high-quality products to customers, according to the company. Lubrizol Advanced Materials is a business segment of Lubrizol Corporation.

INVESTMENTS

Keyuan Petrochemicals acquires funds to expand facilityThe China-based Keyuan Petrochemicals has completed an additional private equity financing agreement of $ 3.05 million with two investors for a total raise of $ 26.2 million.

The funds will finance the expansion of its manufacturing facility, including a raw material pre-treatment facility, additional storage capacity and an asphalt production facility.

Keyuan Petrochemicals’ wholly-owned subsidiary Keyuan Plastics produces 5,50,000 TPA of a variety of petrochemical products and has

facilities for the storage & loading of raw materials & finished goods.


WORLD NEWS

BUY OUTS

Sherwin-Williams to buy Becker Acroma

Sherwin-Williams Co, one of the leading global manufacturers of paints, announced that it would buy wood coatings maker Becker Acroma Industrial Wood Coatings for an undisclosed sum, in a bid to expand its global footprint. Sweden-based Becker Acroma, a unit of AB Wilh, has annual sales of around $ 300 million, Sherwin-Williams added

in the statement. The deal, subject to regulatory approvals, is slated to close in the third quarter this year.

“This acquisition reaffirms our commitment to growing globally through organic expansion, accelerated by appropriate acquisitions,” informed Christopher Connor, Chief Executive, Sherwin-Williams.

INAUGURATION

RLOC starts new ethylene cracker Unit

Ras Laffan Olefins Company (RLOC) has opened a $ 800 million ethylene cracker facility at Ras Laffan Industrial City in Doha, Qatar. The 1.3 Million Tonne Per Annum (MTPA) project is a 54:46 joint venture between Qatar Chemical Company II (Q-Chem II) and Qatofin Company. The cracker will supply ethylene feedstock to newly established polyethylene and olefins plants of Q-

Chem II and Qatofin. The ethylene will be transported from Ras Laffan to Q-Chem II and Qatofin downstream derivatives units in Mesaieed via a 133 km pipeline. The RLOC project, funded through equity and senior debt, will process raw ethane gas to produce 1.3 MTPA of ethylene and the output capacity is planned to be increased to 1.6 MTPA in the second phase.

RECYCLING

Norsk Hydro to build aluminium recycling plant in NorwayThe aluminium producer Norsk Hydro is planning to build Norway’s largest plant for aluminium recycling at Karmoy with an initial capacity of 35,000 tonne.

“The total investment will be around $ 39.52 million and will create close to 40 new jobs in the plant. The new plant at Karmoy will recycle dross and scrap from Hydro’s aluminium plants in Norway, as well as from external sources in Scandinavia and Iceland,” said company officials. The new recycling facility will be operative

in summer of 2012. Stage two will include a second furnace with a capacity of 35,000 tonne.

DEALS

Borouge and Linde Group sign deal for Abu Dhabi ethane crackerBorouge and Linde Group signed a deal recently to construct a 1.5 million tonne per year ethane cracker at Borouge’s production site at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi. The turnkey construction deal is worth $ 1.1 billion. The deal was signed at

the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi by Abdulaziz Alhajri, CEO-Abu Dhabi Polymers, Borouge, and Prof Wolfgang Reitzle, CEO, Linde Group. The new cracker is the third of its kind to be built by the Linde Group for Borouge in a decade.

Borouge is a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), one of the world’s largest

oil & gas companies, and Borealis, a leading provider of chemical & innovative plastics solutions.

COLLABORATION

BASF and Meiji Seika Kaisha to co-develop insecticide

BASF has entered into an agreement with Japan-based Meiji Seika Kaisha (MSK) to co-develop a new insecticide for the control of piercing and sucking insects, code named ME5343. Under the terms of the agreement, MSK will grant an exclusive licence to BASF to develop and

commercialise the new insecticide, except in Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. With low toxicity, the new product will be less harmful to the environment and non-target organisms. MSK is expected to submit the new compound for regulatory approval in Japan in 2012.


WORLD NEWS

NEW UNIT

Hexion builds dispersion manufacturing unitHexion Specialty Chemicals has recently completed the construction of a new dispersion manufacturing unit at its production facility in Georgia, the US. The new unit integrates Hexion’s Robust manufacturing process technology,

which produces tackifier dispersions with finer particle size and zero grit. Incorporating the Snowtack water-based tackifier dispersions in its formulations, high-quality adhesives can be produced to provide better coating characteristics and enhanced line performance when used on high-speed coaters, resulting in few finished product defects.

All Snowtack dispersion grades are alkylphenol ethoxylate (APE) free and provide stability & strength for a variety of pressure-sensitive and non-pressure-sensitive adhesive products.

PRODUCT ACQUISITION

Celanese acquires two product lines from DuPont

Celanese has acquired two product lines from DuPont for an undisclosed amount. The US-based chemical

company has added DuPont Zenite liquid crystal polymer and Thermx po l y c y c lohexy l ene -d ime thy l ene terephthalate to its product line through acquisition.

David Weidman, Chairman & CEO, Celanese, said, “The acquisition would consolidate its position as a global supplier of high-performance materials

and technology driven applications. These two products would broaden the company’s Tricona Engineering Polymers offerings, enabling Celanese to respond to a globalising customer base, especially in the high-growth electrical and electronics application segments.” Ticona produces a range of engineering polymers.

BUSINESS STRATEGY

Croda sells German oleochemicals business

France-based Croda International will sell its Emmerich site and associated

business in Germany to KLK Emmerich GmbH, a subsidiary of the KLK Group (Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad) for $ 76 million to reduce its net debt.

According to Croda, IAS19 retirement benefit obligations relating to the business of approximately $ 44 million are expected to be part of the transaction, and cash payable

at completion will be $ 32 million. The transaction is expected to improve earnings in 2010. The Emmerich site produces fatty acids and glycerine, most of which is sold into industrial specialties market. Croda will continue to supply and source some products to and from the business under normal third-party commercial terms.

NEW UNIT

LANXESS to build its first plant in RussiaGermany-based LANXESS has commenced work on its first production facility in the Dzerzhinsk Industrial Park in Russia. Lanxess subsidiary Rhein Chemie,

located in the Nizhny Novgorod region, will produce high-performance rubber & rubber chemicals, colour pigments and ion exchange resins for industrial water treatment. The facility will produce up to 1,500 tonne of Rhenogran and Rhenodiv rubber additives & release

agents that are used to manufacture car tyres and technical rubber products such as hoses and seals.

FRESH INVESTMENT

Omnia to build chemical plant in South Africa

South Africa’s Omnia is investing $ 176 million in a nitric acid and

ammonium nitrate plant and related facilities in South Africa to meet the growing demand in the fertiliser market.

The plant is expected to produce 1,000 tonne per day, which is 140 per centof the existing plant’s capacity, saving approximately $ 35 million per year. The new construction is expected to be the first nitric acid plant of its kind in South Africa since 1984. The facilities will be

developed in Sasolburg, adjacent to Omnia’s existing nitric acid plant and will start operations by 2012.

To partially fund the expansion, the company has plans to raise shareholder capital of $ 126 million for which existing shareholders have already started applying. Internally generated funds and long-term project finance will also fund the project, and the Industrial Development Corporate will provide at least $ 37 million.

TECH UPDATES


Endress+Hauser has recently introduced Deltatop differential pressure (DP) flowmeter for measuring gas, liquid and steam in 1/2 to 24-inch pipes. “Deltatop is a flow monitoring solution, which includes an averaging pitot tube, and offers customers accurate & reliable DP flow technology. It features precision-machined orifice plate primary devices with flanged unions, manifold and transmitter – designed specifically for applications in accordance with ASME B16.36. These primary elements are designed to safely and accurately measure flow of liquid, gas or steam. These flow solutions are available in class 300# to 2400# flanges,” as per the company.

Accuracy of volumetric flow in the Deltatop is achieved through the development of a theoretical model of flow coefficients that have been proven through empirical test data and verified by independent laboratories. “The averaging pitot tube provides high accuracy and reliability. The bullet-shaped solid piece construction

and the location of low-pressure ports make this flow solution clog-free and precise with a good signal-to-noise ratio,” the company press release stated.

New pipette tips to ensure perfect pipette connectionIntegra Viaflo has developed GripTips, a next-generation range of pipette tips that ensure a perfect connection between pipette and tip. According to a company press release, “GripTips have been engineered to provide high lateral resistance as a result of which, pipette tips will never fall off while pipetting. These deliver precise and consistent tip seal ensuring that all tips on a multi-channel pipette are precisely at the same height, increasing the accuracy and precision of each multi-channel dispense. Benefitting from unique tri-lobe fittings, GripTips deliver low attachment and ejection forces, enabling comfortable, stress-free pipetting even over extended periods of use.”

The tips are available in five volumes (12.5 µl, 125 µl, 300 µl, 1,250 µl and 5,000 µl) and come in stackable racks. To enhance ease of use, GripTips feature colour-coded inserts that correspond to the volume ranges of the Integra Vision and Voyager pipettes. The 12.5 µl and 125 µl GripTips come in racks of 384, so the same tips and the same rack can be used with single, 8, 12 or 16 channel pipettes. The GripTips are made up of certified virgin medical grade polymer materials, using precise and consistent manufacturing techniques.

Borouge develops two pipe plastics solutions Borouge recently presented two new developments for the applications in oil & gas pipelines. These developments include a new top coat material Borcoat™ and a new high stress crack resistant PE100 material BorSafe™. These products have been intensively tested in a number of pilot projects and approved for full-scale production at Borouge’s plant in Ruwais, Abu Dhabi.

Borcoat™ is a complete steel pipeline protection solution, which provides innovative mechanical protection and corrosion resistance for oil & gas pipelines that operate under extreme circumstances. “The Middle East region presents environmental challenges like high-water table, aggressive soils, high-ambient temperature & UV radiation and exposure to direct sunlight due to shifting of sand cover. The material properties and benefits of the newly developed Borcoat™ HE3450-H

like high indentation, softening temperature melt strength and improved processing are highly valued by both the pipe coaters and the pipeline operators in the Middle East,” claimed Borouge officials.

Dow to use advanced technology to make copolymer at new unit Dow Water & Process Solutions, a business unit of Dow Chemical Company, has announced that the company is planning to expand its Fombio, Italy, facility to manufacture uniform particle size (UPS) copolymers used in the company’s ion exchange resins. The new capacity will use novel manufacturing technology from both Dow and Rohm & Haas for production of the highest quality UPS copolymer available in the industry.

While commenting on the development, Tom Bass, Leader - Business Operations, Dow Water and Process Solutions, said, “We have always been committed to provide customers with the ultimate combination of performance, reliability and efficiency in our products. By increasing the efficiency of our manufacturing process, Dow will reduce inter-regional freight, which will have a positive impact on our carbon footprint.” Producing UPS gel copolymer for the first time in Europe is the latest step in the transformation of Dow’s ion exchange asset grid to a more streamlined, competitive configuration. The copolymer manufacturing at Fombio is expected to begin in the second half of 2010. The facility is ISO 9001 certified for quality systems and the ISO 14001 standard for environmental management.

Endress+Hauser introduces novel differential pressure flowmeter

TECH UPDATES


Dana develops eco-friendly high-performance coating Dana Holding Corporation has recently developed a high-temperature exhaust gasket coating to meet the increasing challenges of modern gasoline and diesel engines. The technology, the first to withstand temperatures as high as 1,000ºC, is currently under production.The Victor Reinz® ThermoGlide 1000™ high-temperature coating offers a 25 per cent improvement over the heat resistance of competitive coatings. In addition, Dana’s unique exhaust gasket coating is created using water-based chemistry and an environment-friendly manufacturing process thatproduces significantly fewer carbon emissions than traditionalvolatile organic compound (VOC) based adhesives.

“We are eager to introduce this new technology for high-temperature sealing of gasoline and diesel engines. With ThermoGlide 1000™, we are providing high-temperature resistance, fretting reduction, and improved sealing – all while being environmentally considerate,” said Rich Kozerski, Director - Engineering, Dana Technology Center in Lisle, US. The engineers at Dana used a blend of high-temperature lubricants and unique adhesive to create a

coating that offers significant improvement in micro-sealing of metal substrates, preventing the escape of gas between the exhaust manifold and cylinder head.

ICL-IP launches Polyquel™ eco-friendly polymeric flame retardantsICL Industrial Products (IP), one of the leading manufacturers of flame retardants, has developed Polyquel™ – a series of dust-free, fully-active polymeric flame retardants.

ICL’s flame retardants are used to reduce the risk of fire in electric and electronic goods, plastic components, textiles and many other products. By preventing fire in televisions, printed circuit boards, furniture and other mass-market goods, flame retardants save lives and protect against the destruction of property.

“Each product in our new Polyquel™ series of products will meet or exceed the industry’s most stringent environmental guidelines, including all risk assessment procedures according to Europe’s REACH. As eco-friendly, effective and cost-effective products, we believe they will provide a comprehensive, sustainable solution to the market’s real need for flame retardants,” commented Ilan Elkan, VP - Flame Retardants, ICL IP.

Polyquel™ flame retardants are highly effective for use in polyolefin, styrenics, engineering thermoplastic, and thermoset components.

NanoHorizons Inc will soon provide its SmartSilver™ additives for Jamestown Coating Technologies’ new SurfaGuard™ protective antimicrobial paints. The SurfaGuard™ line will be available exclusively from Jamestown Coating Technologies very shortly.

“Public spaces like schools and healthcare facilities are vulnerable to harmful microbes despite the most diligent janitorial programmes. We designed SurfaGuard™ protective antimicrobial paints to be an extra defensive shield against bacteria, moulds, and fungi as well as against odour build-up and discolouration these microbes can cause. SurfaGuard™ with SmartSilver™ antimicrobial performance combines the very latest in cutting-edge nanotechnology with the power of silver, one of the oldest, most effective, non-toxic antimicrobials known to man,” said Michael Walton, CEO, Jamestown Coatings Technologies.

He further added, “Jamestown and NanoHorizons’ scientists collaborated to ensure that SurfaGuard™ paints provide constant, highly durable antimicrobial protection that do not wear off, wash off, or become deactivated, diluted or neutralised for the expected life of the paint.”

Smiths Detection launches remote monitoring solutionSmiths Detection recently introduced HGVI LINX™, a software system to help emergency responders in a central command centre view and assess real-time chemical sensor data from deployed Handheld Gas & Vapour Identifier (HGVI) units.

Ken Fredeen, Senior Product Manager - Global Military & Emergency Responder Business Unit, Smiths Detection, said, “Because of the difficulty in containing gases and vapours, speed of communication is critical during a chemical threat emergency. HGVI LINX™ uses state-of-the-art remote monitoring technology to speed up emergency response and communication to a command centre. Instead of physically needing to bring the devices back or radioing in results, emergency response teams using HGVI LINX™ can monitor results from outside the hot zone to increase their ability to track time-critical airborne threats.”

The HGVI is capable of detecting, identifying and quantifying Toxic Industrial Chemicals (TICs) and Chemical

Warfare Agents (CWAs). It is capable of displaying simultaneous data readings of up to 16 HGVI units. The live readings, detailed alarm and system status information are displayed on a single command centre computer located up to one kilometer away from an incident.

Jamestown Coating develops antimicrobial paints using novel additive

TECH UPDATES


Daimer Industries recently shipped its first gas-powered, cold water pressure washer. The line of Super Max™ 8900C-322 systems include a technology that can power hoses approaching 300 feet long.

“This cold-water machine offers the power of gas in Long Hose Technology (LHT) design. The operator can place the base unit outside, string a long hose to a nozzle, and clean indoors,” informed Matthew Baratta, Spokesperson, Daimer Industries. Super Max™ 8900C-3220 pressure washer offers pressure levels that can reach 2000 psi. The units are powered by 6.5 HP gas engines that offer manual starting. The machines include a direct drive pump. For flow rates, the machines produce 3.5 GPM.

The machines support low-pressure chemical infusion and are manufactured with red coated steel housings. Each 8900C-322 ships with 25 ft of hydraulic pressure hose. The machine is the first cold water unit to offer LHT, a Daimer design that produces consistent cleaning pressure in hoses

as long as 300 ft. Pressure washers designed with this technology lose efficiency at long distances.

New water-splitting catalyst foundExpanding on work published two years ago, MIT’s Daniel Nocera and his associates have found another formulation, based on inexpensive and widely available materials that can efficiently catalyse the splitting of water molecules using electricity. This could ultimately form the basis for new storage systems that would allow buildings to be completely independent and self-sustaining in terms of energy. The systems would use energy from intermittent sources to create hydrogen fuel, which could then be used in fuel cells or other devices to produce electricity or transportation fuels as needed.

Nocera, a Professor of Energy and Chemistry, MIT, said, “Solar energy is the only feasible long-term way of meeting the world’s ever-increasing needs for energy, and storage technology will be the key enabling factor to make sunlight practical as a dominant source of energy.” He has focussed his research on the development of less-expensive, more-durable materials to use as the electrodes in devices that use electricity to separate the hydrogen and oxygen atoms in water molecules. By doing so, he aims to imitate the process of photosynthesis, by which plants harvest sunlight and convert the energy into chemical form.

Waters introduces laboratory asset management serviceWaters Corporation recently introduced Empower Driven Services, an innovative service programme that provides Waters® Empower customers with invaluable analytics needed to make enterprise-level decisions regarding laboratory utilisation. “Having objective laboratory utilisation data is the key to driving informed efficiency decisions at an enterprise-level,” explained Bruce Ryan, Director - Marketing (Global Services), Waters.

Empower is Waters’ flagship chromatography data software package for advanced data acquisition, management, processing, reporting and distribution. By accessing the information embedded in this software solution, Empower Driven Services generates customised analysis of laboratory operations that no other service provider can offer. It integrates instrument services and laboratory intelligence analytics from customers’ Empower database to optimise customer resources through continuous improvement and superior lifecycle asset management.

“In business, the practice of asset management is a mission critical capability. Through Empower Driven Services

there is common ground where the requirements of science and business are rationalised,” added Ryan.

Brookhaven Lab chemists receive patents for fuel-cell catalystsChemists at the US Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory have received three patents for developing catalysts to accelerate chemical reactions in fuel cells. The newly patented catalysts, as well as a method for making a particular type of catalyst with a thin layer of platinum, could greatly reduce the cost and increase the use of fuel cells in electric vehicles. The catalysts and the technique are available for licensing.

Platinum is the most efficient catalyst for fuel cells. However, platinum-based catalysts are expensive, unstable, and have low durability. The newly patented catalysts have high activity and stability, while containing much less platinum than the amount used in current fuel cells, so the cost is reduced. “Fuel cells are expected to become a major source of clean energy that can impact both transportation and stationary power sectors,” said Radoslav Adzic, the principal researcher in all three patents.

He further added, “They have several advantages for automotive applications and can be used extensively in electric cars if the technology can be made to work efficiently and economically. Developing these electrocatalysts is a big step in that direction.”

Daimer ships its first unheated pressure washer with long hose technology


PROJECT UPDATES

Decorative paints

AkzoNobel IndiaProject TypeNew facility

Project newsAkzoNobel is planning to double its

capacity in the next five years. As part

of the expansion plans, it proposes

to set up a greenfield project for

decorative paints in South India

with an investment of Rs 100 crore.

The plant will have the capacity to

manufacture around 70 million ltr of

decorative paints annually.

Project locationTamil Nadu or Karnataka

Project costRs 100 crore

Implementation stagePlanning

Contact details:

AkzoNobel India Pvt Ltd

Priyam Galaxies

Jogodyan Lane 8 C/1Z

Kolkata 700 054

Tel: 033-3095 5906

Fax: 033-2334 5567

Email: [email protected]

Oleochemicals

Godrej Industries LtdProject TypeNew facility

Project newsGodrej Industries Ltd is planning to

invest Rs 1.5 billion over the next

three years to expand its chemical

manufacturing capacity. These

will be new plants manufacturing

oleochemicals, which are made

from vegetable oils and are used in

various industries.

Project locationMaharashtra

Project costRs 1.5 billion


Contact details:

Godrej Industries Ltd

Pirojshanagar

Eastern Express Highway

Vikhroli, Mumbai 400 079

Tel: 022-2518 8010/8020/8030

Fax: 022-2518 8074


Pharmaceutical

J B Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals LtdProject TypeNew facility

Project newsDrug formulations and Active

Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) maker

J B Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Ltd

plans to invest about Rs 500-600 million

to set up a new unit in Gujarat by

FY13. The investment will happen in

FY12 & FY13, and the plant will be

operational in the fourth quarter of

FY13. The company will also spend

around Rs 400 million to modernise

its present unit at Panoli and the

another one at Kadaiya in the Union

Territory of Daman and Diu in FY11.

Project locationGujarat

Project costRs 500-600 million


Contact details:

J B Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd

Neelam Centre, B Wing, 4th floor

Hind Cycle Road, Worli

Mumbai 400 030

Tel: 022-3045 1200/500

Fax: 022-2493 0534/9633


Pharmaceutical

DRS GroupProject TypeNew facility

Project newsDRS Group will be entering into

pharmaceutical business with

the launch of its new division,

DRS Labs, in Hyderabad. It would

commence its operations at its modern

manufacturing facility at Medchal,

near Hyderabad. Set up with an

investment of Rs 10 crore, the facility

would initially focus on contract

manufacturing. It has a capacity

to manufacture over 300 tonne

tablets, capsules, liquids and

ointments, by employing 200 people.

Project locationMedchal, Andhra Pradesh

New projects and expansion activities are the barometers of industrial growth. These also present

business opportunities to service providers like consultants, contractors, plant & equipment suppliers and

others down the value chain. This feature will keep you updated with vital information regarding new

projects and capacity expansions being planned by companies in the chemical and allied industries.


PROJECT UPDATES

Project cost

Rs 10 crore

Implementation stage

Planning

Contact details:

DRS Group

321, Kabra Complex, 61 M G Road

Secunderabad 500 003

Tel: 040-2770 0121/0530

Fax: 040-2771 1406


Phthalic anhydride

IG PetrochemicalsProject Type

Expansion

Project news

IG Petrochemicals is planning to

increase its phthalic anhydride (PA)

capacity by 50,000 tonne at its

existing facility. The company has a

total capacity of 1,10,000 tonne per

year. The feasibility study is currently

on for the project and the project

will take about 16-18 months to

complete.

Project location

Raigad, Maharashtra

Project cost

Rs 400-450 crore

Implementation stage

Planning

Contact details:

IG Petrochemicals Ltd

401/402 Raheja Centre

Free Press Journal Marg, 214

Nariman Point

Mumbai 400 021

Tel: 022-3028 6100

Fax: 022-2204 0747

Emaii: [email protected]

Pigment

Asahi Songwon Colors Ltd Project TypeExpansion

Project newsThe Gujarat-based pigment

manufacturer Asahi Songwon Colors

(ASCL) is planning to expand the

capacity of its beta blue product from

the present 1,200 Tonne Per Annum

(TPA) to 2,040 TPA by November, and

then to 4,000 TPA within a year.

Project locationMehesana, Gujarat



Contact details:

Asahi Songwon Colors Ltd

Asahi House

Chhatral-Kadi Road

Mehesana

Gujarat 382 721

Tel: 02764-233 006-10

Fax: 02764-233 020/550


Refinery

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd Project TypeNew facility

Project newsHindustan Petroleum Corporation

Ltd (HPCL) is planning to invest

Rs 30,000 crore to set up a 15-16 million

tonne-a-year refinery on the west coast.

The new refinery is likely to be located in

the Raigad district of Maharashtra.

Project locationRaigad, Maharashtra

Project costRs 30,000 crore


Contact details:

Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd

Petroleum House

17, Jamshedji Tata Road

Mumbai 400 020

Tel: 022-2286 3900, Fax: 022-2287

2992


Synthetic rubber

Indian Oil Corporation LtdProject TypeNew facility

Project newsIndian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) and its

partners Marubeni Corp and Taiwan’s

TSRC Corp will invest Rs 900 crore in

setting up a unit to manufacture synthetic

rubber for tyres. The three will build a

plant at Panipat in Haryana by September

2012 to manufacture 1,20,000 tonne-

a-year synthetic rubber from butadine.

The plant has been planned to benefit

from rising auto demand in India. The

SBR would produce high-quality synthetic

rubber used in the manufacturing of

automotive tyres, conveyors and fan belts.

Project locationPanipat, Haryana



Contact details:

Indian Oil Corporation Ltd

Indian Oil Bhavan

G-9, Ali Yavar Jung Marg

Bandra (East), Mumbai 400 051

Tel: 022-2642 7363, 2644 7528

Fax: 022-2644 3880


…says Dr Rudolf Alfred Overbeek, Head – Health and Environmental Services, Intertek. He joined the company in 2003 as Business Development Director - Global Outsourcing, and was responsible for designing optimal outsourced solutions to fit the client’s technical and business requirements. Since 2006, he has taken up the leadership role of managing Intertek’s cross-divisional Restricted Substances Business. In conversation with Rakesh Rao, Dr Overbeek discusses the importance of the Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) regulation and its impact on the global chemical industry.

“The intention of Indian companies should be to look at the business prospects of registration”

LEADERS SPEAK

Need for REACH regulation… After years of debate, the European Union (EU) lawmakers agreed on a far-reaching proposal to review the way chemicals are approved in Europe, placing the burden on businesses to prove their products are safe before they can be placed in the market. The

system, REACH, aims to make chemicals safer for human health and environment, as well as to stimulate innovation in the sector. It came into force in June 2007.

Under EU’s REACH regulation, all chemical substances manufactured in or imported into the EU in amounts of over 1 tonne per year



LEADERS SPEAK

need to be registered with the EU Chemicals Agency (ECHA). In the first phase, manufacturers and importers will have to register substances produced or imported with volumes of over 1,000 tonne per year in the Europe by December 2010. The deadline for registration for the next volume range (over 100 tonne) is 2013, while for low volumes (over 1 tonne) is 2018.

If a company wants to introduce a product in the market (Europe), it has to ensure that it meets all requirements of the REACH regulation. If the company does not have any legal entity in Europe, then it should ensure that its distributor (supplier/importer) registers the product as per the REACH regulation.

In some cases, the importer agrees to meet all requirements of the regulation for the company. But, in normal cases, the importer may not have registered or does not have the understanding of the regulation. As a result, the company might lose the business. Hence, it is important for it to ensure that the obligations for its products are met under REACH (either directly by itself, or by the importer).

Services offered by Intertek in REACH…We provide REACH services globally, offering complete end-to-end solutions for compliance. We also provide a single-source solution for meeting the registration, testing and documentation requirements of the REACH regulation. With presence in more than 110 countries, we enable companies to facilitate their REACH compliances more effectively.

Cost of registration…The cost involved is on the dossier that needs to be prepared and submitted to the regulator authorities in Europe. On an average, it costs about Euro 31,000 to prepare the dossier for a particular chemical, which is big money. However, cost can come

down if multiple companies submit a common dossier as most of the existing chemicals are manufactured by a number of companies.

Under REACH, there is a provision wherein the common part of a dossier, called as joint dossier, can be done by one entity on behalf of other companies. This joint dossier - the most expensive part of entire registration process and that generally includes human safety related testing, ie, animal test - is shared by all companies. Then, based on the work-distribution, companies share the cost of the dossier.

Cost vs benefits of registration…Many companies are concerned about the cost of dossier. But, one has to consider the benefits, for doing business. If a company has not registered the chemical (which is required in high volume), it will lose the business in Europe. And, this will cost more than that of the registration.

Hence, the intention of Indian companies should be to look at the business prospects of registration. Post-registration, the company will be in a better position to bargain with its importer or customers. It will also give the company a competitive edge in the market.

Impact of REACH on small and medium enterprises… SMEs market chemicals, which are traded in small-to-medium volumes – 100-1000 tonne range. The obligation to prove safety in this tonnage range is less. So, the cost of the dossier for chemicals traded in medium range is less compared to high-volume chemicals. Also, the time to fulfill the requirements is longer – 2013 is the deadline. In the case of specialty chemicals (which are generally traded in medium range), there are only a few manufacturers. Hence, it is important for the companies to

know the impact of not registering on their business.

Steps to be taken by Indian companies to be REACH-compliant…First, they have to decide whether or not to go for registration. If the company registers, it will have full control over the business, as it can decide to whom it can sell its products. Companies will have to calculate the pros & cons of registration for each chemical that they sell in the European market.

For registration, in case the company does not have any legal entity in Europe, it has to appoint someone in EU to act on its behalf. It is known as ‘Only Representative’, which is a legal representation of the company in Europe. We can assist companies in this process. We have already represented more than 100 companies (from small to large) from India. It is important to have a right contract with the European representative to ensure that it fulfils all obligations of regulations. Second, the company will have to put checks and balances in place because at the end it all comes down to whether or not the company continues to do the business.

Third, actions have to be planned to take maximum benefits of being REACH-compliant. Companies stop at registration, since they see it as

Post-registration, the company will be in a better position to bargain with its importer

or customers. It will also give the company a competitive edge in the market. Intertek is working with many Indian companies in meeting their REACH responsibilities, and consequently, having no disruption in their business.


LEADERS SPEAK

regulatory obligations. They forget about the opportunity offered by this registration. We are not in the industry to do only compliance, but to do business. It is important to communicate this (of being REACH-compliant) to the client and utilise it as a marketing tool to enhance business.

Effect of REACH on end-user industries…The regulation affects manufacturers, importers, distributors or users of chemical substances or products sold and traded in the EU, across industries ranging from electrical & electronics, aerospace & automotive, life science & medical, building products, retail products, chemicals, to textiles and toys.

ECHA has published a list of 30 Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) on a so-called ‘Candidate List’. These substances are already known to be dangerous or potentially dangerous to humans or environment. Registration is one part of REACH, and evaluation of the potential hazards & safety of chemicals is a continuous process. SVHC is a part of this whole process.

Once a substance is added to the SVHC Candidate List, REACH imposes certain immediate obligations on manufacturers and importers to disclose the presence of these substances in their products. The regulation mandates that manufacturers and importers of articles are now required to notify their customers and users on the presence of SVHC in any of their products when exceeding 0.1 per cent by weight and provide instructions on safe use of the product.

We help companies carry out tests to confirm the presence and extent of SVHC in their products so that they can follow the REACH regulation.

Readiness of REACH in different countries…There is more or less readiness, from country to country. In certain

countries, only big companies take action, while in others, it is across industries. Many countries outside Europe (even some countries in Europe) do not understand all the obligations of REACH. It is important that they understand these obligations, as they should not be caught unaware.

Lately, there has been more strict enforcement by the authorities. It is not only the authorities who are demanding compliance, but also many European companies who want their suppliers to adhere to REACH regulation. Hence, it is important for Indian chemical manufacturers to convince their clients in Europe that they are REACH-complaint.

Emerging trends in regulations…We are finding more information about other chemicals too, which we never thought were anyway dangerous to environment or humans. We have to ensure that people who use/produce chemicals live in a healthy environment. We need to understand more about safety of chemicals in general.

While REACH is being implemented in Europe, regulations in other countries are also becoming more stringent. And, this will continue to have a major impact on companies across the globe.

Global harmonisation of labelling rules…Chemicals, through the different steps from their production to their handling, transport and use, are dangerous for human health and the environment. To address this danger, and given the reality of the extensive global trade in chemicals & the need to develop national programmes to ensure their safe usage, transport & disposal, it was recognised that an internationally-harmonised approach to classification and labelling would provide the foundation for such

programmes. Once countries have consistent and appropriate information on the chemicals they import or produce in their own countries, the infrastructure to control chemical exposures and protect people and the environment can be established in a comprehensive manner.

The new system, which was called ‘Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)’, addresses classification of chemicals by types of hazard and proposes harmonised hazard, communication elements, including labels and safety data sheets.

EU will be the first to implement GHS as a result of REACH regulation. Even companies that have not opted for registration (under REACH) will have to fulfill this new labelling requirement. Other countries are expected to implement GHS as well in the near future.

Intertek’s plans for India…The impact of REACH on any product should not be underestimated. Companies with products being sold or distributed within the EU should have a clear understanding of their REACH obligations to ensure business continuity. Intertek is working with many Indian companies in meeting their REACH responsibilities, and consequently, having no disruption in their business. With regard to REACH - for testing of SVHC, which is a major concern - we are starting a new facility in Mumbai.

We will be expanding our team in India because we have realised that one needs to have local presence to do business. We can assist companies in India by making them aware about the requirements of European chemical manufacturers. At Intertek, we support companies that we work with as a partner in the global marketplace. So, for us it is important that they continue to expand their business as well.

Today, counted among one of the major players in the crop protection chemical industry globally, SOGL sells its products as technical/active ingredients,

bulk formulations, small pack formulations in customer brand name, and small pack formulations in its own brand name. With a global footprint spread across more than 50 countries, the company is a renowned export house with more than 65 per cent of its revenues coming from the markets abroad.

SOGL today boasts of more than 240 products in the specialty chemicals and intermediate segments, registered across 50 countries worldwide. Its presence across the world, along with a balanced domestic-export market equilibrium, has ensured significant growth and profits for the company even during the worst phase of the global economy.

Counted among one of the lowest-cost producers in the world for its range of agrochemical products, the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certified company has earned the ‘Pioneer Industry’ title from the Government of Gujarat. “We are an established player in the agrochemical space. We have a wide portfolio of products, with 240 registrations in 50 countries. We are

the low-cost producers in the world of a range of organophosphorus and dithiocarbamate products. Over the past three years, our revenue has grown at a CAGR of 38.6 per cent, and our Profit After Tax (PAT) at a CAGR of 395 per cent,” claims Sumit Chuganee, Executive Vice Chairman & MD, SOGL.

Journey till nowWith more than three decades of experience in the agrochemicals sector, the Chuganee family started SOGL’s operations in 1994, by setting up a manufacturing facility in Gujarat. Production for organo-phosphorous pesticide intermediates, phosphorus-trichloride (PCL3), tri methyl phosphate (TMP) and diethyl thiophosphorylchloride (DETC) began in the same year. To tap the growing demand for active ingredients, SOGL forward-integrated into manufacturing of active ingredients - acephate and glyphosate - in 1998. This proved to be a turning point in the case of profits.

In 2000, the company began production of mancozeb, and forward-integrated into branded formulations, building an all-India distribution network. To further tap growth prospects in the global marketplace, it began exports to Asia, Australia and Europe, followed by the establishment of subsidiaries in these regions.

Over the years, Sabero Organics Gujarat Ltd (SOGL) - one of the leading players in the agrochemicals industry - has gained a strong foothold in all three segments of crop protection – herbicides, fungicides and insecticides. Today, the company is one of the largest producers of mancozeb and glyphosate in India - its flagship products. Rachita Jha delves into this unique enterprise, which is designed on a business model of subsidiaries and associate companies.

A successful blend of right chemistrySabero Organics Gujarat Ltd


IN FOCUS


IN FOCUS

In 2002, the global footprint of SOGL extended to include agrochemical markets of Latin America, Africa and the US. This scaled up its international export business to new markets and established a global brand identity. To augment its agrochemicals portfolio, the company expanded its manufacturing capacity to include new product lines of monocrotophos & dichlorovosin in the same year and chlorpyriphosin in 2005. With a strategy to drive its popular product lines of mancozeb, chlorpyriphos and glyphosate, SOGL undertook a major expansion plan to increase the production capacity of these products in 2008-09.

Expanding product portfolioSOGL has built long-term supply arrangements with the increased production mostly for bulk foreign buyers. Moreover, the business strategy to register and introduce new products in overseas markets has increased its retail business volume worldwide. Major segments of the market that the company operates in are: intermediates such as PCL3, TMP and tri-ethyl phosphite (TEP); technicals such as acephate, mancozeb, maneb, propineb, zineb, monocrotophos, glyphosate, DDVP and chlorpyriphos; and formulations segment that has 13 different products sold under different brand names. SOGL claims to be the sole global supplier of TEP.

According to the company, its another well-known product - mancozeb - is the largest selling fungicide globally, with a market of

$ 500 million. The company is also one of the only two global manufacturers of specialised liquid formulation of mancozeb. These products have gained popularity and a significant marketshare in the agriculture markets in the Philippines, Ecuador, Guatemala, Cameroon, Costa Rica and Colombia.

Continuing its expansion plans, the company will be introducing a new insecticide – fipronil, and two new herbicides – trichlopyr & clodinafob propargyl. In the pesticide segment, the company has established a complete backward-integration, starting from yellow phosphorous.

Formulations are a new segment that the company ventured into five years ago, with a view to build brands and add value. To tap the growing business opportunities in the domestic markets, the company expanded its operations to over 15 states in India with renewed focus on development at the farmer level to establish its brands in these states.

Overseas businessExports have remained the mainstay for SOGL. The company is exploring its export markets through its portfolio of molecules, diverse international customer base and additional product registrations in new & existing markets in Latin America, the US, Europe, Asia and Africa. To strengthen its export portfolio, the company has obtained comprehensive registration dossiers with 5-batch analysis, toxicity, physicochemical properties, field trials, etc of its products with Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) from European and Indian laboratories.

“We have a strong and increasingly global presence, with subsidiaries in Latin America, Europe and Africa. We have recently expanded our mancozeb plant capacity to 30,000 tonne per annum, which is more than double its current capacity. We are introducing new products on a regular basis. In the previous quarter, we have received new registrations from Australia, South Africa, Morocco, Sri Lanka and Brazil,” avers Chuganee.

Export sales have grown from Rs 94 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 240 crore in 2008-09, and is expected to grow to Rs 350 crore in 2009-10.

Future plansWith increasing sales pipeline due to new registrations received, SOGL hopes to achieve sales of Rs 820 crorein 2011-12,and Rs 1,010 crore in 2012-2013. “Our performance has been enabled by enhanced sales volumes both in India and overseas as well as the introduction of new product offerings that have been well received. The two key differentiators for SOGL are its over 240 product registrations across the globe and a strong research & development cell. Concurrently, we continue to plan new product introductions in each segment of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides,” adds Chuganee.

In the current year, the company is aiming to obtain OSHAS18001 certification for occupation health and GLP for its in-house laboratory. Moreover, after the expansion of its production capacity in the initial months of 2009 at the cost of Rs 35 crore, the next capital expansion for new products is planned for 2010-2011, at approximately Rs 50 crore investment.

Further, the company is looking for acquisitions outside India in 2010-11 to grow inorganically. With full capacity and expected sales in the coming years, the company is bullish on its growth prospects in the crop protection chemical segment worldwide.

The two key differentiators for SOGL are its over 240 product registrations across the globe and a strong research & development cell. Concurrently, we continue to plan new product introductions in each segment of fungicides, herbicides and insecticides.

Sumit ChuganeeExecutive Vice Chairman & MD

The company’s warehouse

The Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) sector has witnessed some interesting changes in the last few years. While the Middle East has been a major market for EPC companies, they are expanding their activities in developing countries like China, India, Brazil, etc. Also, with increase in environment awareness, EPC companies are looking at new avenues of growth – like energy-efficient, bio-based projects. Rakesh Rao analyses the EPC industry, which is embracing these new changes.

SECTOR WATCH



SECTOR WATCH

T he recent economic downturn had a big impact on the EPC industry, as new project activities slowed down and

companies adjusted their ambitions in the face of new business realities. Financing plans were rearranged and contracts with engineering firms renegotiated. “The impact varied across the globe. Countries, which were affected the most, such as the US, Europe and North East Asia, stopped investments in capital projects and preserved cash. Growing economies such as China and India, were far less impacted, and recovered significantly faster with the result that most of their projects continued. In the Middle East, where a large proportion of refining and petrochemical activities are taking place, projects were being delayed but mainly to take advantage

of the concurrent declining prices of equipment, steel and labour,” informs John Quinn, President – Downstream, KBR Inc.

The economic slowdown has changed the equations in almost all industries. Quinn adds, “The slowdown ended up benefitting National Oil Companies (NOCs) that proceeded with their projects, as the reduced pricing in the material market and the low backlog of contractors allowed them receive commitments from contractors to build their projects at much lower than estimated investment cost.”

But, with recovery on the horizon, the EPC companies are looking forward to better prospects in the near future.

Asia: The engine of growthMajority of the world’s petrochemical capacity growth is concentrated in the Middle East, as it has access to low-cost feedstock, and is located relatively close to demand-dense Asian countries. With a modest economic recovery expected in the Middle East region over the next year, confidence is returning to the projects market. According to MEED Research, $ 505.8 billion worth of projects are existing across the region at the prequalification, bidding or EPC stages. A further $ 623.9 billion worth of projects are currently on hold, but any upturn in the economies of the region could prompt companies to restart at least some of these schemes.

“It is clear that the Middle East, led by Saudi Arabia and Abu Dhabi, is choosing to transform its resources into final products rather than just sell oil and gas to the market. This direction will be followed by most countries with natural resources leading to the development of refining & petrochemicals industries, and expansion in Africa, CIS and a few countries in South America such as Brazil,” opines Quinn.

India and China will also be a focus area for EPC contractors because of their fast growing economies. “These two

will be the key countries to drive future growth mainly due to their normal GDP growth, which will continue to drive large consumption of all kinds of products, energy sources, services, etc,” says John Nobles, President - Process & Industrial Division, Burns & McDonnell Engineering.

Expressing similar views, C M Venkateswaran, Chairman, Process Plant & Machinery Association of India (PPMAI), says, “The Middle East will continue to drive the oil & gas and downstream investments. India will also see significant investments in power, oil & gas and fertilisers in the coming days. The Caspian region is significant. Iran, South East Asia and Australia have significant investments planned in oil & gas projects. On the whole, the Asian region will be the engine for the near future growth.”

India: The emerging marketFor EPC contractors, India has not been a large market in the past as sizeable projects have been historically built on a cost plus basis. It was only in the later part of the nineties, when the investment in hydrocarbons worldwide was at an all-time low, big projects were awarded on a lumpsum turnkey basis. However, the present and future investments in the oil & gas, fertiliser, petrochemicals, infrastructure and power sectors have attracted

While technology is still in the developmental phase, the drive to use cellulosic materials to make biofuels constitutes a growing opportunity for new plants and new routes to meet the ever increasing demand for transportation fuels.

John QuinnPresident – Downstream, KBR Inc

Table 1: Major project investment destinations in the Middle East Country Value ($ billion)

UAE 213.9Saudi Arabia 94.6Iran 35Kuwait 25.2Jordan 22.7Qatar 21.9Oman 21.6Iraq 19.1Tunisia 8.8Bahrain 8.7

Source: MEED Projects Note: Table includes all projects at pre-qualification, bid, or engineering, procurement and construction stage

60 %19 %

19 %2 %

Figure 1: Approximate distribution of upcoming investments (about $ 16 trillion) in the global energy sector

Power (Generation, transmission and distribution)Oil (Exploration & development, and refi ning)Gas (Exploration & development, LNG chain, storage, transmission, distribution)Coal (Mining, shipping and ports) Source: PPMAI


SECTOR WATCH

attention of large EPC contractors from across the globe.

“The focus being on oil & gas and power now, these would be the main growth drivers. However, once the oil & gas industry picks up, the downstream industries like fertilisers, petrochemicals, refining, etc should also grow. In the next three-four years, investments in the fertiliser sector will be approximately Rs 45,000 croreper annum on an average, and bulk of the equipment will be procured from domestic manufacturers. Hence, it is expected that there should be a steady growth pattern in the process equipment sector,” informs Venkateswaran.

With the assurance of a growing economy where demand growth is

given, existing players & new entrants are in various stages of planning and execution of large-sized hydrocarbon projects in the country.

Need to be cost-effective While the interest in new projects is slowly increasing, one of the challenges for EPC companies is escalating costs. Nobles points out, “The main issue for EPC companies is to find ways to minimise capital costs and execution time – without sacrificing safety and quality. The key is to find better and more intelligent ways to integrate design, procurement, construction, operation, etc among the project stakeholders to accomplish maximum efficiencies throughout the lifecycle of the project.”

As a result of the economic slowdown, a number of new projects has shrunk, and the EPC industry is now fighting for the smaller pie. The impact of the same can be seen from the reduced margins and bottom lines. With their low-cost advantage, companies from China, Korea and India are adopting aggressive strategy for all major projects.

Quinn says, “Price is an all-important factor in today’s market place as owners go about justifying their projects solely on the basis of price (as most peer contractors technically qualify). For most large and reputable western EPC companies, the challenge will be to find a low-cost execution model whether through partnerships, low-cost engineering locations or low-cost construction/labour forces. This will allow them to compete with the growing EPC industry in South Korea, China and India. Today, the contractors in South Korea appear to be securing most of the large projects in the Middle East out-pricing Japanese and European contractors in this mature EPC market.”

EPC market is cyclic in nature – ie, it experiences boom and downturn at regular intervals – hence companies have to prepare a strategy to keep them insulated from this economic

constraint. “Historically, EPC companies have seen the ‘boom and bust’ market behaviour, which cannot be controlled, but, we should focus on advising our customers to be counter cyclical in their capital investments. Thereby, they can take advantage of the downturns to achieve better pricing and to maximise the return on their investments with high sales volumes & prices during the booming times. This will definitely help EPC companies better balance their backlogs year after year,” explains Nobles.

Get the strategy rightGlobally, the trend is to develop integrated refinery for a reliable production at low initial and operating costs. Achieving this objective requires

Mega growth avenuesEnergy, petrochemicals and fertilisers are expected to witness major investments in the future across the globe:

�� Energy: In the next 20 years, investments of the order of $ 16 trillion are expected in the energy sector (power, oil & gas, coal, etc). Production accounts for major investment in the supply chain.

� Petrochemicals: The Gulf is a big favourite for investment in petrochemicals. Additional ethylene and polyethylene production capacity of about 32 Million Tonne (MT) and 23 MT respectively are likely to come up over the next six years. Majority of the petrochemical capacity growth is concentrated in the Gulf, which now accounts for around 10 per cent of the global supply.

� Fertilisers: In India, an investment of the order of Rs 45,000 crore is expected in the next three-four years. Other regions like Gulf and Africa are also witnessing huge investments.

Source: PPMAI

The main issue for EPC companies is to find ways to minimise capital costs and execution time – without sacrificing safety and quality. The key is to find better and more intelligent ways to integrate design, procurement, construction, operation, etc among the project stakeholders.

John NoblesPresident - Process & Industrial Division, Burns & McDonnell Engineering

Source: PPMAI

Key sectors to aid EPC industry growth in India �� Power

� Oil & gas

� Fertilisers

� Crude oil refining

� Petrochemicals and other downstream sectors

� Pharmaceuticals

� Minerals and metallurgy


SECTOR WATCH

centralised control and extended operating periods, with major maintenance limited to infrequent turn-arounds. Quinn says, “Today, the trend is to expand refineries into an integrated refinery & petrochemical complexes to maximise the potential of value-added products and the potential optimisations & synergies.”

Similarly, information management technology will be a key area of improvement in the EPC industry. Nobles opines, “It still takes the same amount of time to design and build a facility compared to how it was 40 years ago – there has not been any reduction in time in the last few decades. It is time for our IT to bring in efficiency - not only more information.”

EPC contractors will have to be aware of how to use technology to bring costs down and satisfy government regulations around the world. “There is definitely still an opportunity to improve the EPC safety performance on a global basis,” informs Nobles.

Over the years, finding the right mix of staff for new project categories has been an issue. Nobles adds, “With regard to talent attraction, the construction industry has not been an attractive sector for most of the younger generations compared to other industries like financial and banking. So, now that finance and banking are not as attractive anymore, going forward the EPC industry needs to attract the best and brightest.”

Bio-projects: An alternative?EPC companies, which specialise in building processing plants are optimistic that the recent global interest in renewable and bioprocessing projects to create alternative fuels, power and chemicals may provide additional source of revenue. Quinn says, “While technology is still in the developmental phase, the drive to use cellulosic materials to make biofuels constitutes a growing opportunity for new plants and new routes to meet the ever increasing demand for transportation fuels.”

Experts believe that there will be more EPC opportunities in eco-friendly projects around the world, especially strong in the US and Europe (where environmental issues are the driving force) and in areas such as China and the Middle East (where biomass and renewables are viewed as potential power sources).

Nobles elaborates, “Sectors that have to do with renewable fuels and environmentally driven projects to meet government regulations, etc will drive the growth of EPC industry. Additionally, as the activity of the oil & gas markets decline, we are seeing a shift to build coal-fired power plants. As a result, governments have to create supporting infrastructure for these plants. These projects are capital-intensive and a great opportunity for EPC companies to provide value & innovative integrated solutions.”

While EPC contractors are pursuing projects in these new categories of

renewable energy and biomass, they are reluctant to ignore projects in the traditional industry, which is just beginning to show signs of a slow rebound in certain markets. “We are seeing the EPC rebound being driven from all areas of the hydrocarbons industry - offshore, LNG, refining, petrochemicals and fertilisers,” opines Quinn.

On a progressive frontAlthough the slowdown has resulted in delaying of investments, it has given the opportunity to build projects with best manpower available and these will deliver the results when the economy picks up. At the same time, contractors in EPC, which is already a multi-billion-dollar industry, are finding innovative ways to mitigate risks.

“The outlook for the EPC industry is good. With the growing middle-class in India and China, we will continue to have a rapid change in the energy landscape, which will drive industrial and infrastructural developments worldwide. So, as the scenario is changing, many opportunities would be coming up in the EPC industry to grow, improve and innovate to help our customers better prepared to be successful,” concludes Nobles. Courtesy:LNGpediaCourtesy:Tex Crane - Health Safety Guide

The focus being on oil & gas and power now, these would be the main growth drivers. However, once the oil & gas industry picks up, the downstream industries like fertilisers, petrochemicals, refining, etc should also grow. It is expected that there should be a steady growth pattern in the process equipment sector.

C M VenkateswaranChairman, Process Plant & Machinery Association of India


INDUSTRY UPDATE

Jean Beaudoin

T he impact of economic slowdown on the global EPC market was and continues to be multi-faceted and multi-dimensional. Considering the years of boom, in 2007

it was noticed that the contractors and suppliers were dictating the market conditions while the project owners were in a rush to arrange their sources of suppliers and service providers in an attempt to ensure that their projects would be completed on-time, if not on-budget. Cost predictions during the boom were risky with prices of base metals like steel, zinc, copper, nickel, molybdenum shooting up, making it challenging for equipment suppliers, re-bars/structural steel, cables and other materials, to predict their prices. Price validities of as low as one day were being offered when procuring certain materials.

Fabrication shops and manufacturing facilities were overloaded, and some National Oil Companies (NOCs)/ International Oil Companies (IOCs) resorted to reserving fabrication shop space at a premium for the following year to ensure that their upcoming project would have the facility available to meet fabrication schedules. Construction contractors faced increasing labour costs, and the demand for construction equipment was in excess of the supply. Likewise, in the engineering sector, the regional hubs for leading international engineering service providers faced challenging manpower issues, and the focus was to retain

employees that showed high mobility due to the boost in demand.

These circumstances led to an upward spiral of prices in all sectors, thus making Lump Sum Turn Key (LSTK) EPC execution a risky proposition. Several leading international EPC contractors, who had signed LSTK EPC contracts in 2005/2006 found themselves in loss-making situations during 2007/2008 due to the rising costs. This changed the philosophy of the EPC industry with contractors insisting on cost reimbursable contract structures or having provisions for inflation adjustment in their contracts.

The slowdown effect When oil prices (WTI Cushing daily spot) started descending rapidly after reaching a peak of $ 145.16 per barrel on July 3, 2008, and then coupled with the global financial sub-prime crisis, projects started slowing down and hit a major slump in December 2008 when oil ebbed to its lowest point at $ 30.28 on December 23, 2008. Dubai hit the headlines by announcing the cancellation/delay of a series of projects in the real estate sector. The same was echoed in the other Middle East countries, Europe, the US, Canada, South Africa, Singapore and Australia. BRIC countries, however, did not see this rate of slowdown in their internal projects due to the ongoing infrastructure projects.

The economic downturn in 2009 felt throughout the world did not leave larger conglomerates immune. Several companies announced and performed adjustments in their

Back on growth track Engineering, procurement & construction

As a result of the economic slowdown, there was a visible impact of investments in new projects. This had a severe effect on the Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) industry with projects being either postponed or abandoned. With global economy showing signs of revival, the EPC industry is slowly picking up pace.

Courtesy:Magnate Ltd


INDUSTRY UPDATE

structure, cost & employee size to offset the change in spending and face new business realities. Financing plans were rearranged, and contracts with engineering firms were renegotiated. Prices of base metals saw a major decline, for example, the Global Composite Carbon Steel index halved from 289.2 in August 2008 to 140.9 in May 2009.

Due to increasing unemployment rates, governments of countries in North America, Europe and Australasia announced major investments in infrastructure projects in 2009 with the objective of providing some relief to the sagging EPC industry. While new oil & gas related projects were still on hold during 2009, infrastructure projects were initiated, though new projects were still far from filling the capacities of the engineering service providers, manufacturers and construction contractors. Prices came under pressure and the cost indices for implementation of projects started seeing a decline.

In mid 2009, a few companies seized the opportunity and renegotiated bid prices for EPC projects, these renegotiations led to 20-30 per cent reduction in quoted prices of mega hydrocarbon projects in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. This announced the return of the aggressive LSTK era in the EPC business with severe competition among the bidders. This also signaled the revival of the EPC projects, with the price of oil gradually rising to and stabilising above $ 70 per barrel. Since then, many oil majors and investors have started reviving projects that had been either put on hold or abandoned.

Upstream market leads the wayAfter mid-2009, new gas processing, petrochemical and refining EPC projects have been undertaken by UAE and Saudi Arabia. These countries led the path with projects worth approximately $ 40 billion. Brazil and Venezuela, among others in Latin America, have

recast their investment plans and announced new oil production projects for enhanced oil recovery from ultra-deep offshore and onshore heavy oil reserves.

Similarly India and West Africa are embarking on developing offshore oil and gas finds, as is Southeast Asia with shale gas natural and offshore gas projects. Development of oil sands in Canada to produce crude have again become viable. These are now undergoing re-evaluation studies and the bid phase is in progress for EPC implementation of projects. Such projects have a ripple effect on generating the requirement of additional power, water treatment, infrastructure facilities, and thus inviting more projects.

The future seems to be promising for the EPC industry. However, while looking at the near future, it is important to keep the years 2006, 2007 and 2008 in perspective. During these years, engineering costs increased by approximately 20 per cent per annum, as did the price of supplies. This resulted in squeezed profit margins, and hence risk margins went up to 12-15 per cent of the contract value. During 2009 and 2010, the situation has taken an about-turn with spare capacities and increasing unemployment. This would project a different set of challenges to the EPC industry partners like severe competition resulting in price wars by EPC contractors in the short term.

In the last year, a few NOCs have found this as a good opportunity to enforce their plans of increased development of local talent and impose on international contractors to setup local engineering offices in country.

Exchange rate fluctuations noticed in the recent months within the hard-currencies bring fresh challenges in bidding international contracts in a single currency (generally $) with price validities for a few months. The Dollar/Euro exchange rate has seen the Euro moving from $ 1.42721 in January 2010 to $ 1.25783 during May 2010 on average. Such fluctuations could swing the fate of a bidder quoting in Euros and having costs in Dollar or Dollar-linked currencies.

On a positive note The signs are now encouraging as many projects are currently at the bid stage with early studies and FEED under-way. There is visible confidence in the EPC contractors, suppliers & construction companies that industrial and infrastructure related projects would see growth in the months ahead to fill their capacities in the next year.

Jean Beaudoin is the Executive Vice President and Head - Chemicals & Petroleum Division, SNC-Lavalin Group. He

has over 25 years of experience in construction, consulting engineering and project management, primarily in the fields of infrastructure, bio-pharmaceutical, chemicals and petroleum, for projects executed in North America, in the Middle-East, Russia, India and South America. Email: [email protected]

Courtesy:Urban Sociology- Chalmette

The future seems to be promising for the EPC

industry. However, while looking at the near future, it is important to keep the years 2006, 2007 and 2008

in perspective.


MARKET TRENDS Polymers

P olymers are indispensable everywhere. Whether their performance or diversity in applications, these offer novelty and versatility, which is not found in any

other kind of materials. Today, polymers occupy a pivotal position in the field of materials. The progress in the field of polymers has been extremely rapid compared to any other branch of chemistry. Besides their major applications as structural materials, polymers are increasingly being used as passive materials in packaging, adhesives & coatings in electrical, electronics, sensors and photonics, etc. Therefore, it is the right time to explore the world of polymer materials with special properties or for specialised applications.

Importance of specialty polymersSpecialty polymers play an important role in all stages of the complex development process of new biologically active products. Specialty

polymers are proprietary polymers, resins, monomers and intermediates. This category includes plastics and elastomers that are based on proprietary curing technologies. Specialty polymers are the range of polymers, which are developed for special applications. The important ones are Liquid Crystal Polymers (LCP), Shape Memory Polymers (SMP), conducting polymers, high-temperature polymers, ablative polymers, high-performance polymers, low-loss polymers, etc. The engineering polymers industry has long been able to avoid the consolidation that has whittled down the number of competitors in the chemicals and plastics industries. In fact, in many sectors, competition has grown at a rapid pace, as producers introduce new materials, while companies are constantly entering new markets.

A polymer is a large organic molecule made of many smaller molecules joined together. Specialty polymers are made from many different and more complicated starting compounds (monomers), or

Plastics are made from different types of polymers. These singular types of polymers give plastics unique characteristics and make them suitable for various applications. Specialty polymers also provide a distinct characteristic to the high-performance plastics. Geetha Jayaraman tracks the emerging trends in specialty polymers and their applications.

Adding novelty, giving versatilitySpecialty polymers

Courtesy:DuPont


MARKET TRENDSPolymers

from complex mixtures. They are more costly, but can be tailored for nearly every use. Consequently, they are used in traditional products as well as in high-technology applications and are often at the base for the continuous progress in technologies related to the field of air & space, computer & IT or healthcare.

Types and applicationsSpecialty polymers are used in plastics to create patterns, moulds and rapid prototypes. Specialty polymers for plastics are divided into three types: ultra polymers, high-performance polymers and engineering polymers. An ultra polymer comprises a complete range of ultra-performance materials that are at the top of the plastics performance pyramid. It is used in aerospace, automotive, electronics, healthcare, industrial and oil & gas applications.

Components like bearings, bushings and gears can last longer. Most of the ultra polymers have good resistance to heat. This is because these high-performance plastics combine exceptional wear resistance with high strength, and thermal & dimensional stability, as well as chemical resistance in both dry and lubricated environments.

Sahadeo S Patil, Head - Masterbatches Division, Clariant Chemicals (India) Ltd, says, “These high-performance plastics are also used throughout the semiconductor industry where dimensional stability, wear resistance, chemical resistance, and high-temperature processing are required. High-performance polymers are used where high-service temperature and mechanical properties are required. Low-loss polymers are used for electromagnetic transparent structures.” High strength and stiffness plus long-life performance makes them an effective alternative to metal components in wafer handling, processing vessels, parts carriers, and IC test equipment sockets & handlers.

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) offers the highest chemical resistance of any semi-crystalline plastics with excellent retention of mechanical properties up

to 570°F (300°C). Glass fibre-reinforced and carbon fibre-reinforced grades provide a wide range of performance options for demanding applications.

Polyphenylene is a transparent amorphous plastics that provides exceptional strength, stiffness and hardness without reinforcements. “One of its best qualities is its resistance towards temperature and chemicals. At the same time, it has inherent flame retardant properties. It is used in electronic component, for example, connectors, housing and coil formers,” points out Patil.

Esulfone has the highest heat resistance of any transparent thermoplastics. It can provide the strength, stiffness and dimensional stability in high-temperature applications that have traditionally relied on filled, semi-crystalline polymers.

Polyamide imide has the highest

strength and stiffness of any thermoplastics up to 275°C (525°F). It has good resistance to wear, creep and chemicals - including strong acids and most organics - and is ideally suited for severe service environments.

Polychlorotrifluoroethylene (PCTFE) is a homopolymer of chlorotrifluoroethylene. Features of PCTFE include high-

compressive strength and low deformation under load. Its cold flow characteristic is below other fluoropolymers, and does not deform under load at room temperature. PCTFE has low gas permeability, and essentially does not absorb moisture. Dinesh Chopra, Regional Commercial Director - Specialty Materials, Honeywell International (I) Pvt Ltd, says, “Honeywell’s specialty polymers product portfolio includes two major lines: Aclar and Spectra. Aclar is a PCTFE used as a barrier packaging material in the healthcare sector. For this industry, Honeywell also offers Nylon-6 (trade names are Capran, Oxyshield and Aegis) and polymethylpentene (PMP).”

Applications for Aclar film are pharmaceutical blister packaging, medical packaging and flexible packaging. According to Chopra, advantages of Aclar are:

High-performance plastics are used throughout the semiconductor industry where dimensional stability, wear resistance, chemical resistance, and high-temperature processing are required. These are used where high-service temperature and mechanical properties are required.

Sahadeo S PatilHead - Masterbatches Division, Clariant Chemicals (India) Ltd

Table 1: Properties of specialty polymers required for various applicationsIndustry Property of polymers

Electrical /electronics Dielectric properties, high-temperature resistance, high purityChemical industry Chemical resistance, processabilityMedical Repeated sterilisation, biocompatibility, transparencyAutomotive High temperature and chemical resistance, electrical propertiesAviation Fire resistance, dimensional stability, colour matching, transparencyOil & gas industry Chemical and mechanical resistance, temperature resistance

The boom witnessed in segments like engineering,

electrical & electronics, automotive, etc has opened new avenues of growth for

specialty polymers.

Source: SBU Specialty Polymers


MARKET TRENDS Polymers

It is a high moisture-barrier transparent film

It is crystal clear, chemically inert, thermoformable, non-flammable and non-aging

It can bring significant benefits such as upto 55 per cent smaller packages and increased operational efficiency

Ultra-high-molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has good toughness cut & wear resistance,

and an excellent chemical resistance with good low-temperature impact resistance. UHMWPE fibres are used in armour, in particular, personal armour and on occasion as vehicle armour, cut-resistant gloves, bow strings, climbing equipment, fishing line, spear lines for spearguns, high-performance sails, suspension lines on sport parachutes and paragliders, rigging in yachting, kites, and kites lines for kites sports. In addition, UHMWPE has over 40 years of clinical history as a successful biomaterial for use in hip, knee and for spine implants.

Chopra avers, “Spectra and Spectra Shield are trade names of UHMWPE family of materials. Spectra fibre is used for industrial applications, while Spectra Shield, a composite product, for armour applications. Along with Spectra, Honeywell’s portfolio for armour applications includes aromatic polyamide based non-woven and composite materials offered under the trade names Gold Flex and Gold Shield.”

High in demandThere are quite a few trends being introduced in specialty

polymers segment in India. Mostly, demands are from packaging and pharmaceutical industries. “Demand of pharmaceutical products in Climate Zone 4 (high-humidity tropical) regions requires high-moisture barrier packaging material to protect a solid dose medication from high humidity or moisture to prolong its shelf-life,” says Chopra. The main demand for PCTFE comes from pharmaceutical blister packaging, water meter cover, electroluminscent (EL) lamps and consumer packaging.

Among the trends in high-performance fibres to industrial and armour markets, there are larger capacity (higher rated load) ropes for marine applications, replacement of steel in lifting slings, requirements to stop high-velocity bullets in body armour & helmets, and adoption of composite armour for military vehicles.

Future prospectsWith the increasing opportunity in all sectors, specialty polymers have enormous potential. The growing demand for better quality packaging material will act as one of the driving forces. “We expect continued growth in need for high-barrier packaging materials globally, however, this would be more apparent in a Climate Zone 4 region, such as India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, etc. We expect the Spectra product line a continued growth of 5-8 per cent for both industrial and armour applications, as global standards for safety (cut protection, rope handling) and ballistic protection (body armour, vehicle armour) have risen,” avers Chopra.

With the rapidly changing technology, specialty polymers have huge potential in the market. The boom witnessed in segments like engineering, electrical & electronics, automotive, etc has opened new avenues of growth for specialty polymers. Thus, the demand for these polymers is likely to grow manifold in the coming years.

Demand of pharmaceutical products in high-humidity tropical regions requires high-moisture barrier packaging material. We expect continued growth in need for high-barrier packaging materials globally, however, this would be more apparent in a Climate Zone 4 region, such as India, Southeast Asia, Brazil, etc.

Dinesh ChopraRegional Commercial Director - Specialty Materials, Honeywell International (I) Pvt Ltd

Table 2: Some of the new specialty polymers and their applications Specialty polymers Applications

Polyelectrolytes

Polyelectrolytes are increasingly used as coagulants and fl occulants for colloidal dispersions, for example, in water treatment and for complex formation, etc.Ion-exchange resins are cross-linked polyelectrolytes and are employed extensively.

Solid Polymer Electrolytes (SPEs)

SPEs are considered as an ideal medium for a wide range of electronic processes. They include primary and secondary rechargeable batteries, ambient temperature fuel cells, electrochromic devices, modifi ed electrodes/sensors, solid state reference electrode system, super capacitors, thermoelectric generators, high-vacuum electrochemical devices and electrochemical switching.

Block copolymerBlock copolymers are generally used in the academic (by physicists, chemists & chemical engineers) and also industrial level.

Thermally stable polymersThermoplastic elastomers have diverse applications and are in use as adhesives, reinforcing agents for plastics, shoe soles, elastic bands, etc.

Source: Zhejiang University of Technology


MARKET TRENDSConductive Polymers

Dr A K Bakhshi and Vinita Arora

T he biggest application for Electrically Conducting Polymers (ECPs) lies in their future use as sensors and actuators. Credit goes to the vast technological

development in the electronics industry, which has initiated extensive research in developing application specific devices. According to a study, the global ECP product market is expected to be worth $ 2.78 billion by 2014.

Scientists from many disciplines are now combining expertise to study organic conjugated polymers that exhibit remarkable conductivity properties. Organic chemistry, X-ray crystallography, solid-state physics, material science and microelectronic engineering have found a unique meeting ground. Organic semiconductors and metals, which are fast replacing conventional inorganic materials, have made tremendous advancements in various applications in electronics.

Advantage conjugated polymersThe advantages of organic conjugated polymers include - ease of fabrication techniques,

possibility of handling under ambient conditions, relatively large scale and inexpensive production, electronic tunability, possibility of making composites and blends with other polymers and inorganic materials, tunable mechanical and chemical characteristics such as, solubility, strain, stress and cross linking properties.

Hence, these novel materials, which may be crystalline or polymeric, have the advantage of being structurally versatile and potentially cheaper & easier to fabricate than the traditional inorganic conductors. By bringing about subtle changes in the chemical structure of the molecules, one can modify and regulate the bulk electrical & optical properties of the material.

Though the low electrical conductivity of polymers has found its immense use in the manufacture of insulators and dielectric substances, researchers have always been interested in producing polymers, which exhibit conductivity similar to that of metals. During the last two decades, researchers have succeeded in preparing polymers with high electrical conductivity through the simple modification of ordinary organic conjugated polymers. These polymers find tremendous use in our day-to-

A paradigm shift in electronicsElectrically conducting polymers

Courtesy: US Department of Energy-s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

Most of the organic polymers are electrical insulators, but the possibility of these materials having electrical conductivities comparable with metals was suggested at least 50 years ago. Today, the study of these materials has become one of the foremost areas of research and their vast applications have revolutionised the electronic industry, providing alternatives to silicon and germanium.


MARKET TRENDS Conductive Polymers

day life with a wide range of products extending from most common consumer goods like rechargeable batteries and microelectronics goods to highly specialised applications in space, aeronautics and electronics.

BreakthroughThe major breakthrough in the field of ECPs occurred later in 1977 when three scientists, A J Heeger, A G Mac Diarmid and H Shirakawa, from different disciplines & continents, came together and made intellectual connections. For the first time it was demonstrated that polyacetylene (PA), an intrinsically insulating polymer, could become highly conducting on doping. PA could be converted from an insulator, to a semiconductor, to a full metal, depending on the concentration of dopant.

With the practical prospect of several cheap, lightweight electronic devices, PA presented a new theoretical model for studying conduction mechanisms and the metal-insulator transition in organic materials. At present many such systems are known and they include poly

(p–phenylene sulphide) (PPS), polypyrrole (PPY), polythiophene (PTP), polyfuran (PFU), polyaniline (PANI) and their derivatives.

Hurdles to overcomeOne of the fundamental challenges in the field of conducting polymers is to design low band gap intrinsically conducting polymers so that there is no need to dope them. This is because the process of doping of electrically conducting polymers is often the source of chemical instability in them. Another problem often associated with doped polymers is their poor processibility, which is restricted to a great extent because of the insolubility and infusibility of these polymers. Thus,

for successful designing it is necessary to have a complete understanding of the relationship between the chemical structure of polymer and its electronic & conduction properties such as, ionisation potential (IP), electron affinity (EA) and bandgap (Eg).

The band structure can be tuned by altering either or both the electronic structure and stearics of the backbone. Once an understanding of the vital structure-activity-property relationship is achieved, desired electronic properties could be ‘tailored’ by specific synthesis after molecular designing. To make ends meet, several strategies are being put to use, namely, substitution polymerisation, ladder growth polymerisation, topological growth and copolymerisation including donor-acceptor moieties.

The ambit of ‘theoretical designing of electrically conducting polymers’ has been extended in the recent years with scientists venturing into the use

of several optimisation and search techniques available. Problem specific algorithms and simulation techniques such as genetic algorithm, ant-colony optimisation and travelling salesman problem are increasingly being used along with the conventional methods, to evolve automatic solutions with the help of fast computing software available.

Growing applicationsConducting polymers have a wide range of applications in electronic and opto-electronic devices such as sensors, plastic batteries, solar cells, field effect transistors, and optical data storage, organic electro-luminescent devices, switching devices, frequency doubles and many more. In the past 25-30 years, electronic-polymer R&D has spawned a huge variety of applications from antistatic coatings to light-emitting diodes. PTP and its derivatives have been widely used to tune electronic properties via the molecular structure.

In 1987, Heeger’s team made the first inroads into device applications-making a diode by casting a PTP from solution onto electrodes. In 1990, Heeger and colleagues started a company UNIAX, to take the conducting polymer technology towards application. At around the same time, the field received a major boost when Bradley et al showed that polymers such as poly (phenylenevinylene) luminesce when a

In the past 25-30 years, electronic-polymer R&D

has spawned a huge variety of applications

from antistatic coatings to light-emitting diodes.

Figure 2: Cis and trans forms of polyacetylene

Hc c c

H H

Hcc

cH

H Hc

H

CIS

TRANS

H

C CC

C CC

H

H

H H

C

HH

H

10 -16

10 -14

10 -12

10 -10

10 -8

10 -6

10 -4

10 -2

10 0

10 2

10 4

10 6

Quartz

Nylon

DiamondGlass

AgBrSi

Ge

In, Sn

MgFe

Ag, Cu

Insu

lato

rsSe

mic

ondu

ctor

sM

etal

s

Incr

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vels

Doped Trans- (CH)x[106 S/cm]

Doped Polyaniline[103 S/cm]

Trans- (CH)x[105 S/cm]

Polyaniline[10-10 S/cm]

Figure 1: Typical electrical conductivities in S/cm of various organic and inorganic materials

Source: A G Mac Diarmid, Synthetic Metals

Courtesy: Lampizator


MARKET TRENDSConductive Polymers

voltage is applied to a thin film between two metallic electrodes. This led to the first polymer light-emitting diodes. These devices can emit light in a variety of colours. Emissive displays fabricated from polymer LEDs were introduced as products in cell phones and Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) in 2003.

Full-colour displays have also been fabricated using ink-jet printing. Polyaniline (PANI) has turned out to be one of the most extensively commercialised electronic polymers, often blended or chemically combined with other industrial plastics to obtain the most desirable features. PANI is also believed to play a major role in the emerging area of nanoscience. Philips Research in the Netherlands has already developed PANI plastic chips that can be used as readable bar code labels in supermarkets.

Hence, organic materials are utilised in, or being developed for, almost all levels of electronics. This wide production range includes the fabrication of individual electronic components such as resistors, capacitors and transistors, and also includes the integration of these basic circuit elements into an active matrix display or into analog or digital circuits.

Perhaps, one of the most important electronic devices manufactured using conducting polymers is the transistor. Other usages for organic materials include photovoltaic cells, printed circuit boards, chemical sensors, and pressure-sensitive materials. New polymer species with interesting characteristics are being added each day to the existing pool.

One of the most publicised and promising applications of ECPs is lightweight and rechargeable batteries. Especially, since in polymers where both p- and n-doping processes are feasible, the possibility exists of their usage as both positive and negative electrodes in the same battery system.

Another advantage of polymer electrode batteries is the absence of toxic materials in them, and therefore, the disposal problems are minimised. The Bridgestone Corporation of Japan has developed coin type rechargeable polymer lithium batteries with PANI as the conducting polymer and the high capacity lithium-aluminium alloy as the two electrodes. One of the unique features of this rechargeable polymer lithium battery is that it can be used as a power source in combination with solar cells.

Another widely investigated application of organic semiconductors is as Thin Film Transistors (TFTs). Doped polythiophenes have been extensively studied as conducting polymers. It has been found that oligothiophenes like a-sexithienyl are excellent semiconductors and can be used to make TFTs. Since oxidation or reduction using hole or electron doping respectively can regulate the conductivity of these organic semiconductors, it is possible to devise transistors whose characteristics are controlled by the chemical medium by which they are surrounded. This opens up possibilities for applications such as sensors.

Electrical fields can stimulate the healing of bone, cartilage, skin, spinal and peripheral nerves and the connective tissues. As a result, researchers have sought to incorporate electrical signals directly into biomaterials. Due to biocompatibility of some conducting polymers, they may be used to transport small electrical signals through the body, ie, they act as artificial nerves. For example, PTP and PPY are capable of generating electrical signals by transferring electrons between different polymer chains. But non-biodegradability is a major problem with this class of compounds, and thus scientists are trying to design & manufacture their biodegradable counterparts to overcome the problem.

Future perspectiveThe field of conducting polymers has matured over the last 50 years. In the next 50 years, one can expect to see many more commercial applications, as well as new synthetic and fabrication methods. The area has brought together physicists, theorists, chemists, material scientists and engineers, and is likely to involve biologists as medical science provides an obvious target for the devices based on lightweight plastics. Conducting polymers will continue to have an impact on the technologies of the future.

Dr A K Bakhshi is Head - Chemistry Department at Delhi University. He is also Director of Institute of Lifelong Learning (ILLL) and

Centre for Professional Development in Higher Education (CPDHE), a UGC Academic Staff College, since 2008. A double gold medalist, Dr Bakhshi had his postdoctoral training at the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg, Germany. Email: [email protected].

Vinita Arora is pursuing PhD in Physical Chemistry at Department Of Chemistry, Delhi University. Email: [email protected]

In the next 50 years, one can expect to see

many more commercial applications (of conducting

polymers), as well as new synthetic and

fabrication methods.

Courtesy: Ciba Specialty Chemicals


COATINGS CORNER

Dr Mosongo Moukwa

Scholars have converged on the findings that volatility at the firm level has increased somewhere between two- and four-fold between the 1970s and

1990s, using various measures including stock price volatility, firm mortality, persistence of superior performance, frequency of economic shocks, and speed of technology dissemination. Turbulence, in other words, was on the rise before the current slowdown began, and there is little reason to believe that it will retreat and end when the global economy recovers.

The chemical industryThe industry is gradually emerging from the wreckage of the worldwide economic downturn. Sales increased by an average of 2.1 per cent and earnings by 1.9 per cent. Earnings of a number of chemical manufacturers increased by 1.9 per cent, compared to the disastrous fourth quarter of 2008. However, the top line still remains a challenge.

The continuing struggle of 2008-09 reflected the huge demand decline because of the downturn that hit the chemical industry in the fourth quarter of 2008. The financial results for

the full-year showed the magnitude of the effect the industry is still trying to climb out of. On an average, companies have reported that sales in 2009 were 22.4 per cent less than in 2008, and earnings declined by 39.5 per cent (Table 1).

The industry scenario in 2010 is looking better, as recovery is almost certain. Dow Chemical announced that its sales surged by 48 per cent compared to the previous year, bolstered by higher prices and increased demand in Europe and the US. Net income for the first quarter rose to $ 551 million from $ 24 million in the same period of 2009. The company reported sales of $ 1.3 billion in its specialty materials and electronic segments with a 31 per cent increase in sales and 31 per cent rise in volume. Sales in the company’s coatings and infrastructure arms were $ 1.2 billion, up 21 per cent. Volume increased by 16 per cent and price was up by 5 per cent.

BASF expects more profit and sales in 2010, after first-quarter results beat estimates, but warned that the economic recovery remains ‘shaky’. Net profit for the quarter ending March 31 was Euro 1.03 billion, up from Euro 375 million during the same period in the previous year. The company said measures to reduce costs and increase efficiency as well as synergies from

With worst of the economic downturn behind them, many executives in both chemicals and coatings industries hope to look forward to a period of stability and predictability, when companies can return to business as usual. However, they are likely to be disappointed. Market turbulence did not begin with the fall of Lehman Brothers, and it will not end when the global economy recovers. How to survive in this turbulent world is the question that executives in both chemical and coatings industries are pondering over.

Tiding over troubled watersChemicals & coatings market

Courtesy:Chev-Tech


COATINGS CORNER

the integration of Ciba contributed to improved earnings. Quarterly sales grew by 26 per cent to Euro 15.5 billion from Euro 12.22 billion a year earlier, beating analysts’ expectations of Euro 14.59 billion. For 2010, BASF forecast a significant rise in earnings before interest & tax on high volumes, and Euro 350 million in synergies from the integration of Ciba.

To cope with what could be a long-term low level of demand, the chemical industry has been in a race to cut costs to maintain profitability. The steps it took were to realign the cost structure to the new low-revenue potential. For example, many had to reduce headcounts. The industry is extensively de-stocked and manpower is at a low level. Only time will tell if shortages will develop. The trend is unlikely to change, as many are anticipating that revenue will grow slowly, and chemical manufacturers are careful about adding costs back.

Spending cuts enabled the chemical industry to generate a profit margin of 5.8 per cent in the third quarter of 2009. However, capital spending for maintenance and to support sales cannot be held down forever. In the fourth quarter of 2009, although sales increased, profit margins decreased to 5.5 per cent. As sales continue to recover, companies will expand production in emerging markets, rather than in developed economies.

The coatings industryThe recovery is also coming to one of the end-user markets - the coatings industry. The worst may be behind it. For example, PPG Industries has seen an improvement in sales of automotive

coatings, but sold less architectural coatings in 2009 than in 2008. In 2010, PPG reported sales for the first quarter of $ 3.1 billion, an increase of 12 per centcompared to the same period in the previous year. The net income in the first quarter was $ 30 million.

Industrial coatings segment sales for the quarter rose by $ 249 million, or 39 per cent, due to volume growth exceeding 30 per cent, with high year-on-year volumes in all businesses and regions. Architectural coatings segment sales in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) for the quarter increased $ 27 million, or 7 per cent, principally due to strong foreign currencies. Earnings in the segment grew $ 8 million due to less costs.

The 2009 revenues of Akzo Nobel fell 10 per cent compared to the previous year. In 2010, however, the results for the first quarter show improved volumes in most businesses, underpinning revenue growth of 6 per cent. Continued margin management and cost reduction programmes also contributed to Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and

Amortisation (EBITDA) growth of 38 per cent. The one-year rolling EBITDA margin reached 13.6 per cent.

Looking past the fourth-quarter results, the verdict of chemical executives has been unanimous: Recovery will be slow and uneven both geographically and by end-user market. And, the promises to cut costs continue. What growth does occur, will be propelled by emerging markets, particularly of Asia.

Capacity utilisation It is estimated that during the economic slowdown, the chemical industry conserved cash by cutting capital spending by 20.1 per cent. Even if growth is witnessed again, companies have significant excess capacity. In 2009, capacity utilisation was low (70.1 per cent,)and will grow only to 72.9 per cent in 2010. Probably, companies will not invest again until 2011.

Between 2004 and 2007, large investments in new capacities were made in the Middle East and China. Meanwhile, major multinationals began selling or shutting down their capacities in mature markets. Then came the economic downturn. Beginning in 2008, demand in key developed-world markets dropped by 40 per cent over a matter of months. Some companies were bankrupt. Stock prices sank abruptly too.

Signs of global recovery are certainly encouraging, but with so much excess capacity in the market,

Table 1: Results of chemical manufacturers (2009)

Companies Sales Earnings* Change from 2008 (%)

Profit margin**(%)

($ million) Sales Earnings 2009 2008Air Products 8234 912 34.7 21.4 11.1 9.2Albemarle 2005 171 -18.7 22.6 8.5 9Cabot 2270 19 -27.5 -71.6 0.8 3.1Celanese 5082 488 -25.5 73 9.6 4.1Cytec Industries 2790 64 -23.4 -13 -61.7 2.3Dow Chemical 44875 725 -21.8 -56.9 16 2.9DuPont 26109 1871 -14.5 -26.2 7.2 8.3PPG Industries 12239 485 -22.8 -36.1 4 4.8

Source: C&EN magazine*: After-tax earnings from continuing operations

**: After-tax earnings as a percentage of sales

Courtesy:The N

ational Institute of Standards and Technology


COATINGS CORNER

simply emerging from the problems will be a difficult task. Further, specialty producers may find their new products less profitable than in the past and may also add to the complexity & costliness of existing specialty operations. Chemical manufacturers can no longer assume that growth and profitability are mutually reinforcing. Future competitiveness requires a much more disciplined and selective approach.

With GDP fluctuations in the developed world (from as high as

4 per cent to as low as -2 per cent), it is difficult to balance capacity with demand (Table 2). The temptation to retain or add capacity during upturns proves regrettable when demand suddenly retreats. It is more essential than ever to make sure every dollar spent in developed markets is profitable, even if this means giving up a few less profitable (or unprofitable) marketshare. With the West rationalising capacity, pressure is on the downstream industries such as paints and coatings.

New players in China, India and the Middle East may consider capitalising on strong growth at home and emerge to compete with established companies. They benefit from their favoured access to growing markets in the developing world. In India, the number of those who can pull this up is limited. To survive, chemical manufacturers in the West will look to gain access to these booming developing world markets. Moving into new markets requires cash, and with margins squeezed at home, there will be little of it to spend on expansion abroad. Companies take on new risks as they enter new markets. There are questions of the protection of intellectual property, people and capital. They also have to face other issues that accompany entry into more centrally planned and controlled economies.

Agility to survive and thriveBusiness leaders are often pictured as captains of the industry, standing at the bow of a ship, peering through a telescope deep into the clear horizon of the future, plotting a course, and proceeding steadily. Turbulence, however, obscures visibility into the future, and frustrates long-term prediction. Volatility precludes smooth extrapolation of past trends, complex interactions frustrate efforts to anticipate possible outcomes, competitors thwart the best-laid plans, and new information emerges that forces a fundamental rethink of a situation.

Leaders making sense of volatile situations must anticipate emerging

opportunities and threats in real time, glimpse fresh connections among apparently unconnected events, sift the few key variables from the deluge of trivial, and make sense of the situation based on fragments of incomplete & often conflicting information. And, these must be done in real time, often under pressure. Further, people often seek historical patterns in new situations.

In turbulent markets, business leaders will recognise the value of organisational agility in dealing with rapid-fire change. A recent McKinsey survey found that nine out of ten executives ranked organisational agility as both critical to business success, which is growing in importance over time. Agility can be defined as the capacity to consistently identify and exploit opportunities to create value more effectively than rivals. Agility is not to be confused with raw speed.

Although ‘the fast beat the slow’ has entered the conventional wisdom of strategy, this is not totally correct. The best way to enhance raw speed is to develop a crystal clear long-term vision. However, if the vision is wrong or the world changes, this approach only guarantees an organisation arrives at the wrong place before anyone else. People often forget this basic insight in their rush to secure ‘first-mover advantages’ or to ‘get big fast’.

Dr Mosongo Moukwa is currently Vice President - Technology at Asian Paints Ltd based in Mumbai. He was Vice President - Global

Technology at Reichhold, based in North Carolina, and before that Vice President - Global Technology at Johnson Polymer (now part of BASF). He holds a PhD from the Universite de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada, and an MBA from Case Western University, Cleveland, Ohio. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Commercial Development and Management Association, and the Licensing Executive Society.Email: [email protected]

Table 2: Global growth forecast (%)Region/Country 2009 2010 2011World (WEO PPP weights) -0.9 4.5 4.6Advanced Economies -3.2 3.2 3.5USA -2.4 4 4.1Japan -5.2 2.7 3UK -5 2 3Canada -2.6 3.6 4Europe -4 2 2.7Germany -4.9 2.1 2.7France -2.2 2.6 2.8Italy -5.1 1.7 2.2Other Europe countries -4 1.7 2.9Other Advanced economies -1.3 4.6 4.2Emerging market & developing countries 2 6 6.1Asia 6.8 8.2 8China 8.7 10 9India 6.5 7 8Other Asian countries 2.7 5 5.5Latin America -2.4 4.2 3.6Brazil -0.2 5.2 4.5Mexico -6.8 4.5 4Central & Eastern Europe -4.5 2.7 5CIS countries -7.8 5 6Russia -8 4.8 5.5Middle East 2 4.5 4.5Africa 2.1 4 4.2

Source: Peterson Institute for International Economics

PPP: Purchasing Power ParityWEO: International Monetary Fund’s World Economic OutlookGDP growth rate: Per cent year-on-year


SAFETY ZONE

K N K Murthy

Limbs are in pairs, but beware that one is not a spare for the other. Each of them is expected to perform on its own way in a specific manner in total symphony with the

other as in an orchestra and produce the desired results. Like the pair of limbs, which have to function in unison, the fingers (five on each palm) also cannot execute proxy functions among themselves,

but are created to execute different actions, and all put together only can perform the best.

Any serious injury, damage or immobility caused to these versatile organs can lead to a paralytic or crippling effect and/or a life situation not worth its name or purpose. The upper limbs, which constitute upper/lower arms and hands are the ‘tools’ gifted by nature to perform a large number of unique and different tasks, and no other body part can fit in to be their distant substitutes leave aside an equal/close one.

The need of ‘add on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)’ to hands (especially the palm and finger portions) is more relevant, as they do not receive even a symbolic or minimum protection as available to other parts, which are at least covered with general clothing or apparel.

Protective gearsIn general, all hand protective gears are called ‘gloves’, which come in various designs, sizes, fitting, shapes and lengths, besides different fabrics to cater to different applicability and needs. Considering the injury probability and severity, any basic design must ensure full protection to palm & fingers. Thereafter, the wrist, lower and upper arm (extending up to shoulder) protection might have to be considered.

No one type of PPE is suitable for different work situations (from quality assurance to the

A handy safety tool Protective gear for arms

Limbs are just confined to a single pair each of upper and lower limbs or ‘body extremities as per medical terminology’. They happen to be the most vulnerable to injuries since they have to be on ‘permanent usage mode’ so long we remain active. This article is aimed at an appraisal of different types of protective gears, which are job/activity-specific and to be worn to ensure total safeguard against injuries.

Courtesy: Ansell Occupational Healthcare

Table 1: Fabrics suited for mechanical/electric and extreme temperaturesType of hazards/activities Recommended fabric

Rigging, material handling, slinging functions, pipe bending, stone-breaking, plumbing jobs, valve operation (excluding chemical and extreme temperature service)

Canvas-cum-leather (leather for the palm section and canvas for the outer). For light-duty functions, good quality pure cotton (hosiery) should suffi ce.

Welding/gas cutting Full leatherHandling glass ware or other sharp/abrasive objects like knives

Leather reinforced with metal mesh stitching or double layer thick woven canvas or jute material; cut resistant plastic fabric is also available.

Working on high-voltage hazard potential where total electrical isolation is not feasible like online testing/inspection jobs

Rubber tested, approved and certifi ed for different voltage rating as per Indian Electricity Act/Rules

Extreme temperatures Wool lined aluminium foil fabric, wet spun asbestos, etc; foam padded leather material (similar to the one used by mountaineers, race car drivers); thermo plastic material, etc


SAFETY ZONE

loading/distribution zone) involved in any business or industrial operation. Thus, the top management, supervisors and field personnel must be in a position to identify/select the most appropriate type suited for hands, fingers, arms and skin-based on the types of hazards and consequential risks.

The material to be used for gloves depends largely on the type of activity to be performed. Accordingly, fabric suited is classified into two main categories of hazards: Mechanical/electric & extreme temperatures and chemicals. Table 1 provides an indicative list of fabrics suited for mechanical/electric and extreme temperatures. Table 2 shows some of the chemical resistant gloves, which are used in the industry, with a few indicative examples of chemicals.

Sizes/shape/fitting/lengthUnless indicated or requisitioned, the size/fitting of all types of gloves are designed for universal adult size. The lengths can be variable (10” extending up to wrist, 14” up to elbow, and 22” up to shoulder).

Steps to be takenOnce it has been established that gloves are to be preserved in corrosive work areas or they get damaged after each use, specific provisions and system must be in place to clean, sanitise, check, test and certify, failing which the disposable facility must be made available once

the equipment has been rendered unserviceable. Besides, any complaint from the user based on specific allergic problems must also be duly addressed with the required medical examination.

Points to rememberGloves must never be worn while working close to moving/rotating parts of any equipment/machinery, since there is always a risk of them getting trapped, and subsequent pulling of the hands towards the machinery causing grievous injuries. PPE must be worn considering the injury potential while working on such machinery, and fool-proof isolation of all types of prime movers must be ensured through appropriate permit-to-work system with Lock Out/Tag Out (LOTO) procedure.

While gloves are being used to safeguard against chemicals, it is safer to put on full sleeve shirts/other top attires and insert the gloves into the sleeves. Instead, if there is a gap between gloves and uncovered hands or sleeves inserted into the gloves, there are chances of the exposed chemical trickling down/being trapped within the gloves and causing injury/infection.

On a safe modeFor reasons like sweating, itching, inconvenience, poor/inadequate job grip, etc, there are always chances of gloves being removed ‘at the drop of a hat’ while jobs are in progress.

Keeping this in view, basic behavioural training and motivation is required. In many industries, a sincere approach to popularise the compliance of helmet, goggles, gloves and safety footwear exists as part of the organisation’s mission of establishing a visible safety culture. A top management-driven PPE policy followed by setting of example by all officers, field supervisors, etc should go a long way in successful implementation of the same. Besides, the permit-to-work system can also be effectively utilised as an interlock in this direction.

K N K Murthy has been in the fertilisers and petrochemicals industry for 38 years, and retired as Senior Manager (Safety) from Indian

Petrochemicals Corporation Ltd, Vadodara. Currently, he works as a Safety Consultant and is attached to Mahatma Gandhi Labor Institute (MGLI), Ahmedabad, Gujarat. He is also a visiting faculty for the industrial safety diploma course and an accredited auditor/trainer for MGLI’s industrial assignments. He has done pioneering works in various aspects like hazard identification, risk assessment, safety audits/inspections/surveys, training, emergency preparedness planning, selection/development of need based safety appliances, community awareness programmes, quality/environment standards (ISO), accident investigation/analysis, etc. He can be contacted on [email protected]

Table 2: Some of the chemical resistant gloves with few examplesTypes of gloves Laminate film Nitrile Unsupported neorene Supported PVA PVC Natural rubber (NR) Blend of NR & neoprene

Chemical DR PB PR DR PB PR DR PB PR DR PB PR DR PB PR DR PB PR DR PB PR

Acetaldehyde 380 E P E 10 F NR NR E 7 F E 10 F

Ammonium hydroxide E 30 E >360 E 250 NR E 240 E E 240

Butyl alcohol >480 E E >360 E E >360 E F 75 G G 180 VG E 20 VG E 45 VG

Dimethyl formamide >480 E NR E 40 F NR NR E 18 E E 40 G

Ethyl alcohol >480 E E 20 VG E 113 VG NR G E 37 VG E 20 G

Hydrochloric acid >480 E E 360 E >480 NR E 360 E >360 E 360

Hydrofl ouric acid E >480 E 334 E >480 NR G 155 E 190 E 153

Methyl alcohol E >480 E E 180 VG E 65 G NR G 135 VG E 20 VG E 20 VG

Sodium hydroxide 50% E >480 E E >360 E > 480 NR G 360 E 360 E >360

Sulphuric acid 95% E >480 NR NR F 105 NR G 25 G NR NR

PVA: Poly Vinyl Alcohol; PVC: Poly Vinyl Chloride; DR: Degradation Rating; PB: Permeability Breakthrough; PR: Permeation RatingGreen: Very Well Suited; Yellow: Suitable under careful control; Red: Not recommended and avoid usingWith reference to Permeation Rate (PR), E: Excellent; VG: Very Good; G: Good; F: Fair; P: PoorWith reference to Degradation Rating (DR), E: Excellent (very little degradation); G: Good; F: Fair; P: Poor; NR: Fluid was not against this item

Courtesy: Ansell Occupational Healthcare


GREEN TECHNOLOGY

Anirudh Baxi

B iofuels such as ethanol is not new to human civilisation. However, their production was confined primarily for human consumption. Biofuels, as an

industry, owes its inception in a big way to the energy crisis in the US in the early 1970s. During this period, the focus was on the production of ethanol-based fuel from agro sources such as corn. The key concern then was energy security, and the objective was to reduce the dependence on crude oil imports.

AdvantagesThese are the most carbon neutral out of all conventional fuels. Nations committed to the Kyoto Protocol are considering biofuels as one of the options for reduction in Greenhouse Gas emissions. Other advantages of biofuels (often debated) are:

� Energy security� Economic development of agro sector� Utilisation of national agro-based resources

for fuel� Employment generation in rural areas� Energy with a low-carbon footprint

Growth challengesTrends in usage of biofuels indicate a definite growth of this sector. Though countries hope that biofuels would provide a win-win strategy, which can simultaneously provide energy security & environmental protection, there are challenges and constraints that have to be addressed for sustainable growth. Besides technology, the key challenges to this growth that can be envisaged are:� Economics: Crude oil prices vs biofuel

production costs� Natural resource: Efficient use of resources

such as land and water� Food-fuel balance: Managing food prices due

to diversion of resources for fuel� Raw material: Limited availability and logisticsAkin to any other industry, sustained development of biofuels would be governed by economics. Biofuels compete with fossil fuels in the energy market. The economic feasibility of a biofuel

Energising economy, the green-way

Biofuels

January 2, 2008, saw crude oil prices cross $ 100 a barrel for the first time, raising global concerns, and a need was felt to look for alternative energy sources - one of them being biofuel. The decline of crude oil prices throughout the 1980s and 1990s diminished the interest in the biofuel industry. However, there is a renewed interest in developing biofuels as a supplemental source of energy.

Courtesy:Haiti Biodiesel Industry

Back to basics � First-generation biofuel is derived from agricultural feedstock,

vegetable oil and animal fat. � Second-generation biofuels are derived from non-food feedstock

such as wood waste, rice husk, micro algae, etc.


GREEN TECHNOLOGY

project would be governed by crude oil prices. It is estimated that biofuels will be competitive at prices similar to that of crude oil, ie, between $ 60 and $ 100 a barrel. The economics will further depend on the prices of agricultural feedstock. It also varies from region to region due to factors such as economies of scale, cost of bio raw material, logistics of acquiring raw material and distribution of biofuel products. Also, the cost of production of ethanol (Figure 1) from different regions and feedstocks varies. For example, the cost of production of bioethanol in Brazil is about 40 per cent less than that in India.

Food-fuel conflict is a challenge to biofuels. This is particularly apparent in developing countries and for first-generation biofuels. Considering the limited availability of agro resources, demand for biofuels would increase agricultural prices. The recent price increase of cereals may signal such a trend. The solutions looked into by countries in the Asian subcontinent to counter the food-fuel conflict include utilisation of marginal land and waste land areas that cannot be used for growing food crops. One such crop under consideration is jatropha, which is an agro feedstock for biodiesel.

Raw materials would define the theoretical upper limit of biofuel growth. First-generation biofuels

have a risk of constraint by the food-fuel conflict described earlier. Second-generation biofuels do hold a promise, since they utilise cellulose waste to produce energy. However, logistics of processing raw materials, economies of scale and technology would remain a challenge. An example of this is the recent cancellation of two projects to build rice husk-fuelled 22 MW generators by A T Bio Power Co due to difficulties in availability of adequate feedstock.

Technology has a key role to play in increasing the efficiency and energy optimisation in the biofuel industry. The key technological issues and known technology providers for biofuels are shown in Table 1.

Governments all over the world have developed policies to promote affordable, alternative energy sources such as biofuels, to maintain current energy consumption requirements. Although biofuel feedstock differs from region to region, the challenges to grow are of similar pattern.

In short, economics, resources and technologies are the key challenges for its development.

Scenario in IndiaIndia is one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Here, the area of interest is blending of ethanol from sugarcane molasses in petrol and blending of biodiesel from jatropha seeds in diesel. The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, has formulated a National Policy on Biofuels (NPB) to this effect. The NBP has set a target level of biofuel blending at 20 per cent to be achieved by 2017. Currently, the government mandates 5 per cent blending of ethanol in petrol. The key issues for further growth of biofuels in India are:� Is there enough raw materials for

ethanol production?� Can jatropha cultivation be

sustainable and high-yielding varieties developed?

� Evolution of emerging technologies for second-generation biofuels

The future development of the biofuel industry would rest on the ability to manage these challenges and constraints.

Anirudh Baxi is Engineering Manager & Head of Process Engineering at Aker Powergas Pvt Ltd’s Pune Operations. He has

close to 20 years of experience in process engineering, and is familiar with all aspects of process design & simulation. He has supervised and executed projects in the area of bioethanol, oil &gas, Ing regassification and chemicals. For details, email: [email protected]

Figure 1: Ethanol comparative production cost

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Table 1: Key issues and technology providersBiofuel Key issues Technology providers

Bioethanol Yeast and enzyme effi ciency, water management, energy optimisation

APTI (USA), Borin (USA), Lurgi PSI (Germany), Katzen (USA), Praj (India), GEA Wiegand (Germany), Dedini (Brazil), Vogelbusch (Austria)

Biodiesel Byproduct formation, process effi ciency, raw material logistics,multi-feed capability

Axens (France), Benefuel Inc (USA), Biodiesel Industries Inc (USA), BioDiesel International (Austria), Biofuel Systems (UK), CM Bernardini (Italy), Energea (Austria), Lurgi (Germany, USA), Neste Oil (Finland), Pacifi c Biodiesel (USA), Superior Process Technologies (USA)

Syngas from bio-gassifi cation

Raw material handling, biomass, pyrolysis

Choren Industries Gmbh (Germany), Pearson Technologies Inc (USA), ThermoChem Recovery International Inc (USA)

Disclaimer: While every effort is taken to ensure the correctness of data presented, the above table is not exhaustive/all inclusive and is only indicative in nature

Source: Aker Solutions


CURTAIN RAISER

E xcess production capacities are the norm globally, and India is emerging as the preferred manufacturing destination. Though the economy in the country

continues to remain demand- and investment-driven, manufacturing companies are beginning to realise that they should emerge competitive. In the face of competition and under pressure to preserve their margins, manufacturing companies are not only investing in adding capacities but also in systems & solutions that improve their profitability and competitiveness.

In this backdrop, ARC’s Eighth India Forum will act as a networking platform to discuss the business strategies and issues in detail that will help companies emerge as winners in a competitive environment. “We bring industry thought leaders under one platform to discuss and deliberate upon the technology solutions that enable companies to gain sustainable competitive advantages and empower them to pursue the goal of operational excellence. The focus of the

forum is on strategic issues, business drivers and technology trends,” informs Rajabahadur Arcot, General Manager, ARC India.

The forum, divided into two parts, will cater to different industry verticals. The first programme (July 14-15) - ‘Driving Innovation, Sustainability, and Performance for Electric Power and Water Industries’ - will be focussing on electric power and water industries. The second (July 16-17) - ‘Driving Innovation, Sustainability, and Performance for Process and Batch Industries’ - will be on process and batch industries.

On process and batch industriesThe programme focussing on process and batch industries will have discussions on how operational excellence is a survival tool and no longer a philosophy. Industries are now beginning to realise the significant benefits that intelligent approach to operations management can bring. This is because it relates to domains such as workforce changes, cyber security, carbon

Driving sustainable innovations ARC’s Eighth India Forum

With the economic slowdown behind us, the Indian economy seems to be back on track. Companies are now focussing on being competitive by adding capacities and improving profitability. Considering the importance of sharing knowledge and networking, ARC Advisory Group will be organising the Forum ‘Achieving Business Excellence through IT and Automation Solutions’ during July 14-17, 2010, in Hyderabad. A preview…


CURTAIN RAISER

emissions, process safety, wireless networking, energy management, alarm management, system migration and regulatory compliance.

Currently, the need is to be ready to grab the opportunities when it arrives and even have the necessary tools to carry out its operations. It needs to use innovative concepts and solutions to help compete in today’s changing global economy.

Industrial facilities are built to operate over many decades and are highly capital-intensive. Maintaining and managing these assets throughout the plant lifecycle plays an important role in realising the returns, and the role of asset management systems has to be recognised. IT & automation solutions for operations, energy management, asset management and process & safety management play an important role in helping companies achieve excellence. This could be the roadmap for companies seeking sustainable competitiveness.

The ARC Forum will be focussing on asset performance management, energy management, project engineering solutions, MES imperatives & challenges and manufacturing IT solutions for core process and batch industries such as cement, metals & mining, chemical, oil & gas, pharmaceutical and food & beverage. It will also have separate tracks for every industry.

Key takeawaysThe ARC Forum will bring together executives from manufacturing

companies & technology solution providers and user & supplier communities to network & exchange thoughts on challenges, businesses & latest technologies. Various speakers at the event will share their thoughts on how companies have become more agile & responsive to market dynamics

and achieved facility & enterprise-level optimisation by leveraging enabling technologies. The speakers will

further highlight on the derived benefits through case studies & p r e s e n t a t i o n s and cite instances on how to be successful.

Over 250 key decision makers from various process industries such as food &

beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemical, oil & gas, mining & metals, electric power generation and others are expected to attend. At ARC’s previous forums top executives from leading companies have met to brainstorm and gain new business insights. Some of these included ACC Ltd, Aurobindo Pharma, Bayer Crop Science, BEML Ltd, BHEL, BPCL, Cadbury, Deepak Nitrite, Dr Reddy’s, Grasim Industries, Haldia Petrochemicals, HPCL, Jubilant Organosys, Kribhco, Nestle, NTPC, ONGC, Ranbaxy, Reliance Industries, SAIL, Tata Steel, Unilever, etc.

A step aheadIndia’s economy has managed to emerge from the global economic turmoil more or less unscathed, largely because of its healthy domestic demand. While this trend augurs well for the growth of the companies in the country, it has to reckon with the reality that the demand-centric Indian market will lure leading global companies.

At the global level, many industries such as automotive, cement, chemicals, steel and others are burdened with excess production capacities. But, these are the very industries that are set to witness massive growth in India.

The ARC Forum promises to serve as a platform to address the needs and expectations of manufacturers and suppliers. Industry leaders from manufacturing companies, consultants, OEMs, suppliers of automation systems and other stakeholders will be coming together to discuss and deliberate on appropriate business strategies & issues and manufacturing models for future success.

Forum’s focus areas

Manufacturing IT solutions for chemical, oil & gas, cement & glass, metals & mining, pulp & paper, pharmaceutical, and food & beverage industries

Asset life cycle management

Energy management

MES: Imperatives and challenges

Project engineering solutions

Industry tracks: Chemical, oil & gas, cement & glass, metals & mining, pulp & paper, pharamaceutical and food & beverage


EVENTS CALENDAR

National

India’s premier industrial trade fair on products and technologies from machine tools, fluid power, instrumentation & control, electrical & electronics, material handling, plastics, rubber, packaging, chemical, CAD/CAM, auto components, and general engineering.

For details contact:

Engineering ExpoInfomedia 18 Ltd, Ruby House, 1st Floor, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028.

Tel: 022-3003 4649, Fax: 022-3003 4499, Email: [email protected]

Process Industry Forum A conference on automation and enterprise solutions in process and batch industries; July 14-17, 2010; at Hyderabad

For details contact:ARC Advisory Group20, Annaswamy Mudaliar Road Sivan Chetty Garden Post Bengaluru 560 042Tel: 080-2554 7116, Fax: 080-2554 7116Email: [email protected]: www.arcweb.com

Asia Coat+Ink ShowThe exhibition will showcase the latest innovations & products for coating industry, and will provide an international platform to all suppliers of pigments, resins, oils, chemicals, machinery & equipment and manufacturers of inks & coating to explore new business opportunity; September 30-October 03, 2010; at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:Koelnmesse YA TradefairB-501/502 Kemp Plaza, Mind SpaceChincholi Bunder Off Link Road, Malad (West)Mumbai 400064Tel: 022-4210 7866, Fax: 022-4003 4433Email: [email protected]: www.asiacoatandink.com

PROMACH 2010An exclusive exhibition for the process plant & machinery industry; October 01-04, 2010; at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre, Bengaluru

For details contact:Bangalore International Exhibition Service10th Mile, Tumkur Road, Madavara PostBengaluru 562 123Tel: 080-6583 3234Email: [email protected]

India Chem 2010The 6th edition of this international exhibition will have on display a wide range of products, services & technologies concerning chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, process plant machinery and control & automation system; October 28-30, 2010; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:Manoj Mehta, Assistant Director Trade Fair Secretariat Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI)Federation House, Tansen MargNew Delhi 110 001Tel: 011-2373 8760, Fax: 011-2335 9734Email: [email protected]: www.indiachem.in

Indian Petrochem Conference 2010Annual petrochemicals conference providing an exclusive forum for interaction between the global petrochemical fraternity; November 18-19, 2010, Renaissance Hotel, Mumbai

For details contact:Elite Conferences Pvt Ltd606, Bhagyalaxmi, Kennedy Bridge Mumbai 400 004 Tel: 022-2385 1430 Fax: 022-2385 1431 Email: [email protected]

IPVS 2010 Industrial trade fair for pumps, valves and systems; December 09 –11, 2010; at Chennai Trade & Convention Centre, Chennai

For details contact:Orbit Tours & Trade Fairs201, Navyug Industrial EstateT J Road, Sewri (W) Mumbai 400 015Tel: 022-2410 2801, Fax: 022-2410 2805Email: [email protected]

Everything About Water Expo 2010An international exhibition and conference on water & wastewater management; January 06-08, 2011; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:Aarti ChopraEA Water Pvt LtdA1/152, IGNOU Road, Neb SaraiNew Delhi 110 030Tel: 011-4310 0500, Fax: 011-4310 0599 Email: [email protected]

Chemtech World Expo 2011International exhibition & conference on process plant, equipment & services for environment management, biotechnology, oil & gas and chemicals; February 23-26, 2011; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai

For details contact:Chemtech Foundation26, Maker Chambers VINariman Point, Mumbai 400 021 Tel: 022-287 4758Fax: 022-287 0525Email: [email protected]

PuneMaharashtra

Nov 19-22, 2010

AhmedabadGujarat

Dec 10-13, 2010

IndoreMadhya Pradesh

Jan 7-10, 2011

Chennai Tamil Nadu

Mar 11-13, 2011


EVENTS CALENDAR

InternationalInternational crop science exhibition & trade meetThe event will focus on various business opportunities in the global agrochemical industry; June 21-22, 2010; at Istanbul, Turkey

For details contact:Aparna DeshpandeAssistant Executive Director Pesticides Manufacturers & Formulators Association of IndiaD/516 Crystal Plaza, Andheri Link RoadAndheri (W), Mumbai 400 053 Tel: 022-2673 4845/46Fax: 022-2673 4847Email: [email protected]

AGROCHEMEX 2010An annual symposium and exhibition for the global agrochemical industry; September 20-22, 2010; at Shanghai Everbright Convention & Exhibition Center, Shanghai

For details contact:China Crop Protection Industry AssociationRoom 913, Building 16 Anhuili, 4th Area, Chaoyang District Beijing 100723, ChinaTel: +86 (10) 84885918 Fax: +86 (10) 84885255 Email: [email protected]

ICIF China 2010An international chemical industry fair; September 21-23, 2010; at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai, China

For details contact:China National Chemical Information Center (CNCIC)No. 53, XiaoguanjieAnwai, Beijing 100029, ChinaTel: +86 10 64444114 Fax: +86 10 64415052 Email: [email protected]

Chemical Industry 2010An international exhibition of chemical industry; September 27 – October 02,

2010; at International Fair Plovdiv, Bulgaria

For details contact:International Fair Plovdiv37, Tzar Boris III - Obedinitel Blv4003, Plovdiv, BulgariaTel: +359 (0) 32 903 600 Fax: +359 (0) 32 902 432 Email: [email protected]

APCCHE Congress & Exhibition 2010The 13th Asia Pacific Confederation of Chemical Engineering (APCCHE) congress with a theme of ‘Innovation and sustainability in new chemical engineering era’; October 5-8, 2010; at Howard International House, Taipei, Taiwan

For details contact: Asian-Pacific Confederation of Chemical EngineeringAustralia 11, National Circuit Barton ACT 2600, AustraliaTel: +61 02 6270 6539Fax: +61 02 6273 2358Email: [email protected]

Pumps & Valves 2010An exhibition on pumps, control valves and seals in the process industry; October 13-15, 2010; at Antwerp, Belgium

For details contact: FairtecAutolei 3372160 Wommelgem / Antwerp BelgiumTel: +32 (0)3 354 08 80 Fax: +32 (0) 354 08 10 Email: [email protected]

DYE+CHEM Asia International Expo 2010An exclusive international exhibition on all kinds of dyes and fine & specialty chemicals for the South & South-East Asian industry; November 10-13, 2010; at Singapore Expo, Singapore

For details contact:CEMS India Pvt Ltd74, Satya Niketan, Ground FloorNew Delhi 110 021 Tel: 011-2410 5201-4 Fax: 011-2410 5205 Email: [email protected]

CIL Indonesia 2010An exhibition showcasing new trends in chemical & process engineering, instrumentation and laboratory equipment; December 01-04, 2010; at Jakarta International Expo, Indonesia For details contact:Allworld Exhibitions12th Floor, Westminster Tower3 Albert Embankment, London, The UKTel: +44 (0) 20 7840 2100 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7840 2111 Email: [email protected]

InformexUSA 2011An expo that provides a meeting point for buyers and sellers of high-value chemicals; February 07-10, 2011; Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, The US For details contact:United Business MediaIndustrieweg 54, PO Box 2003600 AE Maarssen The NetherlandsTel: +31 34 65 59 444 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7921 8059 Email: [email protected]

CIPPE 2011An exhibition for petroleum & petrochemical technology and equipment; March 22-24, 2011, New China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China For details contact:ITE Group Plc105 Salusbury RoadLondon, NW6 6RG, The UKTel: +44 (0) 20 7596 5000 Fax: +44 (0) 20 7596 5111 Email: [email protected]

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective organiser. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World


TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

As part of our endeavour to spread the technology culture,this section provides a means to promote and facilitate exchange of select technologies.

We strive to bring together suppliers of such technologies with suitable users for negotiations and industrial collaboration.

Technology Offered

Activated carbon An Iranian firm is willing to offer

activated carbon from coconut shells. Areas of application

Food processing, pharmaceuticals, etcForms of transfer

Technology licensing

Cresyl phosphate / tri phenyl An Indian firm is offering

consultancy for manufacturing plasticisers.Area of application

Photo films, chemicals, plastic industry, etcForms of transfer

Consultancy

Ethanol An Iranian company is offering

ethanol from molasses using the fermentation of sacharomyces cerevisiae. Ethyl alcohol is widely used for making many organic chemicals. Areas of application

Chemical industry, energy industry Forms of transfer


Furfuryl alcohol technology An Indian firm offers technology

for producing furfuryl alcohol from furfural by liquid hydrogenation as well as vapour hydrogenation, with a capacity of 6,000 tpa to 24,000 tpa. Areas of application

Furan polymers, sealants & cements,

urea-formaldehyde, & phenolic resins and foundry cores Forms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services, technology licensing

Phosphate estersAn Indian firm is offering technology

for manufacturing phosphate esters like tri butyl phosphate.Area of application

Specialty chemicalsForms of transfer

Joint venture

Sodium hydrosulfite An Iranian company is willing

to manufacture sodium hydrosulfite using chemical compounds. It is widely used as a stripping agent in dyes and in chemical industry.Areas of application

Chemical industry Forms of transfer


Sodium sulfide An Iranian firm is willing to offer

sodium sulfide, which is used mainly in textile industry, paper mill, artificial silk and curriery.Areas of application

Leather industry, textiles, curriery industries, paper mills, etc Forms of transfer

Turnkey

Synthesis routes for organic chemicals

An Indian firm is offering consultancy in design of synthesis routes for organic chemicals.Areas of application

Pharma industry, speciality chemicals, plant protection chemicals, etc Forms of transfer

Consultancy

Transformer oil unit An Indian company is willing

to offer consultancy for making a transformer oil unit with domestic coal from its wastes.Area of application

TransformersForms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services

Wasteless processing techniques

An Indian company is willing to offer consultancy for waste-less processing techniques for the chemical & packaging industries.Area of Application

Packaging industry, transformer oil manufacturing industry, chlor alkali projectsForms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services

Share Your Technology PropositionsThe mission of Chemical World is to spread the technology culture. We offer you an opportunity to participate

in this endeavour by publishing the best technology ideas. Technology developers/sellers are invited to furnish the techno-commercial details (with environmental benefits, if any) for publication in the Technology Transfer column of Chemical World.

R&D organisations, technical consultancy organisations and individuals assisting small and medium enterprises may send the relevant literature, indicating the scope & services and the areas of specification.

Contact: Chemical WorldInfomedia 18 Ltd, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. Tel: 022-3024 5000, 3003 4672, Fax: 022-3003 4499, Email: [email protected]


TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER

Calcium carbonateA Saudi Arabian company needs

the technical know-how for producing calcium carbonate from limestone.Areas of application

Industries like chemical, textile, etcForms of transfer

Others

Glyoxal An Indian company is looking to

switch the production technique for manufacturing 40 per cent glyoxal from its existing acetaldehyde based method to the MEG based glyoxal production.Area of application

Pharma & textileForms of transfer

Others

Inorganic chemicalsAn Indian company is interested

in seeking the technology & process know-how for production of potassium nitrate, chromium acetate, and magnesium hydroxide suspension. The company already produces inorganic chemicals and wants to add several other items.Areas of application

Chemical industryForms of transfer

Others

LimeAn Indian company seeks to adopt

new cost-effective technologies, which can reduce carbon emissions and earn carbon credits, for manufacturing lime.Area of applications

Quick lime and hydrated limeForms of transfer

Others

Lime plantA group of businessmen in Zambia

is interested in setting up an 800 t/d of quick lime and 200 t/d of hydrated lime plant. Areas of application

MiningForms of transfer

Others

Manufacture of sodium hydrosulfite

A company based in Pakistan is interested in establishing a joint venture for the manufacture of sodium hydrosulfite in Pakistan with either a Chinese or European manufacturer, who has the technological know-how and expertise in the field.Areas of application

Industries like textile, paper and food Forms of transfer

Others

Quaternary ammonium chloride

An Indonesia-based company, is planning to diversify into manufacturing of quaternary ammonium chloride. It is seeking technology along with the supply of critical plant and machinery for the manufacture of the chemical 3-chloro-2hydroxypropyl trimethyl ammonium chloride that is produced from epichhlorohydrin.Areas of application

Chemical industryForms of transfer

Technical knowhow, consultancy

Small-scale environment-friendly chemical technology

An Indian company is looking out for an economically viable small-scale environment-friendly chemical

technology useful in the textile sector as well as in pharmaceutical sector.Area of application

Textile and pharmaceutical industryForms of transfer

Others

Solvent dyesAn Indian company has recently

installed a manufacturing capacity of 2,400 mtpa and is looking to diversify its product range by including various solvent dyes in its product portfolio. The company is seeking process consultancy for this project.Areas of application

Plastics, petroleum, solvents, etcForms of transfer

Others

Sodium silicate and activated carbon

A company from Thailand requires technology for manufacturing sodium silicate and activated carbon from rice husk & rice husk ash.Areas of application

Manufacturing and construction industryForms of transfer

Others

Treatment of pollutants discharged during PTA production

A Chinese organisation is looking for a recycling and pollution-free treatment technology to tackle the wastewater, exhaust gas, waste slag and noises generated in PTA production, thereby shifting from reduction of pollutant discharge to zero-discharge. Areas of application

Chemical industry Forms of transfer

Consultancy, technical services, etc

Information courtesy: Information courtesy: Dr Krishnan S Raghavan, In-Charge, Technology Transfer Services Group, United Nations - Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT), APCTT Building , C-2, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi 110 016, Tel: 011 - 2696 6509,

Fax: 011 - 2685 6274, Email: [email protected], Website: www.apctt.org

For more information on technology offers and requests, please log on to www.technology4sme.net and register with your contact details. This is a free of cost platform provided by APCTT for facilitating interaction between buyers and seekers of technologies across the globe. After submitting technology offer or request to this website, you are requested to wait for at least two weeks for receiving a

response from a prospective buyer / seeker through this website, before contacting APCTT for further assistance.

Technology Requested


PRODUCT UPDATE

Vapour phase corrosion inhibitorAshok Industry offers Corobit-VP, a vapour phase corrosion inhibitor used for prevention of rust and corrosion of ferrous & non-ferrous metals. It is available in powder form. When sprinkled in enclosed systems, it emits vapours, which form invisible protective film on the surrounding metallic surfaces thus preventing corrosion. This can be applied by various means – either by sprinkling powder on various objects or on boxes, cartons, etc. It can also be diluted in alcohols and then sprayed on objects, papers or cartons. It is available in 5 kg and 10 kg standard packing.

Ashok IndustryMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-6150 4150Fax: 022-6150 4151Email: [email protected]

PVC strip doorsSpanker International offers Transflex PVC strip doors. These are equally beneficial in large openings or single doorways. These doors provide solution to a variety of environmental challenges in the workplace. They provide good thermal barrier, keeping the cool and warm air exchange to a minimum therefore drastically reducing energy costs and providing a more comfortable working environment. These doors maintain humidity, temperature and hygiene during traffic movement through the doors. Major advantages of these doors include: reduces heat or cold air loss, isolates noisy machinery, restricts movement of air pollutants, increases employee comfort, admits light, saves time & work, provides bird & flying insect control, strong & durable, minimum maintenance and easy to install.

Spanker InternationalAhmedabad - GujaratTel: 02717-251 581, Fax: 02717-251 580Email: [email protected]

Microprocessor-based motor protectorMRK Engineers offers microprocessor-based motor protector. This is suitable for all HP motors, ie, single-phase or three-phase. Using this instrument with motor can avoid burning of motor against single phasing, reverse phasing, overload, over

voltages, under voltages, etc. All parameters can be programmed at site as per the customers’ requirement. The instrument has all annunciation facility on display. The instrument has inbuilt auto switch as well as digital voltmeter and ammeter with auto scrolling facility. If any fault occurs and power fails, faulty conditions are stored in memory. After power is restored, motor does not restart unless the fault is reset. One can also set an extra wide range for set current and set voltages. It is also having highly accurate tripping curve (±0.05 second) for complete range of setting of 1 per cent for display. It can be programmed with feather-touch keyboard. Serial communication port RS 485 can be provided as per customer requirements. These are available in 92 x 92 cutout size in ABS plastic enclosure. The unit incorporates with 7 segment, RED, 4 digit having four keys for programming.

MRK EngineersChennai - Tamil NaduTel: 044-2478 0314Email: [email protected]

ElectrolysersTi Anode Fabricators offers electrolysers having production capacity of single electrolyser at a maximum of 125 kg/hr. High capacity of the chlorine production can be made with multi-fold cell assembly (more than 1,250 kg/hr) for industrial/commercial application. These electrolysers are manufactured as per CTE, PPE or PPME technologies.

Ti Anode Fabricators Pvt LtdChennai - Tamil NaduTel: 044-2278 1148, Fax: 044-2278 1362Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Centrifugal sanitary pumpsGoma Engineering offers centrifugal sanitary pumps. These pumps have special open-type impeller design in investment cast SS 316 with specially contoured blades set far into the suction cover and spirally formed housing

ensures high operational reliability. Height adjustable base frame is provided with cup-shaped feet for easy operation. Other important features include: SS 316 sheet metal construction, gentle product handling, fast clean design, high durability, tailor-made mechanical seal, SS 316 pump shaft, standard IEC class motors and connections as per SMS/IDF/DIN. Advantages of these pumps include: SS sanitary design with wide range of applications, compact in size & optimal in performance and noise & vibration-free operation. These are used for handling milk, fruit juices, ready-to-serve beverages, oils, emulsions, paints, fine chemicals, essences, flavours, etc.

Goma Engineering Pvt LtdThane - MaharashtraTel: 022-2534 0875/6436Fax: 022-2533 3632/4Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Screw pumpsHydro Prokav Pumps (India) offers KX series industrial and chemical screw pumps. These pumps are offered in capacity 200 m3/hr, pressure 48 bar, temperature 200oC and viscosity 1,00,000 CST. KDX pumps are of cast iron construction with various metallurgy of rotating parts like alloy steel, tool steel, SS 304 and SS 316, while KHX pumps are of SS 304 and SS 316 material of construction. Other various options of FRP/ebonite lined housing with rotating parts in super alloys like alloy 20, hastelloy C, hastelloy B and titanium are available for highly corrosive applications. Shaft sealing is ensured by soft gland packing/mechanical seal. Torsion-free metal bonded stator and double sealed universal joints as pin & bush joints or special designs like gear joints or cardon joints as per customer requirements for longer service life and improved efficiency results in trouble-free performance of the pumps. Applications of these pumps are in ceramic slurry & other abrasive & corrosive slurries, massecuite, effluents, mineral oils, maize starch slurry, viscose, paints, vegetable oil & sludge, etc.

Hydro Prokav Pumps (India) Pvt LtdCoimbatore - Tamil NaduTel: 0422-324 2220, Fax: 0422-267 9476Email: [email protected]

Multi-gas detectorPrism Gas Detection offers portable multi-gas detector, model G 460, which can make simultaneous independent measurements from one to six gases. It has direct reading sensors for CO2, NH3, SO2, NO2, NO, PH3, HF, O3 and PID for VOC measurements. It has a large, bright, flashing 360o LED alarms and loud 103 dB buzzer. The robust and watertight (IP 67) housing incorporates a built-in concussion-proof boot to survive the toughest environments. A single on-off button is all it takes for normal day-to-day operation. A simple three-button interface provides access to advanced setup options. Calibration adjustment is completely automatic; just attach the calibration adapter and apply gas. The instrument automatically makes adjustments and retains the three most recent calibration dates for each sensor.

Prism Gas Detection Pvt LtdMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2811 8974, Fax: 022-2876 6116Email: [email protected]

Rotary gear pumpsFlowtech Pumps & Hydraulics offers rotary gear pumps for various industrial a p p l i c a t i o n s . These pumps are designed and built to withstand

continuous operation under various conditions demanded by industry. These are widely used in transfer & unloading of furnace oil, fuel oil, diesel, LSHS and other viscous products such as molasses, soap, bitumen, etc; pressurising fuel oil for burners in boilers, furnaces, kilns, etc; circulation of lube oil, coolant liquid in machinery, machine tools, diesel engines, steam turbines, compressors, gearboxes, rolling mills, bull dosers, earth movers, etc; transfer of transformer oil in hydel and thermal power stations; and developing pressure in hydraulic power pack, hydraulic presses, earth movers, excavators, shovels, etc.

Flowtech Pumps & HydraulicsThane - MaharashtraTel: 022-2583 6217Fax: 022-2582 4761Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

PID controllersMRK Engineers offers microprocessor-based PID controllers. These instruments use two fuzzy PID control processes. Unique features of these controllers include: auto tuning, two outputs, remote set point input, transmitter output, and universal signal input. Sensor break protection is also provided. Output can be selected from relay, SSR or 4-20 mA. Non-volatile

memory in the instrument stores all the programmed parameters. The instruments have self-diagnostic features with three-point alarm. The instruments can also have retransmission output. These instruments can also provide time temperature profile control. Two patterns of eight segments each can be programmed in the instruments. These PID controllers are available in size 48 x 48 mm or 72 x 72 mm or 48 x 96 mm or 96 x 48 mm or 96 x 96 mm.

MRK EngineersChennai - Tamil NaduTel: 044-2478 0314Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Vibration analyserAccurate Balancing Equipments offers vibration analyser, model 5050. This is a general-purpose vibration analyser suitable for measuring and analysing vibration on machinery. It can work as a portable balancer also with the addition of the optional Stroboscope. One can find out the likely causes of vibration by observing the various frequencies encountered, and then proceed to balance, in-situ, if required.

Accurate Balancing EquipmentsMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2537 2504, Fax: 022-2536 5294Email: [email protected]

Globe valvesMet-flow Controls offers globe valves. These valves meet the design requirement as per BS 1873/API 6D/ASME B16.34 and testing requirements as per API 598/EN 12266-1. Face-to-face and end-to-end dimensions conform to AME B16.10. Drilling and flange dimensions conform to ASME B16.5, while butt-weld end dimensions conform to ASME B16.25. Other salient features include: back seating arrangement, die formed graphite packing, anti-friction ball thrust bearings for higher size & class, and lubricant fittings in bonnet.

Met-flow Controls Pvt LtdHubli - KarnatakaTel: 0836-233 2599, Fax: 0836-425 8131Email: [email protected]

Overload relaysRockwell Automation India offers Allen-Bradley ‘Bulletin 193-EC5 E3 Plus’ solid-state overload relay featuring voltage protection and energy monitoring. This device combines current and voltage protection with enhanced power monitoring & diagnostic capabilities, helping users

improve energy efficiency and safeguard critical electric motor loads. The new overload relay is specially designed for low-voltage applications in material handling, water/wastewater, process, petrochemical and minerals & mining. Users can now monitor consumption patterns and adjust their manufacturing procedures to use electricity more efficiently. The new solid-state overload relay also helps protect from under voltage, voltage unbalance, phase loss, frequency and phase rotation before the contactor coil is energised. While the motor is powering a load, the overload relay protects the motor based on excessive real power (kW), reactive power (kVAR), apparent power (kVA) and power factor.

Rockwell Automation India LtdNoida - Uttar PradeshTel: 0120-289 5245 Fax: 0120-421 7929 Email: [email protected]

Reflective photoelectric sensorLubi Electronics offers ‘Sunx EQ-34W’ dual-output adjustable range of reflective photoelectric sensor. It is a special sensor for detecting two different levels or surface for up to 2 m sensing range. The sensor contains two individual outputs for two sensing distances - far (main) and near (sub). The detectability of the sensor is stable even if the lens is contaminated by dirt, dust, mist or smoke under an unclear environment. Housed in IP67 protection, it can be used in places splashed with water.

Lubi ElectronicsAhmedabad - GujaratTel: 079-2220 5471-76, Fax: 079-2220 0660Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Vacuum pumpsToshniwal Systems & Instruments offers ‘TMS’ series vacuum pumps. These are single-stage oil-lubricated rotary vane vacuum pumps with oil re-circulation system. These

pumps come in capacities 15 m3/hr, 35 m3/hr, 65 m3/hr and 100 m3/hr. Features of these pumps include: high pumping speed over the range of absolute pressure of 1,000 mbar to 0.5 mbar, high water vapour tolerance & low noise level, air-cooled, no pollution, and built-in anti-suck-back system. Designed for continuous operation at high-intake pressure, the pump is used in various applications like pick & place, packaging, degassing, low boil distillation, solvent recovery, heat treatment, bottle filling, vacuum drying, etc. The company also offers special B series oil lubricated pump for high-pressure (rough vacuum) application on request.

Toshniwal Systems & Instruments (P) LtdChennai - Tamil Nadu Tel: 044-2644 5626/8983Fax: 044-2644 1820Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Membrane bioreactor Eimco Water Technologies (EWT) offers membrane bioreactor (MBR), an advanced wastewater treatment technology. The company has developed the ultimate nutrient removal (UNRTM) MBR system incorporating the flat-sheet membranes from Kubota Corporation, Japan. EWT-Kubota MBR technology helps in removing organic and inorganic contaminants from industrial wastewater as well as domestic sewage. Advantages of this bioreactor include: good control of biological activity, small footprint, ease of operation, ability to provide high-quality effluent with significant nutrient and pathogen removal. EWT-Kubota system can achieve stringent effluent quality, even suitable for RO feed. Kubota membranes operate under low pressure and can permeate under gravity. Apart from MBR, the company also offers hybrid BNR (sequential batch reactor technology), FlooBed (moving bed bioreactor technology) and fine screens (up to 1 mm opening).

Eimco Water TechnologiesSurat - GujaratTel: 0261-246 5972-73Fax: 0261-246 2997Email: [email protected]

Salt spray corrosion testing systemMicro Supreme Auto Industries offers salt spray corrosion testing system. This is a proven system to make comparative or absolute study of corrosion resistance for different materials and surface coatings

viz, plating, painting, etc. Various components and assemblies of automotive, electrical, electronic, engineering and durable consumable products (like TV, freeze, washing machines, computers, etc) are subject to salt spray corrosion test to evaluate the effect of corrosive atmosphere on their aesthetic and performance parameters. Based on these corrosion effects, one can take corrosion inhibiting measures. Various corrosion tests mentioned in national & international standards viz, IS: 9000 pt Xi, ASTM B 117, etc can be carried out in this system. Standard models like 125 LG, 200 LS/LSX, 400 LS/LSX, and 800 LS/LSX are available. Salient features include: robust double-walled test chamber made in corrosion resistant special FRP, good aesthetics with customised dual-colour system, double-walled chamber for better thermal insulation, main solution tank (an integral part of the system), special angular stand for test panels, and hydrostatic sealing between hood & fog chamber.

Micro Supreme Auto Industries (I) Pvt Ltd Pune - MaharashtraTel: 020-2693 2669, Fax: 020-2693 2590Email: [email protected]

Temperature & relative humidity sensorBanner Engineering offers the ‘SureCross’ temperature and humidity sensor. This is factory-calibrated to determine relative humidity to ±2 or ±3.5 per cent(depending on model), and delivers temperature accuracy upto ±0.3°C for simple critical data monitoring. Manufactured with a rugged metal housing and IP67 electronics, it provides maintenance-free operation in a wide variety of environmental monitoring applications. The company has designed a proprietary serial sensor interface that enables the sensor and the wireless node to operate on a ‘FlexPower™‘ battery supply for up to 20 years. Fixed and remote-mount node & sensor models enable a wide range of installation scenarios, including in-duct and freestanding applications.

Banner Engineering India Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-6640 5624 Fax: 020-6640 5623Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

Photoelectric sensorLubi Electronics offers ‘SUNX RT-610’ series U-shaped photoelectric sensor (gap sensor). In this sensor, the beam axis alignment is not required, as the emitter and receiver are integrated in a single body. ‘RT-610’ series sensor has a sensing

range of 10 mm, 20 mm and 50 mm. The models with a sensing range of 10 mm and 20 mm are also available as red LED type and green LED type for mark sensing. This sensor provides high reliability, as the housing material is die-cast aluminium. It can be used effectively in typical applications in chemical, packaging, pharma, machine tool and other relevant industries.

Lubi ElectronicsAhmedabad - GujaratTel: 079-2220 5471-76, Fax: 079-2220 0660Email: [email protected]

Fluoropolymer-lined valvesSupremo Line & Control offers fluoropolymer (FEP, PFA, PTFE)-lined SGI/WCB/SS valves, pipes & fittings. These products are manufactured for successful results with international

quality for chemical industry. Important features include: low co-efficient of friction, chemical inertness, non-toxic approved by international food & drugs regulatory authorities, non-inflammable, self-sealant, weather resistance and zero-water absorption.

Supremo Line & ControlAhmedabad - GujaratTel: 079-2220 5282, Fax: 079-2220 5181Email: [email protected]

PumpsBeda Flow Systems offers external & internal gear pumps and high-pressure radial piston pumps from Beinlich for customer specific applications. The viscosity range covers from 0.6 to 10,00,000 cPs and pressures between 3 and 320 bar, depending on the application. External gear pumps are

available in the range of 0.1-2,900 cc/rev, while internal gear pumps are offered in range 0.1-207 cc/rev, and radial piston pumps 0.7-42.9 cc/rev.

Beda Flow Systems Pvt LtdNoida - Uttar PradeshTel: 0120-432 9990, Fax: 0120-408 0022


PRODUCT UPDATE

Electric chain hoistHafa Hoists offers streamlined, compact electric chain hoists of capacity 125 and 250 kg. These chain hoists are offered with conical rotor motor. The conical rotor motor is one-hour rated and eliminates additionally mounted conventional EM brake. The specialised conical rotor motor makes the hoist compact, lightweight, and eliminates brake problems, thus offering a trouble-free performance. The alloy steel load chain ensures safe lifting and longer life. Specially designed safety clutch protects hoist from overloading, over hoisting and over lowering.

Hafa Hoists Pvt LtdNavi Mumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2769 4837-39, Fax: 022–2769 4572Email: [email protected]

Submersible dewatering pumpRokade Pumps offers portable submersible de-watering pumps. These lightweight, handy and compact pumps are used for applications in steel plants, power plants, irrigation projects, river water pumping, construction sites and all types of drainage applications. These are designed and manufactured strictly as per relevant standards to meet customer requirements.

Rokade Pumps Navi Mumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-2760 2001, Fax: 022-2760 2002Email: [email protected]

Valves and fittingsShavo Technologies offers valves and fittings from Ham-Let. These products meet the standards including ISO 9002, Lloyds, TNO, ASME and ASTM. These valves and fittings are available in a wide variety of materials for high-pressure, temperature and vacuum applications. These are used in industries, such as petrochemical, offshore, power & nuclear, CNG, semiconductor, biotechnology, etc.

Shavo Technologies Pvt Ltd Pune - MaharashtraTel: 020-2605 9641/42, Fax: 020-2605 9644Email: [email protected]

Descalent for heat exchangersAshok Industry offers ‘Scalgun SAF’ liquid, an inhibited acidic composition used for safe and effective descaling of heat exchangers, condensers and various other process equipment. This liquid has negligible effect on skin & clothing, and it removes water scale deposits effectively without attacking base metal and without fuming. A 5-10 per cent solution of ‘Scalgun SAF’ liquid with water is used for descaling. Time and temperature depend on the thickness of scale deposits.

Ashok IndustryMumbai - MaharashtraTel: 022-6150 4150, Fax: 022-6150 4151Email: [email protected]

Chemical transfer pumpsTaha Pumps & Valves offers CFP series pumps in SS 316 material for handling mild corrosive chemicals and various other liquids in different industries like chemical, petrochemical, steel plants, printing houses, pharmaceuticals & food processing, etc. Important features of these pumps include: high efficiency, good performance and reliability. These pumps are available from 0.25 to 10 hp in different capacities in monoblock and bare pump design. All wetted parts are made of graded SS 316 material. The sealing is by mechanical seal of different face combinations of carbon, ceramic, GFT, silicon, tungsten, etc. Pumps can be used for high-temperature applications up to 250oC. Special pumps are also available with casing steam jacketing and flameproof motors.

Taha Pumps & ValvesSurendranagar - GujaratTel: 02752-240 233, Fax: 02752-240 908Email: [email protected]


PRODUCT UPDATE

The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/

distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World

UPS systemNumeric Power Systems offers a wide range of Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) systems. These include: 0.5-2.2 kVA offline & line interactive UPS system, 0.5-60 kVA online double conversion UPS system (single and three-phase), 10-4,800 kVA online double conversion UPS systems (modular and parallel redundant configurations), 0.5-30 kVA home and industrial inverters, 1-400 kVA servo stabilisers and isolation transformers. These are the latest and state-of-the-art microprocessor-based UPS systems that enables high performance. Active input power factor correction can be up to 0.99 for 1-phase/1-phase and 0.96 for 3-phase/1-phase UPS system. Other important features include: wide input voltage range of 140-290 V, green power UPS – input current harmonics <10 per cent, SNMP ready UPS systems, overall efficiency >90 per cent, and small footprint occupying less floor space.

Numeric Power Systems LtdChennai - Tamil NaduTel: 044-2499 3266, Fax: 044-2499 5760Email: [email protected]

Flue gas analyserAfriso offers flue gas analyser, ‘Multilyzer NG’.This is an ideal solution for checking and servicing small & medium-sized heating systems according to the German BlmSchV guidelines. This can be used for CO concentration safety checks on gas-fired systems. This instrument can also be used for measurements and adjustments of solid fuel systems, for pellets in particular, as well as bivalent, modulating combined heating and power plants. The compact design allows the instrument to be equipped with any combination of up to six electrochemical cells. The large LCD display allows one to display either five or 10 measured values. The measured values can be printed either directly from the measuring programme or from the memory via an infrared printer. The instrument features a USB connection for data transmission to a PC.

Afriso India Pvt LtdPune - MaharashtraTel: 020-2551 4336, Fax: 020-2551 4336Email: [email protected]

Coolant purifying unitU-Tech Associates offers state-of-the-art portable coolant purifying system with water-soluble coolants. This system has an ozone generator, which produces high-density ozone, that disinfects, oxidises, deodourises and decolourises the coolant. Ozone dissolved in the coolant kills bacteria, yeasts, fungus and mould while also changing the state of some dissolved solids for

increasing the ability to remove the contaminants from the coolant. This gives a clean coolant, free of bad odour and also reduces skin irritation. A trouble-free air pump generates suction of even up to 30 lpm, which can purify 300 ltr coolant in around 10 minute. It also has an inbuilt oil skimmer to remove the tramp oil floating on the surface of the coolant.

U-Tech AssociatesBengaluru - KarnatakaTel: 080-2321 5081, Fax: 080-2321 5082Email: [email protected]

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� AC drives ...............................................................� Activated carbons ..................................................� Aerosol spray paints ..............................................� Aflatoxins ..............................................................� Agitator seals ........................................................� Air breathing apparatus.........................................� Air cooled heat exchanger .....................................� Air pollution control equipment.............................� Air receiver ............................................................� Air-cooled steam condensers .................................� Alu-cera polymer ...................................................� Aluma coat............................................................� Aluminium oxide ceramic composite......................� Analytical instruments............................................� Analytical solutions for RoHS .................................� Automatic filter press ............................................� Ball check valve......................................................� Ball valve ...............................................................� Ball valves - Teflon-lined.........................................� Bellows & dip pipes ...............................................� Blowers .................................................................� Bush......................................................................� Butterfly valve........................................................� Butterfly valves - Teflon-lined .................................� Centrifugal sanitary pump .....................................� Ceramic adhesive cement.......................................� Ceramic electrical heater parts ...............................� Ceramic plates .......................................................� Characterisation of consumer/industrial products.� Check valves - Teflon-lined .....................................� Chemical directory .................................................� Chemical dosing pump..........................................� Chemical transfer pumps .......................................� Chlorination plant..................................................� Chlorine cylinder....................................................� Chlorine gas cylinder .............................................� Chlorine gas mask .................................................� Chloroscope ..........................................................� Cold form C & Z purlins .........................................� Columns & chemistries ..........................................� Condensers............................................................� Cone screw mixter .................................................� Conical screw dryers ..............................................� Construction..........................................................� Coolant purifying unit............................................� Cooling towers ......................................................� Couplings ..............................................................� Dairy equipment....................................................� Dampers................................................................� Descalent for heat exchangers ...............................� Diaphragm valve....................................................� Dioxins ..................................................................� Drives ....................................................................� Ducts.....................................................................� Electric chain hoist.................................................� Electrolysers...........................................................� ELV & reach directives ............................................

� Empower...............................................................� Engineering services...............................................� Environmental safety .............................................� Exhibition - Asia coat + Ink Show 2010 ................� Exhibition - Engineering Expo ................................� Failure analysis of components ..............................� FEP/PFA/PVDF lined valve........................................� Filter plates............................................................� Filter press .............................................................� Filter press terminology..........................................� Fittings ..................................................................� Flat high tension single-twin igniting electrodes.....� Flue gas analyser ...................................................� Fluoropolymer-lined valves .....................................� Furnaces ................................................................� Gas detectors ........................................................� Gaskets..................................................................� Globe valves ..........................................................� GMP heat exchangers ............................................� GMP reactors.........................................................� Grinding media .....................................................� Headers .................................................................� Heat exchangers ....................................................� Heavy industrial steel builings ................................� Heavy metals .........................................................� High alumina wear resistant ceramic tiles ..............� Hoses ....................................................................� HPLC .....................................................................� HRC fuse bodie......................................................� Hydraulic filter press ..............................................� Hydrogenator/autoclaves .......................................� Industrial ceramic ..................................................� Industrial hygiene audit .........................................� Informatics ............................................................� Launders................................................................� Lined valves & pipe fittings ....................................� Logistics services for imports..................................� LV motors..............................................................� Manual filter press.................................................� Mechanical seals....................................................� Membrane bioreactor ............................................� Membrane filter plates...........................................� Membrane filter press............................................� Micro milling beads ...............................................� Microprocessor based motor protector .................� Mill lining blocks ...................................................� Mineral processing ................................................� Multi level car parks...............................................� Multi-gas detector .................................................� Non return valves ..................................................� Overload relays ......................................................� PAHs......................................................................� Paints and coatings................................................� Paper.....................................................................� PCBs ......................................................................� pH meter...............................................................� Photoelectric sensor...............................................

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� PID controllers .............................................� Pipes ...........................................................� Plate & filter plates ......................................� PLC..............................................................� Plug valve ....................................................� Pollution monitoring machines ....................� Polycarbonate sheets ...................................� Polypropylene filter plates ............................� Polypropylene recess plates ..........................� PP recess chamber type filter press...............� PP recess chamber type fully automatic filter press ...........................................................� Pre engineered steel builings........................� Pre fab shelters ............................................� Process heat exchangers ..............................� Process reactors ...........................................� Procurement................................................� PTFE ............................................................� PTFE-lined valves & pipe fittings ...................� Pump seals ..................................................� Pumps .........................................................� PVC strip door .............................................� Reactors ......................................................� Recessed chamber filter plates .....................

� Re-crystallised alumina tubes .......................� Reflective photoelectric sensor .....................� Residential steel houses ...............................� Residual antibiotics ......................................� Residual pesticides .......................................� Rod .............................................................� Roof vent.....................................................� Roofing & cladding sheets ...........................� Root blower systems....................................� Rotary gear pumps ......................................� Rotary vacuum dryers ..................................� Rotocone dryers...........................................� Salt spray corrosion testing system...............� Sampling valves - Teflon-lined ......................� Screw pumps...............................................� Self adhesive tapes ......................................� Sheet...........................................................� Silicone carbide heat exchangers..................� Spherical paddle chopper dryers ..................� Spray dryer project ......................................� Stacks..........................................................� Strainers - Teflon-lined .................................� Structural floor decking sheets.....................� Submersible dewatering pump ....................

� Technical ceramic.........................................� Teflon-lined valves & pipe fittings.................� Temperature & relative humidity sensor........� Tonner emergency repair kit.........................� Transport services for import........................� Tubes...........................................................� Turbidity meter ............................................� Turnkey projects...........................................� UPLC ...........................................................� UPS system..................................................� USS univent.................................................� Vacuum pumps ...........................................� Vacuum system ...........................................� Valve ...........................................................� Valves and fittings .......................................� Vapour phase corrosion inhibitor .................� Ventilators ...................................................� Vibration analyser ........................................� Waste oils as per Schedule V & VI of CPCB...� Water faucet & tap parts .............................� Water treatment..........................................� Wear metal trend analysis............................� Zirconia polycrystal ceramic .........................

��

�

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� ABB Limited...........................................................

� Aqua Services ........................................................

� Bonfiglioli Transmissions (Pvt) Ltd...........................

� Chemical Process Piping Pvt Ltd .............................

� DHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd.....................................

� Dipesh Engineering Works .....................................

� Dixon Asia Pacific Pvt Ltd .......................................

� Engineering Expo...................................................

� Everest Transmission ..............................................

� Heattrans Equipments Pvt Ltd ................................

� Hi Tech Applicator .................................................

� Hi-Fab Engineers Pvt Ltd ........................................

� HRS Process Systems Pvt Ltd ..................................

� Industrial Carbon Pvt Ltd .......................................

� Jyoti Ceramic Industries Pvt Ltd ..............................

� Kimberlite Chemicals India Pvt Ltd .........................

� Koelnmesse Ya Trade Fair Pvt Ltd............................

� Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd .................................

� Raj Process Eqpts & Systems(P) Ltd.........................

� Sachin Filtech Pvt Ltd.............................................

� Shiva Analyticals (India) Ltd....................................

� Small Industries Research Institute .........................

� Sreelakshmi Traders ...............................................

� Supremo Line & Control ........................................

� Tecnimont Icb Pvt Ltd ............................................

� United Phosphorus Ltd ..........................................

� United Steel & Structurals Pvt Ltd ..........................

� Waters (India) Pvt Ltd ............................................

Send your inquiries at:Tel: +91-22-3003 4640 Fax: +91-22-3003 4499


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Special Projects


PRODUCT INDEX

Product Pg No Product Pg No Product Pg No

AC drives .................................................. 24aActivated carbons ............................................ 69Aerosol spray paints ........................................ 69Aflatoxins......................................................... 65Agitator seals................................................... 21Air breathing apparatus................................... 67Air cooled heat exchanger ............................... 19Air pollution control equipment....................... 29Air receiver ...................................................... 29Air-cooled steam condensers ........................... 19Alu-cera polymer ............................................ BICAluma coat..................................................... BICAluminium oxide ceramic composite............... BICAnalytical instruments........................................ 4Analytical solutions for RoHS ........................... 65Automatic filter press......................................... 9Ball check valve............................................7Ball valve ........................................................... 7Ball valves - Teflon-lined .................................... 5Bellows & dip pipes ........................................... 5Blowers............................................................ 17Bush .................................................................. 7Butterfly valve .................................................... 7Butterfly valves - Teflon-lined ............................. 5Centrifugal sanitary pump ........................65Ceramic adhesive cement................................ BICCeramic electrical heater parts ........................ BICCeramic plates ................................................... 9Characterisation of consumer/industrial products........................................................ 65Check valves - Teflon-lined................................. 5Chemical directory ........................................... 71Chemical dosing pump.................................... 67Chemical transfer pumps ................................. 72Chlorination plant............................................ 67Chlorine cylinder .............................................. 67Chlorine gas cylinder........................................ 67Chlorine gas mask ........................................... 67Chloroscope..................................................... 67Cold form C & Z purlins................................... 15Columns & chemistries....................................... 4Condensers ...................................................... 29Cone screw mixter ........................................... 29Conical screw dryers .......................................... 1Construction ............................................24b, 35Coolant purifying unit...................................... 74Cooling towers ................................................ 19Couplings ....................................................... FICDairy equipment ........................................29Dampers .......................................................... 29Descalent for heat exchangers ......................... 72Diaphragm valve ................................................ 7Dioxins............................................................. 65Drives ................................................................ 3Ducts ............................................................... 53Electric chain hoist.....................................72Electrolysers ..................................................... 64ELV & reach directives...................................... 65Empower ........................................................... 4Engineering services....................................... 24bEnvironmental safety........................................ 65Exhibition - Asia coat + Ink Show 2010............ 2

Exhibition - Engineering Expo ............................ 8Failure analysis of components.................65FEP/PFA/PVDF lined valve.................................... 7Filter plates ........................................................ 9Filter press ...................................................9, 67Filter press terminology...................................... 9Fittings ........................................................7, 53Flat high tension single-twin igniting electrodes ......BICFlue gas analyser ............................................. 74Fluoropolymer-lined valves ............................... 71Furnaces .......................................................... 65Gas detectors .............................................73Gaskets .............................................................. 7Globe valves .................................................... 68GMP heat exchangers ........................................ 1GMP reactors..................................................... 1Grinding media............................................... BICHeaders ......................................................53Heat exchangers ........................................13, 29Heavy industrial steel builings .......................... 15Heavy metals ................................................... 65High alumina wear resistant ceramic tiles ....... BICHoses.............................................................. FICHPLC.................................................................. 4HRC fuse bodie............................................... BICHydraulic filter press .......................................... 9Hydrogenator/autoclaves.................................... 1Industrial ceramic .....................................BICIndustrial hygiene audit ................................... 65Informatics ........................................................ 4Launders.....................................................53Lined valves & pipe fittings ................................ 5Logistics services for imports............................ BCLV motors...................................................... 24aManual filter press.......................................9Mechanical seals .............................................. 21Membrane bioreactor ...................................... 70Membrane filter plates....................................... 9Membrane filter press........................................ 9Micro milling beads ........................................ BICMicroprocessor based motor protector ........... 64Mill lining blocks............................................. BICMineral processing........................................... 35Multi level car parks......................................... 15Multi-gas detector ........................................... 66Non return valves ........................................5Overload relays ..........................................68PAHs ...........................................................65Paints and coatings.......................................... 35Paper ............................................................... 35PCBs ................................................................ 65pH meter ......................................................... 67Photoelectric sensor ......................................... 71PID controllers ................................................. 67Pipes............................................................7, 53Plate & filter plates ............................................ 9PLC ................................................................ 24aPlug valve .......................................................... 7Pollution monitoring machines ........................ 73Polycarbonate sheets ....................................... 15Polypropylene filter plates ................................ 67Polypropylene recess plates .............................. 67

PP recess chamber type filter press .................. 67PP recess chamber type fully automatic filter press..................................... 67Pre engineered steel builings ........................... 15Pre fab shelters ................................................ 15Process heat exchangers .................................... 1Process reactors ................................................. 1Procurement .................................................. 24bPTFE................................................................... 7PTFE-lined valves & pipe fittings......................... 5Pump seals ...................................................... 21Pumps ............................................................. 71PVC strip door ................................................. 64Reactors......................................................29Recessed chamber filter plates ........................... 9Re-crystallised alumina tubes .......................... BICReflective photoelectric sensor ......................... 68Residential steel houses ................................... 15Residual antibiotics .......................................... 65Residual pesticides ........................................... 65Rod.................................................................... 7Roof vent......................................................... 15Roofing & cladding sheets ............................... 15Root blower systems........................................ 17Rotary gear pumps .......................................... 66Rotary vacuum dryers ........................................ 1Rotocone dryers................................................. 1Salt spray corrosion testing system..........70Sampling valves - Teflon-lined............................ 5Screw pumps................................................... 66Self adhesive tapes .......................................... 69Sheet ................................................................. 7Silicone carbide heat exchangers........................ 1Spherical paddle chopper dryers ........................ 1Spray dryer project........................................... 29Stacks .............................................................. 53Strainers - Teflon-lined....................................... 5Structural floor decking sheets......................... 15Submersible dewatering pump ........................ 72Technical ceramic......................................BICTeflon-lined valves & pipe fittings ...................... 5Temperature & relative humidity sensor ........... 70Tonner emergency repair kit ............................ 67Transport services for import ........................... BCTubes................................................................. 7Turbidity meter ................................................ 67Turnkey projects ................................................ 1UPLC .............................................................4UPS system ...................................................... 74USS univent ..................................................... 15Vacuum pumps ..........................................69Vacuum system ............................................... 17Valve ................................................................. 7Valves and fittings ........................................... 72Vapour phase corrosion inhibitor..................... 64Ventilators ....................................................... 69Vibration analyser ............................................ 68Waste oils as per Schedule V & VI of CPCB .................................................65Water faucet & tap parts ................................ BICWater treatment .............................................. 35Wear metal trend analysis................................ 65Zirconia polycrystal ceramic .....................BIC

BC - Back Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, FIC - Front Inside Cover

Advertisers’ Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertisers’ Name & Contact Details Pg No Advertisers’ Name & Contact Details Pg No


ADVERTISERS’ LIST

ABB Limited 24a

T: +91-80-22949560

E: [email protected]

W: www.abb.co.in

Aqua Services 67

T: +91-265-2331748


W: www.aquaservicesindia.com

Bonfiglioli Transmissions (Pvt) Ltd 3

T: +91-44-24781035


W: www.bonfiglioliindia.com

Chemical Process Piping Pvt Ltd 53

T: +91-22-67230600


www.cppiping.com

DHL Express (India) Pvt Ltd BC

T: +91-22-66789186


W: www.dhl.com

Dipesh Engineering Works 1

T: +91-22-26743719


Dixon Asia Pacific Pvt Ltd FIC

T: +91-22-40931555


W: www.dixonvalve.com

Engineering Expo 8

T: +91-9819430607


W: www.eng-expo.com

Everest Transmission 17

T: +91-11-45457777


W: www.everestblowers.com

Heattrans Equipments Pvt Ltd 67

T: +91-79-25840105


W: www.heattrans.com

Hi Tech Applicator 5

T: +91-79-25833040


W: www.ptfeindia.com

Hi-Fab Engineers Pvt Ltd 21

T: +91-22-40766555


W: www.hi-fab.com

HRS Process Systems Pvt Ltd 13

T: +91-20-25663581


W: www.hrsasia.co.in

Industrial Carbon Pvt Ltd 69

T: +91-2646-251512


W: www.indiamart.com/industrialcarbons

Jyoti Ceramic Industries Pvt Ltd BIC

T: +91-253-2350120/338


W: www.jyoticeramic.com

Kimberlite Chemicals India Pvt Ltd 35

T: +91-80-22187300


W: www.kimberlitechemicals.com

Koelnmesse Ya Trade Fair Pvt Ltd 2

T: +91-22-42107807


W: www.aisacoatandink.com

Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd 19

T: +91-33-24792050


W: www.paharpur.com

Raj Process Eqpts & Systems(P) Ltd 29

T: +91-20-40710010


W: www.rajprocessequipment.com

Sachin Filtech Pvt Ltd 9

T: +91-79-25832204


W: www.sachininternational.com

Shiva Analyticals (India) Ltd 65

T: +91-80-27971322


W: www.shivatec-india.com

Small Industries Research Institute 71

T: +91-11-23840805


Sreelakshmi Traders 69

T: +91-44-24343343


W: www.sreelakshmitraders.com

Supremo Line & Control 7

T: +91-79-22205282


W: www.supremoproduct.com

Tecnimont Icb Pvt Ltd 24b

T: +91-22-66945555


W: www.ticb.com

United Phosphorus Ltd 73

T: +91-22-24930681


W: www.uniphos-she.com

United Steel & Structurals Pvt Ltd 15

T: +91-44-42321801


W: www.unitedstructurals.com

Waters (India) Pvt Ltd 4

T: +91-80-28371900


W: www.waters.com

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