NEWS
Combining strengths
BASF and Markor to establish joint ventures
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ASF and Xinjiang Markor Chemical Industry Co. Ltd. (Markor) plan to establish two joint ventures for the production of butanediol (BDO) and polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF®) in Korla, Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, north-west China. The joint venture companies intend to build a plant for the production of BDO and one for PolyTHF which are planned to go on stream
in 2015. The annual capacities of the plants located in Korla will be 100,000 tonnes of BDO and 50,000 tonnes of PolyTHF. “Based on our globally leading PolyTHF technology and the strong local presence of Markor in China, we are aiming to expand our local production capacity in order to support our customers in the Chinese market with high quality products,” said Dr Guido Voit, senior vice-president, responsible for the region Asia Pacific within BASF’s Intermediates division. PolyTHF is primarily used to make elastic spandex fibres for a large variety of textiles, including underwear, outerwear, sportswear and swimsuits. It also serves as a chemical building block for thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPU) used to make hoses, films and cable sheathing Visit: www.basf.com
Borealis acquires DEXPlastomers B
orealis, a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilisers, has acquired DEXPlastomers VOF in Geleen, The Netherlands, from DSM Nederland BV and ExxonMobil Benelux Holdings BV. The site is located in the Chemelot industrial park, 50km away from the nearest Borealis site in Beringen, Belgium. Approximately 100 employees
BOLZONI AURAMO and MEYER join forces in Italy
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OLZONI AURAMO and MEYER have joined forces in Italy. The product ranges of both brands will now be distributed in the Northern Italian regions through BOLZONI SpA, from the head office of the group located in Piacenza, and in regions of central and southern
18 Industry Europe
will be transferred to Borealis Plastomers 1 BV (formerly DSM Plastomers BV) and other Borealis group companies outside The Netherlands. The products manufactured in Geleen are speciality products, complementary to Borealis’ current innovative plastic solutions. The acquisition underpins Borealis’ commitment to its Value Creation through Innovation strategy as Borealis believes there is significant potential for the complementary technology. “We are happy to welcome our new colleagues in Geleen to the Borealis Group and look forward to a successful integration,” says Mark Garrett, Borealis chief executive. “Both companies develop innovative solutions with added value for our customers; our products are complementary and will broaden our current product portfolio.” Visit: www.borealisgroup.com Italy through BOLZONI ITALIA Srl located in Prato. BOLZONI SpA will cover the following regions: Piemonte, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardia, Trentino-Alto Adige, Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Liguria, Emilia-Romagna, Umbria and Marche. BOLZONI ITALIA Srl will cover Toscana, Abruzzo, Molise, Lazio, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicilia and Sardegna.
Atlas Copco to purchase Rapid-Torc A
tlas Copco has agreed to acquire the business of US-based Rapid-Torc, which develops and markets hydraulic torque wrenches. The acquisition broadens Atlas Copco’s product range and will extend its expertise to new customers. Rapid-Torc, with offices in Houston, Texas, and Brussels, Belgium, has about 30 employees and had revenues in 2012 of MUSD 11 (MSEK 75.) The company is specialised in hydraulic torque wrenches and also supplies bolt tensioners and related accessories for high-torque applications. “This acquisition broadens our offering for existing customers and provides us with the opportunity to serve new customers in the oil and gas, and power generation segments,” said Mats Rahmström, business area president for Atlas Copco Industrial Technique. Visit: www.atlascopco.com
Matts Rahmström
The greater variety of products available will allow the companies to better respond to market demands and provide additional support to the forklift truck industry. The two companies will offer customers a wide range of Bolzoni Auramo and Meyer high quality attachments, providing the best product lines for today’s market requirements. Visit: www.bolzoni-auramo.com
