Houston, Texas, and Shanghai, China - Kraton Performance Polymers has initiated a project assessment, which includes site-selection activities, to identify options for building a new, hydrogenated styrenic block copolymer (HSBC) plant in Asia. Strong growth in Kraton’s differentiated grades of HSBCs has created the need for additional manufacturing capacity in the region. The site-selection team is expected to make a recommendation by December 2010, followed by a detailed cost-assessment by early 2011. Kraton anticipates seeking final board of directors’ approval soon thereafter, whereupon construction of the plant would likely commence in the first half of 2012, with start-up occurring as early as the second half of 2013. The proposed 30 Kta HSBC manufacturing facility would employ Kraton’s latest state-of-the-art technology for producing HSBCs, and should set a new global standard for manufacturing costs and product quality.
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CGS acquires French firm
Friday, September 3, 2010
Prague/Dijon/Saint-Paul-lès-Romans - Czech off-road tire producer CGS Tyres has agreed to acquire the sales unit of the Saint-Paul-lès-Romans-based L’Européenne de pneumatiques (EDP), a French veteran of agricultural and industrial tire sales of 25 years. The sale of Mitas-branded tyres by CGS Pneu France directly on the French market, including a transfer of the major customers of EDP of both original equipment and replacement markets, will begin immediately. “We are improving customer relations in France,” said Andrew Mabin, the Marketing and Sales Director of Mitas, the CGS Tyre flagship company. “Now, our French subsidiary has direct control over the Mitas tire sales channel and is better equipped to cope with customer demands.” EDP has sold tires produced by Mitas since 1972. Formerly, EDP imported Mitas agricultural and industrial tires while CGS Pneus France imported the CGS Tyres’ Cultor brand and the Continental brand produced under licence.
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Kuraray names new TPE
Friday, September 3, 2010
Tokyo, Japan - Kuraray announced that it recently decided on the brand name Kurarity for its new acrylic thermoplastic elastomer, the full-scale business development the company made public in March. The company plans to showcase Kurarity at successive exhibitions in Japan and overseas and will accelerate its global application development.
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Ferro purchases notes
Friday, September 3, 2010
Cleveland, OH - Ferro announced the final results of its tender offer for all of its outstanding 6.50 percent convertible senior notes due 2013, which expired at midnight, New York City time, on August 30, 2010. Ferro has purchased all of the $100,504,000 in aggregate principal amount of convertible notes, or approximately 58 percent of the outstanding convertible notes, that were validly tendered and not validly withdrawn at or prior to the expiration time.
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Omnova grant aids STEM program
Friday, September 3, 2010
Fairlawn, OH - Through a $500,000 grant, the Omnova Solutions Foundation is a major supporter of the Akron Public School’s National Inventors Hall of Fame School Center for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Learning (STEM). The grant, which is being paid in five equal installments over as many years, is the second-largest in the Omnova Solutions Foundation’s history. Omnova was one of the first organizations to pledge its support for the STEM school project when the project was announced in 2008.
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