https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Follow @EngNewsZA

Advertise on this page? Click Here to Learn More

Chemicals

Global economics, politics cause uncertainty in chemicals manufacture

10th March 2017 Volatile global political and economic conditions are making it difficult for South African companies to predict what 2017 holds as far as profitability is concerned, says leading admixture supplier, Chryso Southern Africa CEO and Chryso Group international VP Norman Seymore. The Chryso Southern... →

Glycol ether market worth $10-billion by 2024

10th March 2017 A market research report titled ‘Glycol Ether Market: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast, 2016–2024’ compiled by American market research company Persistence Market Research (PMR) concluded that the glycol ether market, currently worth about $6-billion, is expected to exceed a value of about... →

Photo by Duane Daws
CLEANING UP THE MARKET The glycol ether cleaners segment will increase in value to more than $1.8-billion by 2024

Pumps range optimal for conveying acidic substances

By: Nadine James 10th March 2017 Pumps supplier Verder South Africa notes that its range of centrifugal mag drive pumps, VERDERMAG, operates “exceptionally well” when conveying abrasive and corrosive substances, making it ideal for the chemicals and petrochemicals industries. “One of the many applications Verder specialises in... →

VERDERMAG The cast iron pump casing is bonded with ethylene tetrafluoroethylene lining that has a minimum thickness of 3 mm

Water scarcity increases need for water treatment chemicals

10th March 2017 South Africa's growing water scarcity and infrastructure inadequacy are projected to lead to to an escalation in the need for effective water treatment chemicals, notes market research company Frost & Sullivan. The company notes that a rise in environmental awareness has accelerated the move away... →

Photo by Duane Daws
MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP Industrial water and wastewater treatment chemicals market s expected to reach $199-million by 2020

Software provider renews refinery service agreement

By: Nadine James 10th March 2017 Process and operations control management specialist BluESP has renewed its yearly service agreement with a local refinery following the client’s decision to maintain its relationship with the company to ensure that the benefits achieved using BluESP’s advance process control (APC) technology... →

Photo by Duane Daws
OPERATIONS REFINED The technology has improved the refinery's processes, increasing throughput and reducing the overall carbon footprint

Rope access company continues maintenance for petrochemicals giant

By: Nadine James 10th March 2017 Rope access solutions provider Skyriders Access Specialists is continuing maintenance work at a petrochemicals company, in Mpumalanga, as part of a five-year service contract that extends to 2019. Skyriders marketing manager Mike Zinn says the company is providing maintenance solutions for the... →

HIGH STAKES Finding appropriately skilled personnel able to conduct maintenance procedure for Skyriders clients is a challenge

Supplier delivers products for chemical conveyance system

By: Nadine James 10th March 2017 Thermoplastic products supplier Astore Keymak – formerly Astore Africa – supplied and delivered several polymer plastic products to assist with the installation of a conveyance system at Omnia Group’s chemical subsidiary Protea Chemicals’ plant, in Wadeville. The project, a result of a... →

PROTEA CHEMICALS The installation project is the result of a long-standing working relationship between Astore Keymak and Protea Chemicals

Aspen posts good interim results, despite headwinds

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 9th March 2017 Pharmaceutical company Aspen expects to report an overall stronger underlying performance in the second half of the current financial year, after a tough six months to December 31. During the six months under review, normalised headline earnings a share increased by 6% to 692c. →

Accéntuate sees profits drop as elections freeze govt work

By: Irma Venter 27th February 2017 The six months to end December 31 was one of the most difficult periods for Accéntuate in its just more than ten years as a JSE-listed company, says CEO Fred Platt. Speaking at a results briefing in Johannesburg on Monday, he said the flooring and chemicals company experienced particularly poor... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Accéntuate CEO Fred Platt

Stronger rand flagged by Sasol as a key earnings risk for second half

By: Terence Creamer 27th February 2017 Fuels and chemicals group Sasol has cautioned that ongoing rand/dollar volatility could pose an earnings risk for the second half its 2017 financial year, but reports that hedges are already in place to protect it from any downward oil price pressures. The JSE-listed group reported a 38% fall in... →

Photo by Duane Daws
Sasol joint presidents and CEOs Bongani Nqwababa and Stephen Cornell

Diverse technologies combine to offer ‘smart’ ways of improving farm yields

By: Dylan Slater 24th February 2017 Consulting firm Frost & Sullivan’s science team finds that factors such as information and communications technology (ICT), chemicals, hydroponics and aquaculture inputs are augmenting profits for farmers. →

Noncommunicable diseases present African pharmaceutical industry with a $40bn opportunity

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 20th February 2017 The growing incidence of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) across sub-Saharan Africa, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and respiratory disease, in addition to infectious and parasitic illness, will present the pharmaceutical industry in Africa with a business opportunity of... →

Rolfes posts strong interim results

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 20th February 2017 Chemicals group Rolfes on Monday reported a R37-million increase in operating profit to R97-million for the six months to December 31, while its earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation also increased by 58% to R103-million. The strong performance came on the back of its... →

Pockets of resilience, but SA’s manufacturing outlook remains fragile

By: David Oliveira 17th February 2017 South Africa’s manufacturing sector is expected to grow by 0.5% this year and by 1.2% in 2018, according to data from economic analysis and forecast provider FocusEconomics. Financial institution Barclays’ latest purchasing managers’ index (PMI) released earlier this month indicates that the... →

Outstanding achievements earn company chemicals industry award

10th February 2017 Imperial Logistics group company Freightmax has been awarded the Responsible Care Haulier Award by the Chemicals and Allied Industries’ Association (CAIA). This annual award recognises companies in the South African chemicals industry for outstanding achievements in health and safety, resource... →

PRESTIGIOUS AWARD Freightmax operations director Shaun Barker (left) and national SHERQ manager Alvin Pillay (right) with the Responsible Care Haulier Award

Circumventing the challenges of impaired drug tests

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 10th February 2017 There is a need for testing methods that do not cross-react, especially when employees are HIV positive, says drug and alcohol testing equipment and accessories company Alco-Safe. “. . . people who are HIV positive are not obligated to disclose their HIV status, and rightly so. However, it does... →

INACCURATE TEST RESULTS Antiretroviral medication can affect the outcome of drug tests

Automotive industry to achieve international standards with new gas

10th February 2017 Honouring its commitment to the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, specialty chemicals and gas company A-Gas South Africa will be phasing out commonly used high global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants in its product range. →

Company celebrates success in gas markets

3rd February 2017 Engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) services company Fluor Igoda Projects is celebrating ten successful years of undertaking capital projects in the oil, gas and chemicals markets in South Africa. →

RISHAD KHAN Fluor Igoda Projects has long-standing relationships with many refineries and has also developed a solid platform to support the bulk fuels storage and logistics network

Resources demand exceeds global expectations

3rd February 2017 African growth is currently exceeding global expectations, and with this comes an increase in demand for products, fuels and resources, says Southern Africa Compressed Gases Association (SACGA). →

Smarter portfolio choices and lower costs could drive higher returns in 2017

3rd February 2017 The resource exploration industry has a good chance of achieving double-digit returns in 2017, as smarter portfolio choices and lower costs are already paying off, says analytics business Wood Mackenzie exploration VP Dr Andrew Latham. →

Photo by Bloomberg
EMERGING EXPLORATION THEMES Some of the emerging exploration themes in 2017 include exploration for pipe gas opportunities near undersupplied markets

UK outlines 'modern industrial strategy' vision

By: Keith Campbell 3rd February 2017 On January 23, British Prime Minister Theresa May formally unveiled what is officially described as “proposals for a modern Industrial Strategy”. That same day her administration published a 132-page Green Paper entitled “Building Our Industrial Strategy”. (Green Papers are effectively the same... →

Concern regarding standard disposable cylinders

By: Simone Liedtke 3rd February 2017 Speciality chemicals and gas supplier A-Gas highlights its concern regarding disposable cylinders being used as packaging to import hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and in some cases, flammable hydrocarbons (HCs), into South Africa. →

CYLINDER LEGALITIES Chris Phillips explains that there are currently no legalities around the banning of disposable cylinders, however A-Gas continues to lobby the DEA on this topic

Indaba to build on momentum in the African mining sector

3rd February 2017 Following the increasingly brighter global outlook for the mining industry and optimism from the investment community, the Investing in African Mining Indaba (IAMI) 2017 will lead with the theme: ‘Leveraging the next wave of growth: How can you invest in African mining to make long term... →

Innovative powder based solution limits water evaporation

By: David Oliveira 27th January 2017 The opening of water conservation solutions provider WaterSavr South Africa (SA) in November last year has seen the introduction of an important technology to the local fight to conserve water, which could prove to be a boon for government and farmers. WaterSavr, a proprietary technology... →

Innovation, outward-looking approach will bolster industry growth

By: Nadine James 20th January 2017 The plastics converter industry needs to alter its mindset and look for innovative solutions while becoming more outward-looking to experience real economic growth, says industry body Plastics SA. Plastics SA chairperson Bernhard Mahl describes real growth as “thousands of tons of plastics,... →

OFF LINE Over the past five to ten years, the local plastics industry has stagnated, hovering between producing 1.3-million tons and 1.4-million tons of virgin material a year

Adcock Ingram sells stake in Ayrton

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 8th December 2016 The Ghana Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has approved the sale of South African pharmaceuticals manufacturer Adcock Ingram’s 53% interest in Ghana-based pharmaceuticals company Ayrton Drug Manufacturing. Adcock Ingram noted in June that it would sell this stake to Dannex, another... →

WHO approves INSTI HIV self-test for African market

By: Sane Dhlamini 2nd December 2016 The INSTI HIV self-test (INSTI) manufactured by Canadian company bioLytical Laboratories will soon be available for the African market after getting the nod from the World Health Organisation (WHO). This comes after the WHO released new guidelines on HIV self-testing to improve access to and... →

Considerable growth opportunities for sustainable environmental management

By: Simone Liedtke 2nd December 2016 With the drive to a greener economy and sustainable management of the environment, specialist cleaning service provider Spill Tech is well positioned for considerable growth in the Western Cape owing to its rapid spill response service concentrating on hazardous waste, says Spill Tech chairperson... →

WASTE MANAGEMENT Opportunities introduce new waste technologies, as the future of the spillage response will move toward more environment-friendly methods

BASF appoints new South Africa MD, country cluster head

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 1st December 2016 International chemicals company BASF has appointed Benoit Fricard South Africa MD and Southern Africa country cluster head. He joined the organisation in 2002 and most recently held the position of BASF South America performance materials director. →

Omnia H1 profit down 11% y/y amid drought, plant breakdown

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 29th November 2016 South African chemicals producer Omnia on Tuesday reported that negative impacts on its agriculture division, including the drought and a breakdown at its Nitric Acid 2 complex, have seen its gross profit decrease by 11% year-on-year to R1.5-billion for the six months to September 30. The... →

Company promotes ecofriendly production processes

By: Sascha Solomons 25th November 2016 As a means of protecting the environment, nonwoven geotextile manufacturer Fibertex uses chemical-binder-free products and production processes to manufacture Fibertex geotextiles, which are made of virgin polypropylene (PP) material. Fibertex South Africa CEO Clive Hitchcock comments that virgin... →

CLIVE HITCHCOCK Nonwoven geotextiles play an important role in diverse sectors

Exclusive rights for wastewater treatment acquired

By: Sascha Solomons 25th November 2016 Angolan oil and gas services company Friburge has acquired the exclusive rights to provide waste treatment solutions using wastewater treatment company Nature Oil and Gas’s technology in sub-Saharan Africa. The waste treatment solutions are on-board solutions to treat wastewater, or slops,... →

WASTE MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS Friburge provides waste treatment solutions that are on board and can be flushed regularly with water or chemical to clean them of debris and built-up residue

Sasol unveils R1.1bn polypropylene expansion project

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 21st November 2016 Petrochemicals group Sasol on Monday inaugurated its C3 expansion project, which enables it to expand Secunda Chemicals Operations polypropylene production by 103 000 t/y to just over 625 000 t/y. The R1.1-billion, Secunda-based project was lauded as a major capital investment in tough economic... →

Sasol CEO Stephen Cornell speaks on the launch of the new C3 expansion project. Cameraperson: Nicholas Boyd Editing: Vincent Pestana

Company experiences growth despite difficult environment

4th November 2016 Valve distributor TTV Fluval Group of companies is celebrating 18 years of success in the South African market, further illustrated and encapsulated by this year’s numerous successfully completed projects resulting in a total invoicing for valves and actuators amounting to more than R180-million.... →

SUBSEA VALVES Some of the valves supplied to national oil company PetroSA’s Mossel Bay FO Fields for R60-million

Nutraceutical firm Go Life seeks AltX listing

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 2nd November 2016 Mauritian-listed nutraceutical company Go Life International is seeking an inward listing on the JSE’s AltX, following the acquisition earlier this year of the remaining 78% interest in Go Life Health Products. Go Life will list on the AltX this month, subject to JSE approval. Go Life... →

Dis-Chem to start trading on JSE

By: Megan van Wyngaardt 28th October 2016 After announcing its decision to list on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) earlier this month, South African pharmacy group Dis-Chem on Friday revealed that it expected to start trading on the JSE’s main board on November 18, under the food and drug retailers sector. The JSE has granted... →

Industry body calls for elimination of lead in road marking paint

By: Nadine James 28th October 2016 Paint manufacturers organisation South African Paint Manufacturing Association (Sapma) executive director Deryck Spence has approached the national standards authority South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) to request that it reformulates specifications for the use of lead pigments in road... →

DANGERS UNDERFOOT Friction caused by vehicles tyres erodes the lead paint, which could result in pedestrians or drivers inhaling minuscule amounts of lead particulates

Topics In These Articles

Automotive Coal Coal-fired Power Station Components Design Energy Engineering Manufacturing Modular Nuclear Petrochemicals Power Systems Technology Testing Service Sustainable Business Building Construction Mining Steel Storage Training Gas Instrumentation Oil And Gas Oil-and-gas Safety Solar ... more

RSS Feed

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe