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Chemicals

Offering diversified with new crop input solution

By: Tracy Hancock 7th August 2020 Environmental management company I-CAT will soon launch agricultural and forestry input solution Cyflo, as part of its product offering, targeting existing and potential clients, says I-CAT Planting Business Unit head Rachelle Botha. The product was developed by diagnostic agronomist Charl Marais... →

Sector welcomes bearing distributor’s new products

By: Tracy Hancock 7th August 2020 Demand for the agriculture-specific products offered by Southern Africa bearings and power transmission products distributor Bearings International (BI) is slowly picking up now that lockdown restriction have eased, says agriculture business development leader Gerhard Pienaar. In addition, there... →

HANDY RANGE Bearings International has seen a huge increase in demand for its range of Grippaz hand gloves and has increased its stockholding

Stricter compliance regulations for chemical disinfectants

By: Theresa Bhowan 7th August 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in a dramatic increase in the demand for disinfectants to help mitigate the spread of the virus, which, in turn, has prompted the need for strict compliance in industrial and domestic cleaning companies and chemical cleaning suppliers. →

EMMA CORDER Consultations determine which chemicals would best suit a company’s requirements and assists in providing a methodology that would best suit the application of these products

Company goes digital to curb challenges

By: Theresa Bhowan 7th August 2020 An increasingly competitive sphere, and a large choice of partners and customers are two of the chemicals industry’s greatest challenges. Specialised chemicals company BASF aims to lead in digital transformation in the chemicals industry to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of its... →

DALE WALKER The “new normal” that has been imposed by Covid-19 on the globe, has allowed for radical transformation in the way that the company does business

Association addresses Covid-19 challenges

7th August 2020 The industry body representing the local vinyls industry Southern African Vinyls Association (SAVA) hosted a virtual annual general meeting in May. Speaking about the impact of Covid-19 on the polyvinyl chloride (PVC) industry, SAVA chairperson George Diamond said the PVC industry globally is... →

PPE scandal highlights need to modernise public procurement – National Treasury

By: Terence Creamer 5th August 2020 The National Treasury has halted the emergency procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and reverted to open procurement processes amid a normalisation of supply and growing allegations of corruption, which Finance Minister Tito Mboweni acknowledged on Wednesday had led to a breakdown... →

Finance Minister Tito Mboweni

Sasol calls for bids for 10 MW solar plants at Mpumalanga, Free State operations

By: Terence Creamer 3rd August 2020 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for the development of two embedded solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities of 10 MW apiece at its operations in Secunda, in Mpumalanga, and Sasolburg, in the Free State. The closing date for submissions is Friday, October 2. →

The Secunda complex

RAV vaccination of pregnant women could prevent pneumonia in babies – Wits prof leads study

By: Sane Dhlamini 31st July 2020 University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Professor Shabir Madhi has uncovered that immunising pregnant women with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccine could prevent pneumonia in babies. Madhi is leading Africa’s first coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine trial. →

Proof of concept for sharing rare disease data cross border completed

By: Schalk Burger 31st July 2020 The World Economic Forum's (WEF's) precision medicine team's Breaking Barriers to Health Data pilot project has produced a proof of concept that outlines how countries can share rare-disease data safely and anonymously across borders using pre-existing datasets of coded and de-identified patient... →

AECI still turns healthy profit, dividend owing to a robust response plan

By: Marleny Arnoldi 29th July 2020 JSE-listed chemicals group AECI has declared a gross interim cash dividend of 100c apiece for the six months ended June 30, owing to its well managed cash resources and despite the negative effects of Covid-19. The negative impact of Covid-19 on the company, in the six months under review, was... →

AECI CEO Mark Dytor discusses the Covid-19 impact on the company and its business drivers going forward

Sasol to sell world's biggest oxygen production site to Air Liquide

By: Marleny Arnoldi 29th July 2020 JSE-listed petrochemicals company Sasol has signed a negotiation agreement with industrial gas company Air Liquide for the sale of Sasol South Africa’s 16 air separation units (ASUs), in Secunda. The ASUs, with a 42 000 t/d capacity, provides oxygen for Sasol’s fuels and chemical production... →

Air seperation units at Sasol Secunda

Auto repairs without a workshop

24th July 2020 Local manufacturer and supplier Pratley offers a wide range of flexible and cost-effective do-it-yourself adhesive products that are ideal for “quick, on-the-spot automotive repairs” where engineering workshops are often unavailable, such as in rural and informal settlements. To repair engine... →

ON-THE-SPOT REPAIRS Pratley offers a range of products, such as Pratley 1-2-3, that can be used where engineering workshops are often unavailable

Variable demand requires new strategy

By: Tracy Hancock 24th July 2020 Uncertain demand in the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and aftermarket environments, owing to the Covid-19 pandemic, is impacting on short- to medium-term capacity management decisions to meet variable demand, says automotive parts manufacturer GUD Holdings CEO Chris Haworth. “However,... →

CAPACITY CUT GUD’s plants have reopened under conservative conditions to about 60% of normal capacity

Sasol expects delay in last unit in US project to come onstream

By: Reuters 23rd July 2020 Sasol said on Thursday a unit damaged by fire at its Lake Charles Chemical Project (LCCP) should reach meaningful output by October, a month later than previous guidance. Even before a fire earlier this year, the Louisiana plant, which converts natural gas into plastics ingredient ethylene, had... →

Solidarity Fund continues to make progress in supporting fight against Covid-19

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 17th July 2020 Four months since the first case of Covid-19 was identified in the country, the Solidarity Fund, established by President Cyril Ramaphosa as a rapid response to augment the fight against the pandemic, has made considerable progress in implementing its mandate and distributing funds, it said... →

Sappi develops new, skin-friendly hand-sanitiser ingredient

By: Donna Slater 15th July 2020 Dissolving pulp and paper-based solutions company Sappi has launched a skin- and planet-friendly hand hygiene ingredient – Valida – which is based on cellulose and is intended to be used by hygiene product manufacturers in products like hand sanitisers. Sappi developed the ingredient in... →

Aspen proposes price reductions to address European Commission concerns

By: Marleny Arnoldi 14th July 2020 JSE-listed pharmaceutical group Aspen Pharmacare Holdings has agreed to various commitments to address competition concerns raised by the European Commission after it opened an investigation into Aspen and some of its European subsidiaries. The commission believes Aspen may have abused its... →

DBSA supports local production of ventilators, other medical supplies

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th July 2020 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has launched Covid-19 response programmes in South Africa and the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region, valued at R150-million. The bank is providing support to various activities that will bolster national and local government... →

Although vaccine trials are generating optimism, concerns about access are rising

By: Marleny Arnoldi 10th July 2020 Should all go well with the South African-led vaccine trial or with similar trials in the UK and Brazil, commercial lots of vaccines be developed as early as the first quarter of next year. However, University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) clinical infectious disease epidemiologist and... →

Monitor for food and beverage industry launched

10th July 2020 Process automation company Endress + Hauser launched its innovative Liquitrend QMW43 device that helps ensure food safety and increases food quality in March. “This compact multivariable device can be used to detect the continuous build-up of liquids and can also be used to measure conductivity,”... →

Tribunal fines Dis-Chem R1.2m for excessive pricing of face masks

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 7th July 2020 The Competition Tribunal has ordered pharmacy group Dis-Chem Pharmacies to pay an administrative penalty of R1.2-million for allegedly charging excessive prices for surgical face masks during the Covid-19 pandemic. The tribunal says Dis-Chem contravened Section 8(1)(a) of the Competition Act in... →

Chemicals company agrees to R600 000 fine

By: Marleny Arnoldi 7th July 2020 Cape Town-based chemicals company Caprichem has agreed to pay a settlement amount of R600 000 for allegedly charging excessive prices for hand sanitisers. The settlement amount comprises of a R500 000 administrative penalty paid to the Competition Commission and a R100 000 contribution to the... →

Omnia more than halves debt as stabilisation plan is concluded

By: Donna Slater 7th July 2020 JSE-listed diversified chemicals group Omnia Holdings reports that it achieved solid results for the financial year ended March 31, noting that this reflected the finalisation of the group’s stabilisation plan which included the successful recapitalisation of the business. Omnia’s balance sheet... →

Air Products and thyssenkrupp sign green hydrogen agreement

By: Schalk Burger 6th July 2020 NYSE-listed industrial gases multinational Air Products and industrial technology multinational thyssenkrupp on July 5 announced that they had signed an exclusive strategic cooperation agreement to develop world-scale electrolysis plants to generate green hydrogen. The two companies will... →

Sasol gives up licence to seek offshore gas in Mozambique

By: Reuters 5th July 2020 South African petrochemicals giant Sasol has opted to give up its licence to explore for gas off the Mozambique coast, the company said on Sunday. "Sasol will return Block 16/19 in its entirety to the Government of Mozambique. To this end, a withdrawal notification has already been sent to the... →

Sasol narrows immediate asset-disposal focus to ‘top ten’ list

By: Terence Creamer 3rd July 2020 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has developed a list of ten major assets that will be prioritised for sale in the coming weeks and months as it moves to streamline the business into what is being termed ‘Sasol 2.0’, while also raising proceeds to help it reduce a $9.5-billion debt burden. In... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Sasol CFO Paul Victor

Local medical radioisotope producer continues exports despite lockdown

By: Rebecca Campbell 2nd July 2020 South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) subsidiary company NTP Radioisotopes (NTP) has reported that, since the imposition of South Africa’s national lockdown in late March, it had been able to dispatch more than 120 shipments of medical radioisotopes to customers around the world. Both... →

Africa's e-health sector booming

By: Schalk Burger 29th June 2020 The number of e-health startups operating in Africa has hit an all-time high at 180 active companies, while investment into the space continues to grow, having reached record levels in the first half of this year, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, says technology startup information and investment... →

Sasol’s asset sale programme advances with bids due for pipeline

By: Bloomberg 29th June 2020 Sasol expects binding bids within weeks for its stake in a natural gas pipeline running from Mozambique to South Africa, as the company accelerates asset sales to pay off debt, according to people familiar with the process. The bidding round underway for the Rompco 865 km gas pipeline stake... →

Labat Africa reports investor interest as South Africa publishes medical cannabis notice

By: Schalk Burger 29th June 2020 JSE-listed medical cannabis investment holding company Labat Africa on June 29 said South Africa’s changing cannabis regulation was helping it to attract investor interest. "In another clear indication that the South African government views the emerging cannabis sector as a priority, Notice R586... →

A buyer’s guide to Sasol’s $5bn asset sale process

By: Bloomberg 25th June 2020 Sasol has accelerated an asset disposal program that could eliminate more than half of the company’s debt. The South African company is trying to raise cash amid cost overruns and lower oil prices. The process could be done in a year and take in as much as $5 billion, which would help prevent a... →

Aspen could produce 10m dexamethasone tablets within a month - CEO

By: Reuters 23rd June 2020 South African pharmaceutical maker Aspen could provide ten-million dexamethasone tablets within a month, CEO Stephen Saad told Reuters on Tuesday. "Aspen has looked at the short-term needs and can provide ten-million tablets in the next 3 to 4 weeks. We would look to ramp up further should there... →

South Africa’s first clinical trial for a vaccine against Covid-19 gets underway

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd June 2020 The first participants in South Africa’s first clinical trial for a vaccine against Covid-19 will be vaccinated this week. The first clinical trial in South Africa and on the continent for a Covid-19 vaccine was announced on June 23, at a virtual press conference hosted by the University of the... →

Sasol’s Guerbet unit at Lake Charles achieves beneficial operation

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd June 2020 JSE-listed Sasol reports that the Guerbet alcohols unit at its Lake Charles Chemicals project (LCCP), in Louisiana, in the US, achieved beneficial operation on June 19. This is Sasol’s second Guerbet alcohol production site, with the other located in Brunsbuettel, Germany. →

Omnia expects to swing to full-year earnings

By: Donna Slater 22nd June 2020 Chemicals manufacturer Omnia expects to report earnings a share of between 65c and 130c for the financial year ended March 31. This represents an improvement of 111% to 121% on the loss a share of 609c reported for the prior financial year. →

New amendments provide greater protection regarding chemical disinfectants, says Industroclean

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 19th June 2020 The Covid-19 pandemic has brought with it a dramatic increase in the demand for disinfectants to help mitigate against the spread of the virus, and now, more than ever, there is a critical need for safe disinfecting products that do not pose unnecessary risk to consumers, says industrial cleaning... →

Aspen CEO working to ensure supply of promising Covid drug

By: Bloomberg 18th June 2020 Aspen Pharmacare Holdings is working to ensure it can manage demand for a generic anti-inflammatory drug that was shown to improve survival in Covid-19 patients. Africa’s biggest drugmaker has set up a team to assess how much of the 60-year-old drug dexamethasone it can supply and by when, Chief... →

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