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Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals News

Omnia stabilises business, notes readiness for turnaround

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 26th November 2019 JSE-listed diversified chemicals group Omnia Holdings has delivered on its short-term stabilisation plans during the six months ended September 30, as well as a number of other key milestones during a period marked by tough market conditions. Speaking to Engineering News Online, Omnia CEO Seelan... →

Climate risk widely acknowledged, but rarely incorporated into strategy

By: Marleny Arnoldi 25th November 2019 The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) says that although the majority of South African corporate companies recognise climate change as an already occurring and imminently worsening risk, they are slow to mitigate and manage these risks, at least according to publicly accessible information.... →

Sasol warns of lower interim earnings

By: Marleny Arnoldi 25th November 2019 JSE- and NYSE-listed Sasol expects its headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six months to end December 31, to be at least 20%, or R4.65, lower than the HEPS of R23.25 reported for the six months ended December 31, 2018. The company on Monday said its earnings per share (EPS) should be about... →

Keraflex S1 Express adhesive demand driven by global trends

By: Tracy Hancock 22nd November 2019 International trends in the use of natural stone and engineered stone are increasing demand for its Keraflex S1 Express ultra-white, high-performance cementitious adhesive, notes Gauteng chemicals and adhesives manufacturer Mapei. For decades, Mapei's primary development focus has been on... →

Welding safety extends to petrochem industry

By: Theresa Bhowan 22nd November 2019 Welding fumes are known to be particularly poisonous and a contaminant to the surrounding air, which is why welding solutions provider Unique Welding focuses on advanced welding safety, particularly in the petrochemicals industry for companies such as integrated chemicals and petrochemicals... →

BREATHING EASY The powered, air-purifying respirator system not only eliminates welding fumes, but also petrochemical fumes

Petrochemicals industry demand forecast to slow down by 2030

22nd November 2019 Management consulting firm McKinsey predicts that by 2030, global petrochemicals demand growth may slow from 3.6% to between 2% and 3%, says data management consultants Gabsten Technologies MD Hemant Harie. →

HEMANT HARIE Without effective data management and protection, organisations within the petrochemical industry may fall victim to data loss

Optimising processes for consumer convenience

22nd November 2019 With the intent of growing and expanding its retail business footprint, integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol is adapting its processes to best suit consumer needs. →

Photo by Sasol
BEACON OF LIGHT Sasol retailers aim to create a personalised and digitally connected platform for the consumer

Company continues to aim for balanced debt maturity profile

22nd November 2019 Integrated chemicals and petrochemicals major Sasol continues to actively manage its balance sheet with the objective of maintaining a robust liquidity position and a balanced debt maturity profile. →

FLEETWOOD GROBLER The new Sasol president, chief executive officer and executive director as effective November 1, 2019

Rope access ensures optimal maintenance of petrochem tanks

By: Theresa Bhowan 22nd November 2019 The highly explosive nature of the petrochemicals environment requires trained personnel, and often the scope of the work involves a work-at-height and or confined space element, which puts rope-access specialist Skyriders in the frame with its capabilities in performing maintenance and repair... →

UP, UP AND AWAY Skyriders’ projects and safety team assesses the task at hand and determines the type of equipment needed to carry out the task safely

Retail expansion an attainable goal

By: Theresa Bhowan 22nd November 2019 Listed as an overarching strategic focus, Sasol’s Retail division forms an integral part of the Sasol Groups’ investment strategy. Sasol Energy Retail and Corporate Affairs VP Mohamed Carrim, says that the organisation aims to substantially grow its market share in the foreseeable future as it... →

Photo by Sasol
FILL ‘ER UP Sasol has 409 Sasol Convenience Centres nationally each consisting of a forecourt, a convenience store, and a bakery

Planets aligning for SA firms as huge Mozambique gas projects get moving

By: Terence Creamer 22nd November 2019 South Africans have yet to grasp both the scale of the gas resources uncovered in neighbouring Mozambique and the size of the business and energy opportunities these discoveries present. With yet more exploration rounds to come, some 150-trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas has already been... →

NTP’s radioisotope production recovering after May shutdown

By: Marleny Arnoldi 21st November 2019 State-owned nuclear technology company NTP Radioisotopes has confirmed that it expects to double its production of the medical radioisotope molybdenum-99 for at least the rest of this month and next. This comes six months after the company, a subsidiary of the South African Nuclear Energy... →

Aspen to sell Japanese operations to Sandoz for up to €400m

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 11th November 2019 JSE-listed Aspen’s subsidiary, Aspen Global Incorporated (AGI), which is incorporated in Mauritius, has concluded an agreement to sell its Japanese operations and any related intellectual property to multinational pharmaceutical company Sandoz, a Novartis division, for up to €400-million in cash.... →

Company’s butterfly valves in high demand

By: Tracy Hancock 8th November 2019 There is significant demand for the InterApp butterfly valves range from engineering consumables and components supplier BMG, with more than 100 units sold a month. Valves from the range have recently been supplied for chemical applications at mining operations and processing plants in Namibia... →

SIGNIFICANT SELLER InterApp Bianca and Desponia butterfly valves are recommended by BMG for high efficiency and safe use in demanding industrial flow control applications

Chieta pursuing interventions to engender a sustainable chemicals industry

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 5th November 2019 The Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority (Chieta) is pursuing a number of strategic interventions as part of its mandate to train and develop skills for learners, as well as employees in the chemicals industry, CEO Khathutshelo Ramukumba said during media event, in Johannesburg,... →

Kenyan team aim to stop fatal snake bites

By: Reuters 29th October 2019 Kenyan mother Beth Mwende heard her sleeping three-year-old cry out, but did not worry further after the child quickly settled - until the next morning, when she found her daughter, Mercy, semi-conscious with two fang marks in the neck. "I did not know that it was a snake," Mwende said, as she... →

Sasol seeks to use leadership ‘reset’ to rebuild trust in wake of damning LCCP review

By: Terence Creamer 28th October 2019 Sasol CEO-designate Fleetwood Grobler insists that he is “realistic” about the challenges still confronting the chemicals and energy group, which parted ways with its previous joint CEOs on Monday, following a damning board review of cost and schedule overruns at the giant Lake Charles Chemicals... →

Sasol CEO-designate Fleetwood Grobler insists that he is “realistic” about the challenges still confronting the chemicals and energy group, which parted ways with its previous joint CEOs on Monday, following a damning board review of cost and schedule overruns at the giant Lake Charles Chemicals Project (LCCP), in Louisiana, in the US. Video and editing: Darlene Creamer 28.10.2019

Sasol's joint CEOs to step down following US project glitch

By: Reuters 28th October 2019 South African petrochemicals group Sasol said on Monday its joint chief executives, Bongani Nqwababa and Stephen Cornell, will step down following a review of its Lake Charles Chemicals project (LCCP), which has been hit by delays and rising costs. Sasol said both CEOs, who have not been found to... →

Sasol's new CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Clariant’s new centre of excellence to serve growing African mining industry

24th October 2019 Specialty chemicals company Clariant has launched a new centre of excellence in Johannesburg, in South Africa, with this aimed at supporting the growing African mining industry. →

Clariant’s new centre of excellence to serve growing African mining industry

Giflo Medical invests R130m in upgrading two healthcare facilities

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 22nd October 2019 Commercial and medical property developer Giflo Medical is investing R130-million in expanding and upgrading two adjacent medical facilities – the Cormed private hospital and the Envision Centre for Sight – located within an established medical precinct in Vanderbijlpark, Gauteng. Both serve the... →

Renergen completes commissioning of second CNG filling station

By: Simone Liedtke 21st October 2019 Emerging natural gas and helium producer Renergen has completed the commissioning of its second compressed natural gas (CNG) filling station, in Johannesburg. The filling station will begin supplying CNG to Black Knight Logistics for a fleet of about 15 trucks, starting this month. →

Renergen's second compressed natural gas filling station, in Johannesburg

Portfolio committee expresses concern about governance failures at Necsa

By: Simone Liedtke 16th October 2019 The Portfolio Committee on Mineral Resources and Energy has expressed concern about the corporate governance failures at the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa). The committee has also called on Minister Gwede Mantashe to urgently appoint a Necsa board. →

Omnia seeks to reset course as it emerges from financial distress

By: Terence Creamer 11th October 2019 JSE-listed Omnia, best known for the production of fertilisers, explosives and specialty chemicals, expects a strategic review of the business to be completed during the first quarter of 2020. The outcome of the review could result in the sale of certain product lines or units, as well as the... →

Omnia CEO Seelan Gobalsamy

Go Life makes board, management changes, refocuses business strategy

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 9th October 2019 Go Life International has made changes to its board, restructured its management team and refocused its business strategy. Gerhard Naude has stepped down as group CEO, effective October 10, and will now serve on the company’s board as key group adviser. He will also chair the board’s strategic... →

Sasol provides R400m in financing for first South African-owned chemical tanker

By: Shirley le Guern 9th October 2019 Integrated chemicals and energy company Sasol has provided R400-million to finance the acquisition of the first South African-owned chemical tanker, the Bow Cecil, by empowered entity, Nduna Maritime. Speaking after the 37 000 dwt vessel, which is equipped with 47 tanks, docked in Durban harbour... →

The Bow Cecil tanker

S Africa legislation bans liquid waste from landfills

27th September 2019 A massive shift in South African waste legislation took place when, effective August 23, local legislation banned all liquid waste from landfills. →

Uganda signs nuclear agreement with Russia

By: Rebecca Campbell 18th September 2019 Uganda and Russia have signed an intergovernmental agreement to cooperate in the peaceful use of nuclear energy. The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 63rd General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency, in Vienna, Austria, on Tuesday. The document establishes the basis... →

Sasol is said to plan sale of its South African coal mining unit

By: Bloomberg 18th September 2019 Sasol is planning to sell its South African coal-mining business, according to people familiar with the matter. The company will begin a formal sales process in the coming weeks, said the people, who asked not to be identified as the information isn’t public yet. The mining business had turnover... →

Labat Africa expands footprint with Lesotho cannabis licence purchase

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th September 2019 Empowered JSE-listed investment holding company Labat Africa has acquired a 70% interest in the Zarenka Group for R57.5-million in shares. Zarenka has an interest in six cannabis licenses in Lesotho, which allows it to cultivate, harvest, manufacture, distribute, import and export cannabis for... →

Aspen posts FY earnings decline, pays no dividend

By: Reuters 12th September 2019 South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare Holdings said on Wednesday full-year core normalised earnings fell by 4% due to a lower contribution from its manufacturing business and it will not pay a dividend this year. Normalised earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda)... →

Company committed to youth empowerment

6th September 2019 Young chemical engineer Nokubonga Ngqulunga is one of many whose horizons have broadened thanks to oil company Engen. →

NOKUBONGA NGQULUNGA Anything and everything is possible if you put in the hard work and believe in yourself

Foundation celebrates 25 years of success in used oil recycling

6th September 2019 More than 1.5-billion litres of hazardous used motor oil has been kept out of the environment. →

COLLABORATION It is imperative that ROSE works alongside government to ensure we help shape legislation which will benefit all stakeholders in the oil industry

IMO regulation a hurdle for local oil refineries

By: Mamaili Mamaila 6th September 2019 The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) 2020 regulation has prescribed for a large reduction in the maximum sulphur content of bunker fuels which presents a challenge for South African oil refineries. →

ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE Oil refineries have to comply with the minimum emission standards as stipulated in the national Air Quality Act

Aspen lowers debt, shares jump

By: Reuters 3rd September 2019 Aspen Pharmacare Holdings said on Tuesday its debt as of June 30 had fallen below R40-billion and that its debt levels were safely below a covenant threshold, sending shares in the South African drugmaker up more than 9%. That was down from R53.5-billion on December 31. →

Sasol investors suggest co-CEO Cornell leave after Lake Charles costs surge

By: Bloomberg 30th August 2019 Sasol has been asked by some of the country’s biggest fund managers to consider executive changes including ousting Stephen Cornell, one of two CEOs, over cost overruns at a flagship project, according to people familiar with the matter. The money managers began meeting with Sasol’s board and... →

Photo by Bloomberg
Sasol co-CEOs Stephen Cornell and Bongani Nqwababa

From healthcare to energy, gases play critical role in SA economy

By: Rebecca Campbell 30th August 2019 A gas can be defined as “a form of matter, in which the molecules move randomly in otherwise empty space, filling any size or shape of container into which the gas is put,” (The Hutchinson Dictionary of Science, 2nd edition) or as a “fluid that expands to fill any container, however large,... →

Local company acquires chemical tanker vessel

By: Simone Liedtke 29th August 2019 Black-owned Mnambithi Group, through its Nduna Maritime subsidiary, has acquired a South African-registered chemical tanker vessel, named Bow Cecil. The maritime vessel will soon be flagged locally, Mnambithi said in a statement on Thursday. →

The Bow Cecil

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