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Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals News

Adcock Ingram employee tests positive for Covid-19, response measures in place

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 24th April 2020 An employee at pharmaceutical manufacturer Adcock Ingram’s Critical Care manufacturing facility has tested positive for Covid-19, and 50 other employees have undergone testing on April 23, and have self-quarantined based on the primary contact trace. The infected employee displayed minor symptoms... →

Pipeline repair continues despite Covid-19

24th April 2020 Repair of the Mt Albert high-pressure sludge pipeline is a critical project for city council Wellington’s wastewater network in New Zealand, and one that Wellington Water is committed to progressing during lockdown. Repairing these pipelines is a significant technical challenge, because the... →

Ford SA, Gift of the Givers partner for Covid-19 face shield efforts

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd April 2020 Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa's (FMCSA's) initiative to produce protective face shields for front-line medical and essential services personnel in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic has been given a boost, with local nongovernmental organisation Gift of the Givers Foundation coming on... →

EPCM Holdings producing low-cost ventilators

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 21st April 2020 Engineering, procurement and construction company EPCM Holdings is producing low-cost ventilator units − bag valve mask units − for delivery to several African countries in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. “In our fight against the Covid-19 virus and our determination to protect humanity, our team... →

EPCM Holding’s low cost ventilator unit

Ipasa helps in Covid-19 fight

By: Marleny Arnoldi 21st April 2020 The Innovative Pharmaceutical Association South Africa (Ipsasa) has confirmed its commitment to continue supplying medicines to people living with chronic diseases during the Covid-19 lockdown period. The association represents 26 research-based pharmaceutical companies. →

Biodx says use of biotech disinfectant products can help in fight against Covid-19

By: Donna Slater 21st April 2020 Johannesburg-based biological technology (biotech) and disinfectants company Biodx CEO Burt Rodrigues says that while the Covid-19 pandemic will change the world in the short and long term, a refocus to natural products may play a key role in tackling current and future outbreaks. Rodrigues says... →

Sappi starts production of essential medical items, donates to Solidarity Fund

By: Donna Slater 20th April 2020 Pulp and paper producer Sappi Southern Africa has made available several donations of scarce items such as hand sanitiser, face masks, nutritional porridge and paper products, to reduce pressure on the national government’s resources, as well as to support the most vulnerable during the Covid-19... →

Online portal to boost access to essential medical Covid-19 supplies

By: Donna Slater 17th April 2020 As part of the Business South Africa (BSA) initiative, and with technical assistance from Tencent South Africa, the South African Medical Technology Industry Association (Samed) has created a live online portal for its member companies to upload details of the Covid-19 supplies and equipment they... →

Labat Africa acquires 70% stake in BioData to further its cannabis involvement

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th April 2020 JSE-listed healthcare group Labat Africa has acquired a 70% interest in science, technology and research group BioData to expand and further develop its integrated cannabis business in South Africa. The company is focused on the cannabis industry and was initially set up as a holistic healing... →

SEW-EURODRIVE joins national 3D printing initiative for face masks

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th April 2020 Drive and automation technology company SEW-EURODRIVE has joined a nationwide campaign to use three-dimensional (3D) printing technology to produce much-needed face masks and shields for healthcare workers and first responders. There is a global shortage of critical personal protective equipment... →

Ascendis sells Scitec business

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th April 2020 JSE-listed Ascendis Health’s subsidiary, Ascendis Health International Holdings, has reached an agreement to sell its Scitec business unit to Dutch company Atlas Invest for €5-million. This forms part of the group’s disposal of noncore and underperforming assets to reduce its debt levels. →

Adcock Ingram executive directors contribute to Solidarity Fund

By: Donna Slater 16th April 2020 Executive directors and senior managers of pharmaceutical company Adcock Ingram will follow in the footsteps of President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet and donate a portion of their salaries for the next three months to the Solidarity Fund. Adcock Ingram CEO Andy Hall urges individuals and... →

‘Robot’ helps Tygerberg specialists on ward rounds during pandemic

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th April 2020 Intensive-care specialists at Tygerberg Hospital have a new infection-resistant ‘colleague’ helping them to undertake ward rounds on Covid-19 patients. “Quintin” – as ‘he’ is called – is a Double Robotic ‘robot’ that has been employed to help specialists do ‘virtual’ ward rounds – even from home... →

Covid-19 to impact immunisation programmes in low-income countries

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 9th April 2020 Disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic are likely to have a devastating impact on immunisation programmes in the world’s least-developed countries, according to analysis by public-private partnership, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. Immediate delays to vaccination campaigns and routine... →

Sasol says Natref refinery to be temporarily shut, synfuels output reduced

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 8th April 2020 The national Covid-19 lockdown has resulted in an unprecedented decline in fuel demand in South Africa. Chemicals company Sasol and Total South Africa have, therefore, decided to suspend production of fuel at the Natref refinery from April 9, until further notice. →

Photo by Creamer Media
Sasol Natref

Bosch Rexroth South Africa to 3D print protective face masks

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 7th April 2020 Fluid power and automation company Bosch Rexroth South Africa has responded to Netcare's call for assistance from the local three-dimensional (3D) printing community to produce face masks for first-line responders. Bosch Rexroth subsidiary Tectra Automation Mechatronics technician Nico Davies... →

The face mask

Chemicals industry likely to face longer-than-expected downturn, says ICIS

By: Donna Slater 7th April 2020 The Independent Commodity Intelligence Service (ICIS) has warned the international chemical sector to prepare for an extended downturn along with lower-for-longer oil prices, both of which will have big implications for profitability and investments. ICIS demand forecasting lead analyst Rhian... →

Alibaba founder Jack Ma donates more medical supplies to Africa

By: Sane Dhlamini 6th April 2020 Alibaba founder Jack Ma has announced the donation of another batch of medical supplies to each of the 54 African countries, through the Jack Ma Foundation. The latest donation includes 500 ventilators, 200 000 suits and face shields, 2 000 thermometers, 1-million swabs and extraction kits, and... →

Alibaba Founder Jack Ma & President Cyril Ramaphosa (26/10/2018)

Gold has a role to play in Covid-19 testing toolbox

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 3rd April 2020 Gold is being used in new Covid-19 rapid tests around the world, which identify the presence of biomarkers from the body’s immune response to Covid-19 instead of looking for the virus itself. The tests can also help detect if a person has been infected with Covid-19 even after the virus is no... →

New chair of financially beleaguered Necsa outlines priorities

By: Rebecca Campbell 3rd April 2020 The financially-beleaguered South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), which falls under the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), had a new board appointed in late January, to oversee and turnaround the agency. The chairperson of this new board, which has a term of three... →

Averda, Gift of the Givers collaborate on medical waste management

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd April 2020 International waste management company Averda has entered into a strategic partnership with African disaster response nongovernmental organisation (NGO) Gift of the Givers, to provide necessary medical waste management services to its mobile testing stations across the country free of charge for... →

Africa requires centrality in response strategy for Covid-19 – CDC speaker

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd April 2020 Dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic on the African continent will require a collaborative, cooperative and effective communication approach, with the recognition that the situation will not be resolved in any single State if it is not resolved in each and every country. This was indicated by... →

Stellenbosch University researcher makes sanitiser from stale bread

By: African News Agency 1st April 2020 Researchers at Stellenbosch University say they have discovered how to make hand sanitiser using stale bread crumbs. An experiment conducted by SU food scientist Dr Stefan Hayward, using the university's in-house fermentation tank, yielded 18 litres of alcohol-based sanitiser which could come in... →

Standard Chartered commits $1bn to companies at forefront of fighting Covid-19

By: Donna Slater 31st March 2020 International banking group Standard Chartered will commit $1-billion in financing for companies that provide goods and services to help in the fight against Covid-19, and those planning the switch into making products that are in high demand to fight the worldwide pandemic, the bank announced on... →

Sasol advises of capacity reductions, further credit downgrades

By: Marleny Arnoldi 31st March 2020 Although JSE-listed chemicals company Sasol is permitted to operate during South Africa’s lockdown period, ending April 16, it has advised that some plants will be operated at lower capacity, or even shut down, owing to lower product offtake during this time. The company explains that some... →

No impact of Covid-19 on Illovo, other ethanol alcohol producers

By: Donna Slater 30th March 2020 While sugar and related products manufacturer Illovo Sugar South Africa (Illovo SA) reports no impact on production as a result of measures implemented to contain the spread of Covid-19, it also reaffirms its commitment to refocus the business towards meeting the growing demand for alcohol used... →

Sasol ramps up sanitiser chemicals production

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th March 2020 JSE-listed petrochemicals giant Sasol has developed a new unique blend of alcohol-based chemicals to be used in the manufacture of hand sanitisers to help address the increase in market demand for these products. “While global demand and pricing for ethanol and isopropanol alcohol has increased... →

Foskor clarifies it will continue with operations amid lockdown

By: Marleny Arnoldi 25th March 2020 Phosphates and phosphoric acid producer Foskor has advised that it will continue with mining activities in Phalaborwa and its processing operations in Richards Bay, owing to it being an essential service in providing products to the agriculture and food sectors in South Africa, during the... →

Opinion: War declared during peacetime

By: Donna Slater 24th March 2020 The outbreak of coronavirus in every continent (except Antarctica) has resulted in a war-time mobilisation of national assets and resources, as well as a shift in production by some companies from their core products to the manufacture of products that can support the fight against the... →

Members of the South African National Defence Force gather at the premises of the Rand Light Infantry in Craighall Park on March 23 in preparedness for mobilisation to help enforce the presidents national lockdown.

Photo by Reuters
Members of the South African National Defence Force gather at the premises of the Rand Light Infantry in Craighall Park on March 23 in preparedness for mobilisation to help enforce the presidents national lockdown.

Ten-minute coronavirus test for $1 could be game changer

By: Bloomberg 20th March 2020 Already exhausted from testing for monkeypox and Lassa fever, Nigerian molecular bio-engineer Nnaemeka Ndodo had to work well past midnight earlier this month to find out if six Chinese construction workers were infected with the coronavirus. Ndodo had to collect samples from a hospital an hour... →

Cluster emphasises importance of local manufacturing

By: Halima Frost 20th March 2020 It is of utmost importance to be able to draw a definitive line between locally manufactured and imported products in the South African pumps sector, as locally manufactured products need to take precedence over imports in projects, says industry association South African Pump Cluster chairperson... →

HOWARD JONES There is a need for a definitive line between locally manufactured and imported products in the South African pumps sector

Adcock Ingram to acquire shoe, leather products manufacturer

By: Simone Liedtke 18th March 2020 In line with JSE-listed pharmaceuticals manufacturer Adcock Ingram’s strategy to pursue value-adding acquisitions, particularly in less-regulated areas of the market, the company has concluded a share purchase agreement to acquire 100% of shoe and leather products manufacturer Plush. The... →

HSRC to undertake public survey to assess country’s awareness of Covid-19

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 18th March 2020 Statutory research agency, the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), will conduct a public survey on social media and through follow-up qualitative studies, to better understand what the South African public knows about Covid-19, the state of readiness to deal with this global pandemic and how... →

Size of possible Sasol rights issue hangs on asset-disposal and savings progress

By: Terence Creamer 17th March 2020 The eventual size of Sasol’s possible rights issue – tentatively capped at $2-billion – will depend on progress the group makes in the coming months with its cash-conservation and asset-disposal programmes, initiated in an effort to reduce its $10-billion debt burden by $6-billion by the end of... →

Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler (left) and CFO Paul Victor

Sasol includes $2bn rights-issue option in plan to reset capital structure

By: Terence Creamer 17th March 2020 Debt-laden chemicals and energy group Sasol announced on Tuesday that it could pursue a $2-billion rights issue as a “supplemental initiative” in the event that cash-conservation initiatives and asset disposals proved insufficient to reset its capital structure. The JSE-listed group had set a... →

Every effort must be made to ensure economy ‘does not grind to a halt’

By: Terence Creamer 16th March 2020 Finance Minister Tito Mboweni stressed on Monday that, before contemplating any possible stimulus package to address the negative economic effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, all efforts should be geared towards ensuring that the already weak domestic economy “does not grind to a halt”. A failure... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Finance Minister Tito Mboweni

Shares in South Africa's Sasol jump nearly 30% as oil price recovery sparks buying

By: Reuters 13th March 2020 Shares in South African petrochemicals group Sasol surged nearly 30% on Friday as a recovery in oil prices sparked buying of the stock, which was pummelled in the previous session. Brent crude prices rose over 3% on Friday after falling more than 7% the day before, a drop which helped send Sasol... →

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