Top Industry News                                 August 24, 2008 Issue

Study Forecasts Growth for U.S. Paint and Coatings
U.S. demand for paint and coatings is forecast to expand 3.1 percent per annum to $23 billion in 2012 ... More

Acquisition Action Report

AkzoNobel Sells Decorative Paint Brands
AkzoNobel has agreed to sell its Crown Paints decorative paint business in the United Kingdom and Ireland to Endless LLP and its two Belgian brands to Rieu Investissements S.A. ... More

ALTANA Acquires Effect Pigments Business of USBP
ALTANA, Wesel, Germany, has signed a contract to acquire the effect pigments business of United States Bronze Powders Inc. ... More 

E.W. Kaufmann Promotes Thomas G. Rudeau
Thomas G. Rudeau has been named Vice President and Regional Sales Manager for E.W. Kaufmann ... More 

Dennis Wanlass Joins Tronox Board of Directors
Dennis L. Wanlass has been appointed to the Tronox Inc. board of directors ... More  

Business Barometer

Ciba Releases Half-Year Results
Ciba has reported a net loss of CHF 569 million for the first half of 2008 ... More

BASF Names New Distributors 
BASF has named two new distributors for a number of its latex dispersions products in the United States ... More

AkzoNobel Opens Protective Coatings Site in China
AkzoNobel has expanded its presence in China with the opening of a new site for the manufacture and sale of protective coatings in Suzhou, China ... More

3M Appoints Distributor Palmer Holland Co.
3M has announced that Palmer Holland Co., North Olmsted, OH, has been given an expanded role throughout the central United States for distribution of 3M's Energy and Advanced Materials Division (EAMD) line of specialty chemicals and additives products ... More

Dow Reichhold Announces Site Closures, Plans to Cease All Business Activities
Dow Reichhold Specialty Latex, a 50/50 joint venture between The Dow Chemical Co. and Reichhold, Inc., has announced the planned sale of certain business assets, the permanent closure of all facilities and the intention to cease all business activities before the end of 2008 ... More

BASF Coatings to Develop UV-Cure Film Technology 
Atlanta-based homeland security company, Carbon Motors, has chosen the Coatings Division of BASF as its partner for the development of film chemicals and processes to be used on the thermoplastic exterior skin panels of the Carbon E7 Law Enforcement Patrol Vehicle ... More

Tikkurila to Establish Sales Company in Belarus
Tikkurila has announced plans to establish a sales company called IP Tikkurila in Minsk, Belarus ... More

Silberline Announces Energy Surcharge
Due to unprecedented increases in costs precipitated by record energy prices, Silberline is adding an energy surcharge of $0.20/pound to all invoices beginning on Sept. 15, 2008. This measure will remain in effect until Silberline can mitigate the increased costs.

Chemtura Increases Prices
Effective Aug. 18, 2008, or as contract terms allow, Chemtura Corp. will increase prices on its range of bisphosphate, core and performance phosphate ester flame retardants, which includes its Reofos and Kronitex brands, by up to 50 percent in all regions ... More

Cray Valley Lifts Sales Control for Resins
Cray Valley announced it is lifting sales control on its Norsolene^® A series and S series hydrocarbon resins manufactured in its Channelview, TX, facility, effective immediately. The sales control was placed on the product in late May, affecting only customers in the Americas.

OPC Polymers Raises Prices
Due to additional acrylic and vinyl toluene monomer price increases, OPC Polymers is adding charges ranging from 1.5 to 3.5 cents/lb. to existing monomer-modified products, effective with September shipments. Notifications by product will be sent directly to customers.

Association News 

A&WMA Offers Conference on Hazardous Waste Combustion
The Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA) will present the Hazardous Waste Combustors Conference and Exhibition from Nov. 12-14, 2008, in Galveston, TX ... More

Meetings, Courses and Other Events 

Brookfield Offers Training
Brookfield is offering three courses that provide users of Brookfield instrumentation with the hands-on knowledge to get the most out of their viscosity and texture-test methods ... More