Novozymes aims to boost turnovergrowth through bioagriculture

Novozymes has set itself the target ofboosting its turnover growth byincreasing sales of microorganisms inthe US, Canada, Argentina, Brazil,Europe, and China. The growth will beorganic rather than throughacquisitions. Novozymes has a 10%share of the $1 bn bioagriculturemarket. It is expected to supplyenzymes to 20-25 cellulose-basedethanol-production facilities from 2015to 2017. Novozymes has a 47% shareof the global market for industrialenzymes and a 60% share of the globalmarket for ethanol production enzymes.

Original Source: NP Investor, website:http://www.npinvestor.dk/ (18 Mar 2013) (in Danish)© NPinvestor A/S 2013

Novozymes teams up with BetaRenewables

Industrial enzymes producerNovozymes and cellulosic biofuelsmajor Beta Renewables disclosed inlate 2012 a deal to jointly marketcellulosic biofuel solutions. Under theagreement, Novozymes will purchase a10% stake in Beta Renewables forabout $115 M. The firms will offer acombination of Novozymes’ Cellicenzymes and Beta Renewables’PROESA engineering and productiontechnology, which will guarantee biofuelproduction costs upon start-up of acellulosic plant. Beta Renewables,which is part of Italy’s Mossi & Ghisolfigroup, is expected to contract 15-25new plants through 2016-2017. Theplants have the potential to generatesales of up to $175 M. The $200 MPROESA process will be used in acellulosic ethanol plant in Crescentino,Italy that is slated for start-up by end-2012. Beta Renewables and GraalBiowill also construct at least one plant inBrazil. Gruppo Mossi & Ghisolfi hasbeen granted a loan guarantee of $99M by the US Department of Agriculturefor the building of a cellulosic biofuelplant in North Carolina.

Original Source: Oils and Fats International, Feb 2013,29 (2), 4 (Website:http://www.oilsandfatsinternational.com/) © QuartzBusiness Media Ltd 2013

Novozymes acquires Iogen BioProducts

Novozymes has bought Iogen Bio-Products for C$67.5 M as well as

C$12.5 M in possible earn-outpayments. Iogen Bio-Products is theindustrial enzyme unit of Ottawa, ON,Canada-based Iogen.

Original Source: Chemistry and Industry (London),Mar 2013, 77 (3), 19 (Website: http://www.soci.org/)© Society of Chemical Industry 2013

Oxford Catalysts: intellectual propertyenforcement

Oxford Catalysts Group has announcedthat on 19 March 2013 its USsubsidiary Velocys Inc filed a case inthe UK High Court againstCompactGTL Limited alleginginfringement of a number of the group’spatents. The group owns or hasexclusive licence to the world’s largestmicrochannel patent portfolio,encompassing 800+ patents with25,000+ patent claims across theglobe. The group continues to patent,with 87 patents having been granted inthe past 12 months. Its patents are highprofile, having been cited 3000+ timesin other people’s patents, includingthose of: Air Liquide; Air Products;Chevron; ConocoPhillips; ExxonMobil;Linde; Marathon; Praxair; Shell;Texaco; Total/Fina; Uhde; and UOP.The strength of the group’s IPcontinues to be proven: recently, thegroup successfully defended 7 patentsagainst invalidity challenges in the US.

Original Source: Oxford Catalysts, 115E-H Milton Park,Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4RZ, UK, tel: +44(0)1235 841 70, fax: +44 (0)1235 841 701, email:info@oxfordcatalysts.com, website:http://www.oxfordcatalysts.com/ (20 Mar 2013) © Oxford Catalysts Group plc 2013

Perstorp sells Formox to JohnsonMatthey

Perstorp announces the sale of itsformaldehyde technology and catalystbusiness, Formox to JohnsonMatthey, a global speciality chemicalscompany and a leader in sustainabletechnologies. The divestment is in linewith Perstorp’s strategy to focus onand expand its core specialitychemicals activities. Formox is theleading global provider of catalysts,plant designs and licenses for themanufacture of formaldehyde, animportant chemical intermediate. Ithas developed a market leading rangeof novel metal oxide based catalystsfor the production of formaldehydefrom methanol and is the leadingprovider of process technology for

metal oxide based formaldehydeproduction plants with an installedbase of around 120 plants worldwide.Formox also provides a full recyclingand refining service for spent metaloxide catalysts and manufacturesplatinum based VOC abatementcatalysts for formaldehyde plants. Thebusiness is based in Perstorp,Sweden, and employs 100 people inSweden, China, Singapore and theUS. Millington Advisory Partnersacted as exclusive financial advisor toPerstorp in relation to the transaction.

Original Source: Perstorp AB, SE 284 80, Perstorp,Sweden, tel: +46 435 38000, fax: +46 435 38100, e-mail: perstorp@perstorp.com, website:http://www.perstorp.com (28 Mar 2013) © PerstorpAB 2013

Rockwood to purchase partner’sinterest in jv

Rockwood Holdings will acquire itspartner Kemira’s 39% stake in theirtitanium dioxide jv Sachtleben forabout $130 M. The venture is a non-core business for both companies.Rockwood intends to seek the bestoption for Sachtleben.

Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 18 Feb 2013, 91 (7), 27 (Website: http://www.cen-online.org) © American Chemical Society 2013

Strem Chemicals Inc commercialisescatalysts designed by the CatalanChemical Research Institute ofTarragona

Strem Chemicals Inc iscommercialising catalysts designedby the Catalan Chemical ResearchInstitute of Tarragona. A newsynthesis process allowsorganocatalysts to be produced atcompetitive prices. These catalystsenable the production of compoundsof interest to pharmaceuticalcompanies.

Original Source: Quimica e Industria, Jan-Mar 2013,61 (604), 61 (Website: http://www.anque.es/) (inSpanish) © ANQUE – General Chemical Council 2013

Grace Catalysts Technologiesannounces price increase

Grace Catalysts Technologies, anoperating segment of WR Grace & Cohas announced pricing and marketrelated actions in its RefiningTechnologies business. Grace isdiscontinuing the rare earth surcharge

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