Business
Business Archives » 2011 & 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998
December 18, 2006
Business Concentrates
2006 Year In Review
Calm weather and fairly stable energy prices contributed to solid industry profits.
Dow's Emotional Pitch
Eschewing facts and figures, a new ad campaign shoots for the heart.
Innovating At Bayer
Board member Plischke seeks to link R&D among big firm's three main units.
December 11, 2006
Business Concentrates
Raw Materials Reality
BASF workshop aims at practical assessment of alternative energy and chemical feedstocks.
Ambitious Plans
Oxiteno CEO will take charge of its parent company and its expansion program.
December 4, 2006
Business Concentrates
A Small Firm With Big Aspirations
Potassium permanganate leader Carus Chemical looks for growth in the Middle East and Asia.
Big Petrochemical Plans
Latin America, and Brazil in particular, is seeing no shortage of chemical projects in the works.
European Earnings
The third quarter was generally strong for Europe's chemical companies.
Olefin Dispersions
Low-viscosity waterborne dispersions enable thin, solvent-free films.
The Metropark Desk
Where chemistry reaches beyond the world of science.
November 27, 2006
Business Concentrates
Intermediates Maven
Porton endeavors to stand out as an innovative and reliable Chinese producer of fine chemicals.
Eastman's Initiative
Company is betting on technology to lower costs and drive growth.
Thermo Fisher Scientific
Merger of two big players in scientific products creates lab industry giant.
November 20, 2006
Business Concentrates
Earnings Growth Accelerates
Third-quarter improvement for major chemical companies raises hope for a good full year.
Big Pharma Regroups
Drug companies' third-quarter results provide an early glimpse of life under new leaders.
Biotech Firms Keep In Good Health
New product launches could drive growth in upcoming quarters.
On The Auction Block
Though chemical patents were offered at this year's second public sale, they found few bidders, no buyers.
Cover Story: Better Energy Through Chemistry
By supporting new energy creation techniques, specialty chemical companies are turning the oil and gas price run-up into a business opportunity.
Solar Revolution
The market for photovoltaics is expanding rapidly, and chemical companies are taking notice.
Fuels Of The Future
Chemistry and agriculture join to make a new generation of renewable fuels.
Start-up Firms Pursue Biofuels
Entrepreneurs invigorate search for economical biomass-based fuels.
Back To The Well
Chemistry targets cost-efficient extraction of oil and gas from mature reserves.
Microbial Methane Farming
With a boost from BASF, Luca is testing production of 'real-time' gas in mature wells.
Walking The Line
Protein motors march cargo to the extremities of a cell and drag apart DNA during mitosis.
November 13, 2006
Business Concentrates
Dow Sets Sights On R&D Breakthroughs
Chief Technology Officer Banholzer directs the firm's scientists to pursue raw material and process advances.
Shri Thanedar
A chemist from modest origins creates a formidable analytical testing business.
November 6, 2006
Business Concentrates
Slow And Steady
Albemarle finds that a measured approach can win the race in custom manufacturing.
Recognizing Research
Government paper quantifies R&D's contribution to gross domestic product.
October 30, 2006
Business Concentrates
Chinese Industrial Parks Up The Ante
Managers of industrial development zones all over China learn to better serve foreign and domestic companies.
Catered Services
Newcomer Minakem is banking on opportunities in the market for contract APIs.
C&EN Talks With Clint Brooks
Innovations in flavors and fragrances frequently begin along an unassuming state highway in New Jersey.
October 23, 2006
Business Concentrates
Finding New Life For Old Carpets
After slow start, the carpet recycling industry is gaining traction.
Renewed Optimism for Fine Chemicals
Asian competition is rising, but a healthier pipeline has custom manufacturers feeling upbeat at CPhI.
R&D Rises In EU
'Scoreboard' finds pharmaceutical and chemical companies are among top European investors in research.
October 16, 2006
Business Concentrates
BASF Strikes Back
German chemical giant says streamlining and acquisitions set the stage for North American success.
Stocks Advance
Higher prices for most chemical, pharmaceutical, and biotech shares sent indexes up in third quarter.
CEFIC Revamps
European chemical council's new president aims to bolster innovation.
Cover Story: Paints and Coatings
Consolidation among paint material makers brings opportunities as well as risks.
Thermal Spray Goes Cool
New cold spray technique for high-performance coatings is the latest thing in surface modification.
Greening The Paint Market
Industry looks for new ways to reduce the environmental impact of paints and coatings.
Cyclodextrins Could Enhance Paint
Sugar-based molecule to help walls stay clean and pleasant smelling.
All That Glitters
Special effects pigments continue to dazzle by playing with light.
October 9, 2006
Propylene Oxide Routes Take Off
Freeing propylene oxide from its coproducts has been elusive, but new plants may finally make it work.
Moving Beyond 'Me-Too'
AstraZeneca's Boston site offers a window into how a big drug firm plans to regain its competitive edge.
Business Concentrates
Propylene Oxide Routes Take Off
Freeing propylene oxide from its coproducts has been elusive, but new plants may finally make it work.
Moving Beyond 'Me-Too'

AstraZeneca's Boston site offers a window into how a big drug firm plans to regain its competitive edge.
October 2, 2006
Business Concentrates
Solar Market Powers Silicon

Polysilicon shortages are boon to manufacturers, bane of solar energy industry.
Making Proteins
Companies tackle challenge of scaling up production of biopharmaceuticals.
C&EN Talks With Wally Gilbert
A biotechnology pioneer takes on the big picture.
September 25, 2006
Business Concentrates
Arming Antibodies
Antibodies loaded with highly potent drugs are finally making their way into the clinic.
Lanxess Prospers
Company has overcome massive debt and money-losing businesses and now seeks acquisitions.
Indian Firms Go Global
Acquisition of beleaguered fine chemicals assets represents an inroad to the Western market.
Complying with FDA
A growing number of Asian pharmaceutical chemical producers take steps to meet U.S. standards.
September 18, 2006
Business Concentrates
Starting Over
Distinguished by private equity roots, Rockwood takes a fresh approach to managing businesses.
Surviving The Cutthroat World Of Vitamins
International vitamin producers face up to fierce Chinese competition.
September 11, 2006
Cover Story: Information Technology

Chemical companies are targeting IT investments to new applications of existing systems, including logistics management.
Business Concentrates
In Search Of The Perfect Auto Tire

Polyurethane looks enticing, but it may not be the ultimate answer.
Fixing A Hole
Hole-injection materials are becoming the focus of R&D in next-generation displays.
September 4, 2006
Business Concentrates
Earth-Friendly Cool Cars In 2011
Fluorine-based-refrigerant makers jockey to save auto-air-conditioning market from CO2 threat.
Insights: Just Musing
Oil, gas, interest rates, chemicals are intertwined, so what is the worst that could happen?
August 28, 2006
Business Concentrates
Reconnecting To Science
Pharma research conference looks beyond the 'blockbuster' business model.
Pushing Moore's Law
More powerful chips may someday require the semiconductor industry to take its cues from biology.
Speedy Discovery
Kalypsys hopes to accelerate the flow of high-quality drug candidates into the clinic.
August 21, 2006
Business Concentrates
Cover Story: R&D Takes Off In Shanghai
Chemical and drug companies rush to set up corporate laboratories, straining the availability of qualified scientists.
A Modest Rise For Chemical Earnings
Most firms show increases, but total growth was just 0.4% at 24 companies.
Life After Zocor
U.S. drug majors offered steady second-quarter results, despite shake-up in cholesterol market.
Biotech Companies Maintain Stride
Larger companies continue to feel the pressure to bring new drugs to market.
August 14, 2006
Business Concentrates
Life After DuPont
Entrepreneurial scientists are finding new careers in the shadow of the big chemical company.
Helsinki Puts Out The Welcome Mat
Finnish capital works to overcome image of frozen north and make new chemicals agency feel at home.
Business Concentrates
Price Fixers Beware
The European Union explores ways to make it easier for cartel victims to recover damages.
Improving Profitability

Newly independent from Total, Arkema pushes to boost performance, raise profits.
Firms, Stock Analysts Should Take A Long View
Companies should end quarterly earnings guidance and focus on long term, business group says.
July 31, 2006
Business Concentrates
Getting Smaller
Supplying chemicals to the semiconductor industry presents challenges above mere technical ones.
Industrial Biotech
BIO conference charts the long route to economic viability in fuels and chemicals.
Scotland Invests
Country's economic development agency has multipronged approach for research-based industries.
July 24, 2006
Cover Story: Global Top 50
Dow and BASF retain the top two spots, but the chemical businesses of three big oil companies edge DuPont out of the top five of C&EN's annual survey
Business Concentrates
Rhodia's Rebound
With the sale of its contract manufacturing unit, Rhodia plays to its strengths in specialty chemicals.
Women In Industry
Women post gains in the chemical company executive suite but not in the boardroom.
Embracing Research
Galapagos bucks trend by diving into the business of contract chemistry research.
July 17, 2006
Business Concentrates
Changing Tides
Breakthroughs in manufacturing are making large-scale synthesis of peptides a viable proposition.
New Lines Drawn At Chemspec Europe

Exhibitors have segregated fine and specialties operations, but both sectors still matter.
Stock Indexes Fall In Second Quarter
Shares of most chemical and pharmaceutical companies drop; shares of biotech firms plunge.
July 10, 2006
Business Concentrates
Facts & Figures
Chemical industry data for 2005 show continued improvements in sales and earnings.
Finances | Employment | Production | Trade | Tables: CSV Format
Building A Business On Biodegradability

Finnish firm is expanding markets for body implants with novel bioactive ingredients.
The Trouble With Prices
U.S. chemical firms struggle with energy and raw material inflation.
Thinking Locally, Acting Locally
Nova Chemicals presses on as a regional player in a global business.
July 3, 2006
Business Concentrates
July 3, 2006
Changing Course
While Indian custom manufacturers push into the West, Degussa stakes out territory in Asia.
July 3, 2006
Sweet Home, Chicago
Plastics makers used NPE 2006 as a forum to reveal big plans.
C&EN Talks With Robert L. Wood

Setbacks aside, Chemtura CEO still expects firm to be the best U.S. specialty company.
June 26, 2006
Business Concentrates
Innocentive Opens Research Doors

More partners and new investors help the R&D-directed website extend channels for innovation.
Off Of The Sidelines
New leadership and ad campaign results are lifting faith in chemical industry's main trade association.
Silane Chemistry Home
Dow Corning launches 'solutions center' in Belgium for its global silanes business.
June 19, 2006
Business Concentrates
June 19, 2006
Special Issue
Pharma's Road Ahead

C&EN examines how the pharmaceutical industry, now on the defensive, is trying to win back the public's confidence and enhance productivity.
June 12, 2006
Business Concentrates
Lure Of Biologics

Once kept at arm's length, biotechnology is being embraced by big pharma.
Patents Go To Gavel
Ocean Tomo's live auction of intellectual assets intrigues chemical companies.
Polyethylene In The Sand
France's Total is one of several Western chemical firms seeking to exploit Qatar's natural gas resources.
June 5, 2006
Business Concentrates
Reaching India's Labs
Suppliers of research chemicals struggle to speed up deliveries to their growing customers in India.
Building Alliances
U.K. conference spotlights new ways for pharmaceutical companies to partner their way to success.
Cosmetic Appeal

More chemical companies see personal care as an outlet for their products and technologies.
Extreme Takeover
The nationalization of oil and gas resources in Latin America will eventually backfire.
May 29, 2006
Business Concentrates
Dow Chemical
CEO Andrew Liveris outlines challenges faced by his firm as well as those of the chemical industry.
Upbeat In Orlando
Software giant SAP racks up kudos at its Sapphire users conference.
Preventing Malaria

Insecticide-treated nets are playing an important role in fighting malaria in Africa, Southeast Asia.
May 22, 2006
Business Concentrates
Chemical Earnings Decline Slightly
Lower demand and rising costs continue to hamper results at 25 firms.
Strong Profit Gains For Big Drug Producers
First-quarter results signal that cost-cutting measures are helping the bottom line.
A Steady Start For Biopharma Companies
Larger biotech firms are starting to feel the same portfolio challenges as big pharma companies.
Angel Of Ailing Firms
Mumbai's Arch Pharmalabs grows fast by buying distressed drug plants and hiring new managers.
May 15, 2006
Business Concentrates
Top 50 Chemical Producers

Latest survey reflects several mergers and another strong year for U.S. chemical makers.
Discovering Japan
Fine chemicals makers vie, with mixed results, for business with Japanese drug companies.
Committing to India
Wyeth's search for a new contract research partner led it around the globe to Hyderabad's GVK Bio.
An Experienced Newcomer
After almost 20 years of working with Solvay, Indian firm RSIL widens its contract research business.
May 8, 2006
Business Concentrates
Personal Care
Synthetic polymers improve the style, feel, and functionality of the latest cosmetics.
At BIO 2006
Budgets, scientific integrity, and energy policy are criticized by science policy experts at AAAS forum.
May 1, 2006
Business Concentrates
Lonza Ups The Ante

After years of calculated but risky investments, Lonza finds the cards stacked in its favor.
Insights
Ethical questions abound when considering a future in which human biology, information technology, and nanorobotics merge.
Nanotechnology
As they launch commercial products, companies wrestle with health, safety, and other concerns and issues.
April 24, 2006
Business Concentrates
Ionic Liquids
Commercial applications are being realized for ionic liquids, but the new product registration process could limit growth.
The Switch Is On For Refrigerants
HCFCs will be phased out under the Montreal protocol, but the change isn't smooth.
Getting The Lead Out

Innospec's new name and stock listing are part of ongoing specialties strategy.
April 17, 2006
Business Concentrates
Oligonucleotides
After enduring a period of skepticism, oligonucleotide-based antisense drugs appear to be regaining favor in the investment community.
Chemical Stocks Star In Quarter
Chemicals beat major indexes, while biotech and pharmaceutical shares lag behind.
Indian Sizzler

Even as costs surge for India's fine chemicals and pharmaceutical companies, managers remain bullish.
April 10, 2006
Business Concentrates
The Other Drug For Avian Flu

Relenza is less well-known than Tamiflu, but its use is equally controversial.
Securing Chemical Plants From Attack
Electronics are key for Honeywell and other firms, but critics want bigger barriers and safer technologies.
The Petrochemical Skies May Eventually Fall
Petrochemical producers are enjoying large profits, but they fear the end of their run.
Pharma Outsourcing
The search for a cure for cancer unites three partnerships between a drug developer and a pharmaceutical chemical company
Double Play
A successful contract with a productive drug developer leads to a second piece of business.
Speed Limit
A pharmaceutical company and its chemistry partner scramble when a drug is fast-tracked.
Crossover
The effort to develop a small-molecule follow-on leads to a contract between neighboring firms.
April 3, 2006
Midwestern Home
Several small pharmaceutical chemical makers credit the region for their success.
C&EN Talks With Gary S. Calabrese

Rohm and Haas chief technology officer goes for the 'cool stuff'.
March 27, 2006
Business Concentrates
Body, Heal Thyself

After false starts, cancer immunotherapies tiptoe toward commercialization.
Island Complex
Taiwanese petrochemical industry grows despite land shortage, growing public pressure.
March 20, 2006
Business Concentrates
Petrochemicals Keep Up The Pace

Even with a few setbacks, petrochemical makers had a decent year in 2005 and are optimistic about 2006.
Shrinking Sales For U.S. Pharma Firms
The industry's heavy reliance on cholesterol-lowering drugs rippled through fourth-quarter results.
Corporate Star Search
Start-up firm NineSigma uses Internet to match industrial clients with inventive partners.
Biotech Shines In 2005
Treatments for cancer and arthritis propel sales and profits at biopharmaceutical firms.
March 13, 2006
Business Concentrates
Back To Business

Custom chemical manufacturers showed renewed faith in their industry at this year's Informex.
The Case For Saltigo
Lanxess is betting that a revamped custom chemical business will finally turn a profit.
'Lost Chemistry' Hurts U.S. Industry
As overall trade deficit deepens, chemistry component of downstream industries dwindles.
March 6, 2006
Business Concentrates
Reviving W.R. Grace
CEO Fred Festa prepares Grace for the day when bankruptcy ends.
Huntsman Takes Stock
SCI medalist Jon Huntsman reflects on his formative years in the chemical business.
Working The Library
Singapore's MerLion builds a business out of its rich library of natural compounds.
Populating The Lab
Demographics may get in the way of ensuring a strong chemistry contingent in the next 15 years.
February 27, 2006
Business Concentrates
Chemical Earnings In Fourth Quarter
Results were hard hit by effects of hurricanes; DuPont was a big factor in poor growth.
Giving REACH Program A Consumer Face
Downstream users of chemicals see several issues still to be resolved for Europe's chemicals policy.
An Unlikely Center For Pharmaceuticals
India has skilled labor and China has raw materials, but big drug companies prefer Singapore
February 20, 2006
Business Concentrates
Sigma-Aldrich's New Five-Year Plan
The firm's SAFC fine chemicals group has set itself apart and is in position for growth.
Shuffling The Deck

2005 was a strong year for acquisitions, led by activity in commodity chemical deals.
A New Job For Enzymes
Commercializing cellulosic ethanol will require enzymes and perhaps government help as well.
February 13, 2006
Business Concentrates
Breaking Through

Printable electronics is attracting growing interest and is gearing up for commercial applications.
Teaching An Old Drug New Tricks
Gene Logic is convincing big pharma to take another look at abandoned drugs.
Strategies Shift In Contract Biologics
Some fine chemicals makers pull back, while others push ahead on commercial production.
Custom Chemicals
As the global paradigm for the custom manufacturing business continuesto shift, providers struggle to differentiate themselves from the competition
Europe Adopts GMP Regulations
Directive on Good Manufacturing Practices could help level the competitive playing field
Fine Chemicals Group Offers Commonsense Steps
EFCG Reaches Milestones After First Year
Outlook Remains Cautious For 2006
Jaded industry participants are wary about predicting an upturn for custom chemicals
February 6, 2006
Business Concentrates
Labor Productivity Rises Again In 2005
Growth is less than in 2004; unit labor costs worsen on strength of wage increases.
Drug Patents

Indian drugmaker Cipla makes a persuasive case for royalties instead of exclusive patents.
January 30, 2006
Business Concentrates
Making One Out Of Many In England
Initiative pulls a fragmented industry together to give country's northeast a stronger chemical voice.
Dr. Reddy's Gambit

Frequent drug industry nemesis seeks to boost its custom manufacturing business.
Soaps & Detergents
Specialty chemical makers seek business both with cleaning product innovators and the companies that follow them.
Automatic Dishwashing
Technology At Heart Of New Product.
Surfactant Firms End A Tough Year
Restructuring steps are taken to counteract challenges in a competitive industry.
Soap & Detergent Association
Trade Group Confronts Emerging Chemical Regulations.
January 23, 2006
Business Concentrates
Bhopal's Wound

More than 21 years after the disaster, there is no agreement on how to clean up old Union Carbide site.
January 16, 2006
Business Concentrates
Stock Indexes Mixed

Chemicals and biotech improve in fourth quarter, but pharmaceuticals decline slightly.
C&EN Talks With Stephen F. Paul
Princeton University physics professor promotes a domestic designer fuel.
January 9, 2006
Business Concentrates
The ADM Way Of Making Chemicals
Agribusiness giant goes head-to-head against petroleum-based chemical companies.
Cooking With Gas
Air Liquide prepares for a run-up in hydrogen use to improve petroleum-based fuels.
World Chemical Outlook
Forecasts are mixed but favorable overall for the global chemical industry in 2006, much as 2005 turned out. Buzz will be about Europe's new chemicals policy and the strongly performing Asian economies.
January 2, 2006
Business Concentrates
Diamond Gives Sparkle To R&D
New synchrotron sets out welcome mat for industrial researchers who need powerful light analysis.
Future Doc
Big questions and ethical conundrums abound at the dawn of 'personalized medicine'.