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Chemicals and Petrochemicals

Maintenance strategies key to SA industry

By: Malusi Mkhize 4th March 2016 The stagnating economy, coupled with depressed oil prices, has led petrochemicals refineries to emphasise pump and equipment maintenance rather than investing in capital procurement, states pump supplier AESPUMP sales and marketing director Neil Britz. Owing to this, he notes that the company can... →

Control technology improves refining and chemicals industry

By: Malusi Mkhize 4th March 2016 Advance process control (APC) technology has become an industry standard for petrochemicals and chemicals companies, owing to its ability to improve the overall management of a refinery, says process and operations management solutions provider BluESP chief engineer Dr Kevin Brooks. He tells... →

QUALITY DECISIONS Advance process control technology enables petrochemical companies to make decisions that lead to optimum functioning capacity of refineries and plants

Manufacturing company will experience demand for insect repellent

4th March 2016 Synthesis and manufacturing company Saltigo a wholly owned subsidiary of specialty chemicals company LANXESS, is experiencing a marked increase in demand for icaridin, an active ingredient in insect repellents which the company markets for its global market. Saltigo MD Wolfgang Schmitz says,... →

Stagnant chemicals industry close to shrinking

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 International executive search firm Odgers Berndtson describes the current state of the South African chemicals and petrochemicals industry as stagnant, if not diminishing, says energy, consumer and technology specialist for sub-Saharan Africa Guy Lundy, a partner in the firm’s Cape Town office. →

GUY LUNDY Industry needs to work more closely with research institutions and universities to encourage and support local research and development

Low oil price results in improved petrochemicals demand

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 The recent decline in global oil prices is not only prompting supply chains to destock their petrochemical inventories but is also sowing the seeds for better economic conditions, lower petrochemical prices and improved global petrochemical demand, says information and analysis company IHS Chemical. →

OIL DEPENDENT With oil serving as the marginal production cost and price-setter for many chemicals, a decline in the oil price typically leads to lower product prices

Industrial-strength cleaners harmful to human health

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 The increasingly prevalent use of cleaning products marketed as having industrial-strength cleaning properties – especially in the household goods market – does more harm than good to human health and the environment, claims bio-cleaning solutions company Green Worx Cleaning Solutions. →

NEW INITIATIVES Green Worx Cleaning Solutions has launched initiatives aimed at making men’s restrooms more pleasant

Event puts petroleum industry in the limelight

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 The fifth Petro.t.ex exhibition and conference, which is supported by the 20 petroleum corporations that are members of the South African Petroleum Industry Association (Sapia), will take place at Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand, from May 20 to 22, as part of the South Africa Industry &... →

Chemicals personnel undergo skills training

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 Chemicals production staff from chemicals company a.b.e. Construction Chemicals recently underwent a 12-month training programme, provided by the Institute for Quality Education Training and Development, to further their skills sets, the company tells Engineering News. →

CHEMICALS GRADUATES a.b.e. Construction Chemicals graduates Jabulani Dlamini, Mapule Mokoena and George Ndlovu, flanked by Institute for Quality Education Training and Development branch manager Judy Shaik and Chryso Southern Africa Group human resources and organisation GM Brian Matthee. Graduate Nathaniel Manganye was absent when the photograph was taken

Fire system maintained at petro depot

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 Since rope access company Skyriders signed a contract with a large petrochemicals depot in 2013, a team of the company’s technicians has been maintaining the plant’s deluge fire sprinkler system, with work completed on 30 structures on site. →

SPRINKLER INSPECTION A skilled rope-access team from Skyriders is tasked with ensuring that a deluge fire sprinkler system is ready to deal with any fire at a petrochemicals plant

Versatile blocks prevent chemical contamination

20th March 2015 To eliminate the possibility of chemicals powders cross contaminating and subsequently corroding its supplies, chemicals, plastics, packaging materials and mining and construction products distributor The CHC Group South Africa (SA) recently installed precast concrete infrastructure products... →

CHEMICAL POWDER SEGREGATION Alfablocs are used to separate chemical powders to mitigate cross contamination

Learning centre boosts subjects requirements

20th March 2015 International petroleum refiner and marketer Chevron South Africa (SA) – which retails under the Caltex brand locally – opened a science learning centre on October 20, 2014 at Bosmansdam High School, in Bothasig, Cape Town. →

EXPLOITING NEW FACILITIES Bosmansdam High School grade 11 learner Shane Klaaste conducting an experiment in the new science centre

Automation improves wood treatment processes

20th March 2015 In their quest for accuracy, chemical specialists from wood preservative chemicals company Dolphin Bay Chemicals have taken an innovative approach to determining the correct solution strength of Permacure CCA, which is a wood preservative, which involves using existing technology and adapting it... →

Photo by Duane Daws
AUTOMATED PROCESS The titration process has been automated to ensure the adequate retention of Permacure CCA in timber

Oil-free compressors ideal for chemicals, petrochemicals sectors

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 South Africa’s chemical and petrochemical industries contribute substantially to the country’s economy, hence the importance of petrochemical companies maintaining proactive maintenance and good-quality equipment to ensure sustainability and productivity, says compressor and generator rental... →

REMOTE MONITORING Rand-Air uses an iAccess platform to remotely montior compressor efficiency and maintenance

Pyrolysis for tyre recycling gains traction in SA

By: Donna Slater 20th March 2015 Using pyrolysis to recycle used vehicle tyres is gaining popularity in South Africa, with the first fully functional pyrolysis plant, at Gauteng-based tyre recycler Milvinetix’s premises already operational. →

TYRE RECYCLING Milvinetix is using a development grant to improve its tyre recycling facilities

South African chemicals industry has growth potential

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 Despite South Africa having the largest and most sophisticated chemicals industry in Africa, estimated at $30-billion, it only contributes about 1% to the global market, says global growth consulting firm Frost & Sullivan chemicals, materials and food industry analyst Dilshaad Booley. The South... →

DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY Upgrading technologies requires high capital investments, which are not easily accessible in South Africa, owing to product cost implications

Photo by Frost & Sullivan
DEVELOPING TECHNOLOGY Upgrading technologies requires high capital investments, which are not easily accessible in South Africa, owing to product cost implications

Chemical expands market opportunities

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 South Africa-based wood-preservative chemicals supplier Dolphin Bay Chemicals implemented its first pilot wood treatment of wood ammonium copper quaternary (ACQ) in October 2013. ACQ was developed in the US and is being manufactured locally by Dolphin Bay Chemicals under its Permacure brand. →

Rapid expansion reaps award

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 South Africa-based, women-owned chemicals manufacturer and distributor Elegant Line Chemicals received the Frost & Sullivan 2013 South African Entrepreneurial Company of the Year Award in the industrial commodity chemicals space last month. Elegant Line Chemicals has expanded rapidly within its... →

Gasifier mechanics replaced after 40 years

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 Energy and chemicals group Sasol received four stainless steel rotating grate castings from South Africa-based steel castings manufacturer Steloy in July 2013. Steloy sales and marketing director Wynand Labuschagne notes that although certain components of the gasifiers, such as the grate... →

Critical equipment keeps upgrade project on schedule

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 Compressor and generator hire company Rand-Air played a significant role in the delivery of mission-critical equipment and service to energy and chemicals group Sasol’s Synfuels nitrogen project, it reported in October. The company, which is part of international engineering group Atlas Copco,... →

Wine producer to establish ethanol fuel plant in Western Cape

21st March 2014 Western Cape-based wine producer Namaqua Wines signed an agreement with Paarl-based distillation design and technology provider Taurus Distillation, in February, to establish a commercial 1.2-million ℓ 96.4% fuel ethanol pilot plant at their Spruitdrift Cellar near Vredendal. The customised,... →

Chemicals companies commit to Responsible Care

21st March 2014 The South African branch of global chemicals company BASF signed the Responsible Care (RC) pledge with Chemical and Allied Industries' Association (Caia), in Midrand, in December last year. BASF Business Center South Africa and Sub-Sahara head Joan-Maria Garcia-Girona together with a BASF... →

Accord to improve safety status of chemicals sector

21st March 2014 The Department of Labour (DoL) and its social partners signed the Chemical Sector Health and Safety Accord to improve the status of occupational health and safety (OHS) in the South African chemicals sector, in November 2013. The accord was signed by the DoL; the Chemical and Allied Industry... →

Chemicals group inaugurates R1.9bn polyethylene plant

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 Energy and chemicals group Sasol inaugurated its new R1.9-billion ethylene purification unit, known as the Ethylene Purification Unit 5 (EPU5), in Sasolburg, in January. The inauguration, which was held at the Sasol Polymers Plant in Sasolburg, was attended by CEO David Constable and the South... →

New modular storage system limits lubricant contamination

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 Engineering solutions provider Bearing Man Group (BMG) launched engineering products manufacturer and supplier Omsa’s L–shaped 920 ℓ tank, at the end of 2013. Through BMG’s acquisition of OMSA in 2012, BMG’s Fluid Power division has secured several filtration products, making it more competitive. →

Company treats 25 000 t of contaminated soil

By: David Oliveira 21st March 2014 South African environmental management products and services company Procon Environmental Technologies successfully rehabilitated 25 000 t of soil contaminated by a major diesel spillage at a site near Tzaneen, in Limpopo, the company announced in February. The company achieved this by making use... →

Supplementing maintenance resources growing trend in petrochemicals industry

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 Proactive maintenance is important to ensure the productivity and sustainability of petrochemical companies, with leaders in the field opting to supplement their maintenance resources with outsourced expertise and equipment, which allows them to concentrate on their core business, says welding-... →

Small market share challenge for SA sector

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 The South African chemicals and petrochemicals sector produces only 1% of the total global market’s consumption, despite the industry being the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, with a refining efficiency of 85%, says Frost & Sullivan chemicals research associate Patrick Nkomo. →

New Sapia chairperson highlights focus areas for 2013

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 The most significant challenges that the South African petroleum industry will face this year include the security of fuel supply, changes to the transformation framework and cost-recovery models for cleaner fuels, newly elected 2013 chairperson of the South African Petroleum Industry Association... →

Greening pilot at three African sites completed

22nd March 2013 Downstream-focused petroleum products group Engen will focus on greening more of its retail sites in its 19 territories across sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands, then turn to its depots and offices across the group in the future. →

8 000 learners, unemployed gain from billboard recycling campaign

22nd March 2013 Petrochemicals company BP’s first Ads to Bags donation, which has given the vinyl skins from its old advertising billboards a second life as useful school products, reached 8 000 learners this year. →

PED assures safety for petrochemicals equipment

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 Global supplier of high-alloy steel components Steloy Castings credits its share of the international and South African petrochemicals market to conforming with the stringent quality-assurance requirements necessitated by the petrochemicals industry, in addition to the standards of the European... →

Tender bids wanted for clean fuels project in Kuwait

22nd March 2013 Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) held a pretender meeting on February 10, for its $18-billion Clean Fuels project at the Mina Al-Ahmadi and Mina Abdullah refineries. KNPC invited international engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) companies to bid for the tender by April 2 this... →

Fastener system improves safety of industry

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 The X-BT system offers high performance in corrosive environments and is best suited to fastening solutions in the petrochemicals industry, fastening systems manufacturer and supplier Hilti tells Engineering News. →

Adequate safety management on the rise in chemicals industry

By: Zandile Mavuso 22nd March 2013 Companies that use and manufacture hazardous chemicals are realising the importance of having a chemicals management system in place, as being proactive rather than reactive and implementing best-practice requirements for the safe management of chemicals puts them in an advantageous position,... →

Trusted combination used for waterproofing Namibian water features

22nd March 2013 Chemicals company a.b.e. Construction Chemicals supplied a proven combination of two of its products for the waterproofing of water features at Namibia’s popular Norotshama River Resort set on the banks of the Orange river about 60 km from the South African border, which was completed in November... →

A diesel additive that passes the test

By: Keith Campbell 6th October 2006 It meets the requirements of the specification of South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) SANS 342 automotive diesel fuel standard. →

Group increases size through acquisition

26th March 2004 Specialised chemical services company Omnia, providing customised solutions in the agricultural, mining and industrial chemical markets, was successful in its bid to acquire the largest distributor and trader of chemicals in South Africa, the Prochem group. →

Chemical imports from China, India climb

By: Zonika Botha 29th March 2002 The consolidation of the global chemical manufacturing industry has resulted in the worldwide growth of the chemical distribution industry, particularly in Southern Africa, Protea Chemicals executive director Peter Gubb reports. →

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