CompositesWorld

FEB 2016

CompositesWorld

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TRENDS SABIC (Pittsfeld, MA, US) is merging its US-based technology and innova- tion operations now located at its Pittsfeld, MA, Exton, PA and Selkirk, NY locations. Consolidation of the three R&D; operations at the Selkirk plant will take place as soon as the necessary modifcations to the facilities there are completed, now estimated to be some time in 2017. At that time, SABIC will exit its Pittsfeld Polymer Processing Development Center and close its Exton site. "This integration will not only drive important efciencies, it will also merge material science, process engineering and application development into a collaborative environment that will lead to new innovation breakthroughs," says Awadh Al-Maker, executive VP, SABIC Technology & Innovation. SABIC (Pittsfeld, MA, US) is merging its US-based technology and innova- tion operations now located at its FEBRUARY 2016 24 CompositesWorld Cytec Solvay Group (formerly Cytec Industries, Woodland Park, NJ, US) announced on Dec. 4, 2015, the opening of its new Cytec Application Centre in Heanor, UK, adjacent to its existing manufacturing and R&D; sites. Part of a strategy to develop new composite products and technologies to serve high-volume production markets, the US$13 million invest- ment is a practical demonstration of Cytec's commitment to a long-term vision for adoption of composites by the serial- production automotive industry. The announcement coincided with completion of Solvay's (Brussels, Belgium) acquisition of Cytec and the ignition of the process of integrating Cytec's businesses to deliver cost synergies and capture signifcant business opportunities in advanced lightweighting materials for the aerospace and automotive industries and in specialty chemicals for mining. As this article went to press, Solvay was in the process of creating two new Global Business Units (GBU), one of which will group Cytec's composite businesses Aerospace Materials and Industrial Materials together, with Bill Wood as president. Cytec has developed new materials such as rapid-cure thermoset prepregs and HP-RTM resin systems, said Markus Aschauer, VP of Cytec Solvay Group. It is now working with partners and customers to develop application technolo- gies to enable their refnement and use in part manufacture, Cytec opens UK Applications Centre and assumes new Solvay identity demonstrating to customers how the materials can be used in a high-volume production setting. "Application engineering, the ability to integrate design, materials and part manufacturing, is a key enabler to the increased adoption of composites and is a core competence Cytec has built over several years. This new center will allow us to further exploit this competence and expand our solu- tions ofering to meet the afordability and high-rate needs of our customers" said Carmelo Lo Faro, Cytec's chief tech- nology ofcer. The center is equipped with press molding and injection equipment, robotics for automated pick and place, material formatting and trimming as well as recycling and 3D-printing capabilities. Source | Cytec Solvay Group BIZ BRIEF The state-owned chemical group China National Chemical Corp. (ChemChina, Beijing, China) has agreed to acquire KraussMafei Group (Munich, Germany) from Onex Corp., a Toronto, ON, Canada- based private-equity frm, for US$1 billion. Following Onex's acquisition in late 2012, KraussMafei Group reportedly achieved strong growth and had a very successful year in 2015. As part of ChemChina, it says it expects to considerably accelerate its growth strategy, especially in China and Asia, as it further strengthens its position in Germany and Europe. As a result of the transaction, the KraussMafei Group, expects to be able to accelerate a planned expansion into China. KraussMafei Group's headquarters will reportedly remain in Munich and the operating and corporate responsibility for the company also will stay in Europe. ChemChina sees the acqui- sition of KraussMafei as an integral step in fulflling its role in the "Made in China 2025" program, which aims to enhance China's growing manufacturing industry.

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