Albemarle Supports EPA Efforts to Address PBDEs

July 12th, 2012

BATON ROUGE, La., July 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – In a letter to Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) today offered its support of the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to finalize its proposed actions on Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Such action will ensure that decaBDE will not be imported into the United States after December 31, 2013.

In the letter, Dr. David Clary, Albemarle’s Chief Sustainability Officer, commented, “Albemarle supports the EPA proposal to amend the PBDE SNUR to designate manufacturing, importing, or processing of decaBDE for any use which is not ongoing after December 31, 2013 as a significant new use.  Further, Albemarle supports the EPA’s efforts to promulgate a test rule for PBDEs if it determines that manufacture (including import) or processing of PBDEs has not ceased by December 31, 2013.”

Albemarle, in cooperation with the EPA, announced a voluntary phase out of its production of decaBDE in 2009.  The company is on schedule to cease commercial production of decaBDE entirely by the end of 2012 in accordance with its agreement with EPA and will limit commercial sales within the United States in 2013 to only transportation and military applications requiring that additional transition time.

While many science-based and peer-reviewed studies have shown decaBDE to be safe in its intended use, Albemarle is committed to delivering safe and effective products with increasingly smaller environmental footprints.  The company’s proactive innovation has allowed it to bring two polymeric flame retardants to market in the last few years:  GreenArmor and GreenCrest.  These polymeric flame retardants, marketed under the Earthwise™ portfolio, represent the latest fire safety technology and provide additional certainty about product safety as they can’t be absorbed by animal or human cells.  GreenCrest has successfully completed review by EPA’s New Chemicals Program and GreenArmor has been submitted for such a review.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Albemarle Expands South Haven API Production Site

June 27th, 2012

Expansion enables the company to advance its growing portfolio of custom products

BATON ROUGE, La., June 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global developer, manufacturer and marketer of highly engineered specialty chemicals, announced today that its FDA-registered South Haven, Michigan site has expanded and upgraded its multi-product cGMP active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility.  Production using the new expanded capacity commenced on June 1, 2012.

This expansion is the latest in a series of projects at the South Haven site to increase capabilities and production throughput, meeting the increasing demand for both generic API products and custom manufacturing service portfolios.  In the past two years, the number of custom API projects has more than doubled at the South Haven site. The investment matches the solids handling equipment with the reactor capacity and will enable the company to advance its growing portfolio of custom API products, several of which have progressed to late stage clinical development and pre-registration status.

Albemarle Fine Chemistry Services specializes in enabling its customers to go to market in an efficient and fully compliant manner by providing comprehensive process development and validation capabilities followed by seamless transition into commercial-scale production.  Albemarle uses the Quality by Design (QbD) approach to establish manufacturing processes and then speed validated commercial products to market.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

Albemarle’s Fine Chemistry Services (FCS) division is an innovative, full-service provider of fine chemicals to the world’s leading companies across the pharmaceutical, agrichemical, and specialty materials markets.  Albemarle’s FCS division helps global customers complete hundreds of successful projects through a powerful combination of proven chemistry expertise, game-changing process development, high-quality custom manufacturing and exceptional service.  From innovative R&D to commercial-scale production, Albemarle’s FCS division delivers the knowledge, experience, resources, creativity and service you need to move products to market faster and accelerate your business.  To learn more about Albemarle’s FCS division, please visit www.albemarle.com/fcs.

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Siemens Develop ABS Plastic Alternative

June 8th, 2012

Researchers at technology company Siemens have developed an alternative material to polystyrene-based acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) plastic made from renewable-based polymers and carbon dioxide.

The new material — a result of a three-year project funded by the German Research Ministry and in collaboration with BASF, Munich Techical University and the University of Hamburg scientists — is a mixture of polyhdroxybutyrate (PHB) bioplastic and carbon dioxide-based polypropylene carbonate (PPC) (containing 43% by weight CO2) supplied by BASF.

According to the press release, the new composite polymer has more than 70% renewable-based content. Bosch-Siemens-Hausgeräte (BSH) demonstrated its performance by using the material to make a vacuum cleaner cover under series-production conditions. In cooperation with BSH and BASF, the Siemens researchers now want to examine whether they can replace other types of plastic used by BSH with CO2-based composite materials.

Source: Icis

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Albemarle celebrates grand opening of shared services center in Dalian, China

May 24th, 2012

DALIAN, China, May 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a global leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of highly-engineered specialty chemicals, will celebrate the grand opening of its Asia-Pacific shared services center in Dalian, China today during a ceremony held at the facility.

Known as Albemarle’s Asia-Pacific Center of Excellence (CoE), the Dalian site was developed as part of the company’s “One Albemarle” strategy and complements the regional CoEs currently operating in Budapest, Hungary and Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The CoEs are designed to standardize and streamline the company’s global processes, resulting in one automated, scalable global platform for Albemarle’s business which will reduce costs, improve productivity and better support the company’s growth.

Albemarle established specific criteria when selecting the location for the Asia-Pacific CoE. The company chose Dalian because of several factors, including:

  • The level of support and engagement that was received from the local community and government officials
  • Dalian’s unique geographical location between the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea, making it an important international shipping hub and logistics center
  • The availability of a well-educated and experienced employee base to support strategic initiatives throughout the region.

“Albemarle is excited to celebrate the opening of our Asia-Pacific Center of Excellence, and we are pleased to be here in Dalian,” said Scott Tozier, Albemarle’s Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.  “At Albemarle, our focus is on performance excellence in everything we do. This site will undoubtedly enable us to better serve our customers in the Asia-Pacific region. The exceptional local talent and the support of the local community and government made Dalian the ideal choice for this new CoE,” he added.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Albemarle Announces Production Site for GreenCrest” Innovative Polymeric Fire Safety Solution

May 22nd, 2012

BATON ROUGE, La., May 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of flame retardants, announced today that it will manufacture the latest addition to its Earthwise™ portfolio of eco-friendly fire safety solutions at the company’s Orangeburg, SC plant.  The polymeric fire safety solution will be marketed under the trade name GreenCrest™.

GreenCrest is a stable, high molecular weight polymeric flame retardant designed to gradually replace Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) for use in extruded (XPS) and expanded (EPS) polystyrene applications.  Albemarle plans to commercialize the new technology in 2014.

“The selection of the production site for GreenCrest is the next step in Albemarle’s agreement to manufacture and market this premium technology and confirms the company’s commitment to providing our customers with sustainable, innovative fire safety solutions that meet the increasing demands of global regulations and standards,” said Brian Carter, Division Vice President of global brominated flame retardants.

Albemarle’s Orangeburg facility is a fully commercial specialty chemicals facility serving all three of the company’s global business units. The site has strategic access to warehousing and shipping from the United States’ fourth largest container port in Charleston, SC, just 80 miles from the plant.  “The Orangeburg site offers several advantages to our ability to bring this product to market expediently.  The proven abilities of our Orangeburg employees will be invaluable in this process,” added Carter.

Albemarle’s flame retardant business is part of the company’s fire safety solutions within the Polymer Solutions business segment.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation

Media, Ashley Mendoza, +1-225-388-7137, Ashley.Mendoza@albemarle.com; or Investor Relations, Lorin Crenshaw, +1-225-388-7322, Lorin.Crenshaw@albemarle.com

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Albemarle Announces Plans to Exit Phosphorous Flame Retardants Business

May 17th, 2012

BATON ROUGE, La., May 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — In order to restructure its business portfolio and address underperforming assets, Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leader in the global specialty chemicals market, announced today that it plans to exit its existing phosphorous flame retardants business. Albemarle currently produces phosphorus flame retardants, part of its Polymer Solutions business segment, at its Avonmouth, United Kingdom and Nanjing, China manufacturing sites. The proposal to exit the business and cease operations at the Avonmouth, UK site is subject to consultation with its employees, which has begun. In addition, the process to cease operations at the Nanjing, China site has also begun.

The cash outlay related to the above proposals is expected to be in the range of $5 million to $15 million with payback in approximately one year. As a consequence of these plans, the company would expect to incur a one-time after-tax accounting charge in the range of $80 million to $95 million in the second quarter 2012, which would include costs such as severance, asset write-downs and closure costs. Once these actions are completed, including a restructuring program intended to eliminate costs allocated to the phosphorus business, annual earnings per share should improve by $0.10 to $0.15 per share in 2013.

“One of the fundamental drivers of Albemarle’s future growth is our ability to manage our business portfolio and show discipline in addressing underperforming assets or product lines. It has become clear that our current phosphorus business and product lines are not strategically aligned with Vision 2015’s growth plans,” commented Luke Kissam, Albemarle’s Chief Executive Officer. “We recognize the impact a proposed closure would have on our employees, their families and the communities where they live, and we will strive to minimize this impact,” added Kissam.

Subject to the conclusion of the consultation process in the UK, production at both facilities will cease upon completion of customer contracts.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

SOURCE Albemarle Corporation

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

The Bromine Market to Reach 344 Thousand Metric Tons by 2017

April 27th, 2012

According to a new report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. , the US market for bromine will reach 344 thousand metric tons. This includes Flame Retardants, Drilling Fluids, Brominated Pesticides, Water-Treatment Chemicals, and Others. These predictions are provided for the time between the years of 2009 and 2017. Although the US bromine market witnessed a minor drop in the need of bromine during 2008 and 2009, the market eventually saw the signs of recovery in 2010 and is confident that the growth will continue in the coming years.

Thirty companies included in this report are many key and niche players such as Albemarle Corporation, Arab Potash Company, Chemada Fine Chemicals Company Ltd., Chemtura Corporation, Biolab Inc., Hindustan Salts Limited, Israel Chemicals Limited, Dead Sea Bromine Company Ltd., Clearon Corporation, ICL-IP America, Inc., Jordan Bromine Company Ltd., Morre–Tec Industries, Inc., Ocean Chemical Group, Solaris ChemTech Ltd., Tata Chemicals Ltd., Tetra technologies Inc., The Dow Chemical Company, and Tosoh Corporation.

The research report titled “Bromine: A US Market Report” announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc., provides a complete examination of the US and select regional bromine markets, current market trends, competitive scenario, product overview, recent industry activity, and profiles of major/niche global as well as regional market participants.

For more details about this comprehensive market research report, please click here.

  • Share/Bookmark

1 Comment »

1500 Polymers Entries in Industry from A to Z

April 27th, 2012

A new addition to the John Wiley and Sons Ltd’s was announced on Wednesday, April 18th. This reference book contains 1500 across-the-board polymer entries and summarizes the overview of all materials, manufacture, structure and architecture, properties, processing, and applications. Now scientists will be able to comprehend the effects of their work and polymer technologists, engineers, and designers will discover the theoretical background. This personal reference for anyone studying or working within the field is fundamental information of concepts and application.

Key Topics Covered:

A Abrasion Non-resistance Copolymerization B Back-Flow Butyl Rubber C Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)Cyanate Ester D DABCO Dynamic Vulcanization E Effective Modulus Eyring Equation F Fabrication Fusion Promoter G Gate Gutta Percha H Halogenated Fire Retardant Hyperbranched Polymer I Impact ModifierIzod Impact Test J J integral Joint K K Value Kneading L Lamella L?der Lines M M100 and M300Mylar N Nafion Nylon Screw O Oil Absorption Ozone P Paint Pyrolysis Q Q Meter Quinone Structure R Rabinowitsch Equation Rutile S Sag Syntactic Foam T TackTyre Construction U Ubbelohde ViscometerUV Stabilizer V Vacuum Forming Vulcanization W Wall SlipWork of Adhesion X X-Ray Diffraction (XRD)Xenon Arc Lamp Y Y Calibration Factor Young.s Modulus Z Z-Blade Mixer Zisman Plot

For more information on this handy all-in-one volume, click here.

  • Share/Bookmark

1 Comment »

Albemarle Introduces Next Product in the Earthwise Portfolio of Sustainable, Eco-Friendly Solutions

April 12th, 2012

Innovative polymeric fire safety solution is result of technology license from Dow

(BATON ROUGE, La.) April 12, 2011–Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), a leader in the development, manufacture and marketing of flame retardants, announced today that it has expanded its Earthwise™ platform of sustainable products by introducing a new polymeric flame retardant for use in extruded (XPS) and expanded (EPS) polystyrene applications.

This new technology, licensed from Dow Global Technologies LLC (DGTL), a subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW), will be commercialized under Albemarle’s Earthwise brand and provides a stable, high molecular weight, non-PBT (Persistent, Bioaccumulative, Toxic) polymeric technology for use in these demanding applications. This new technology is expected to become the preferred choice to meet critical fire safety requirements for both XPS and EPS.

Albemarle’s agreement to manufacture and sell this premium technology confirms the company’s commitment to provide customers with sustainable, innovative fire safety solutions that meet the increasing demands of global regulations and standards, such as energy efficiency and sustainable design for these thermal insulation materials.

“This expansion of our Earthwise portfolio is another sign of our position as the industry leader in flame retardants, and joins our other key polymeric platforms, Green Armor™ and our family of brominated polystyrene products, SAYTEX® HP-3010, HP-7010 and 621,” said Brian Carter, Division Vice President of global brominated flame retardants.  “Albemarle expects to commercialize this new technology in 2014 and is already working closely with customers to fully qualify the product in both applications.”

Albemarle’s flame retardant business is part of the Company’s fire safety solutions within the Polymer Solutions business segment.

About Albemarle
Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is a leading global developer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly-engineered specialty chemicals for consumer electronics, petroleum refining, utilities, packaging, construction, automotive/transportation, pharmaceuticals, crop protection, food-safety and custom chemistry services. The Company is committed to global sustainability and is advancing its eco-practices and solutions in its three business segments, Polymer Solutions, Catalysts and Fine Chemistry. Corporate Responsibility Magazine selected Albemarle to its prestigious “100 Best Corporate Citizens” list for 2010 and 2011.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to www.albemarle.com, including notification of events, news, financial performance, investor presentations and webcasts, Regulation G reconciliations, SEC filings, and other information regarding the Company, its businesses and the markets we serve.

Whether consumers are watching a television, sitting on a sofa, taking a commercial airline flight, or swallowing ibuprofen to relieve a headache, Albemarle products are there making lives safer and more livable.  For more information, visit www.earthwiseinside.com.

Albemarle Media Contact:  Ashley Mendoza, (225) 388-7137, Ashley.Mendoza@albemarle.com

Albemarle Investor Relations Contact: Lorin Crenshaw, (225) 388-7322, Lorin.Crenshaw@albemarle.com

About The Dow Chemical Company
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company connects chemistry and innovation with the principles of sustainability to help address many of the world’s most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow’s diversified industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 160 countries and in high growth sectors such as electronics, water, energy, coatings and agriculture. In 2011, Dow had annual sales of $60 billion and employed approximately 52,000 people worldwide. The Company’s more than 5,000 products are manufactured at 197 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to “Dow” or the “Company” mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

The Dow Chemical Company Media Contact:  Erik van Oosten, (989) 636-5090, evanoosten@dow.com

“Safe Harbor” Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: Statements in this press release regarding Albemarle Corporation’s business that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” that involve risks and uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »

Green Flame Retardants Featured in Specialty Chemicals Magazine

April 2nd, 2012


Dr. Kumar G. Kumar gave SCM in-depth performance data about Albemarle’s upcoming eco-friendly flame retardant, GreenArmor. The flame retardant will be the first of a line of environmentally preferred products released by Albemarle under their Earthwise division.

Researchers like Dr. Kumar have developed stable low molecular weight brominated polymers using readily available raw materials. These polymers have a wide range of properties that can be tailored to offer specific physical and flame retardant performance in any given resin system. GreenArmor is the first of this new generation polymers and has high bromine content, better FR efficiency, is melt-blendable and can be used in both thermoplastic and thermoset polymers. Polymers flame retarded with GreenArmor have excellent mechanical and electrical properties, offer better thermal and color stability and have excellent recyclability.

This isn’t Dr. Kumar’s first time presenting on GreenArmor, and for more details you can view slides from his BCC presentation here, or read Dr. Kumar’s study here.

  • Share/Bookmark

No Comments »