By American Chemistry on October 29, 2012 in Media

Contact: Bryan Goodman (202) 249-6510
Email: bryan_goodman@americanchemistry.com

WASHINGTON, D.C. (September 7, 2012) – In response to an article in the New York Times Magazine about flame retardants, the American Chemistry Council released the following statement:

“It is unfortunate that the New York Times Magazine oversimplified the debate about flame retardants.

“Studies show that flame retardants play an important role in reducing fire injuries and deaths, even as fuel loads have increased dramatically in households and public spaces over recent decades. For example, one recent independent analysis conducted by a researcher at Southwest Research Institute, using data from a National Institute of Justice arson study, found that flame retardants make a notable difference and provide greater escape time when they are used in household furniture.

“It is important to remember that flame retardants currently in use, like all chemicals, are already subject to review by the EPA and national regulators around the globe. The Toxic Substance Control Act and more than a dozen other federal laws and regulations, including consumer product safety laws, food safety laws and product liability laws provide further oversight of chemicals in commerce to assure that they are safe for their intended uses.

“Flame retardants are an important tool in the effort to reduce deaths, burns and loss of property due to fires.”

BATON ROUGE, La., July 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB), today offered its encouragement to recent efforts announced by California Governor Brown, the California Bureau of Home Furnishings and the Senate Appropriations Committee to assess the need for improvements in fire safety standards for home furnishings.

“California should be congratulated for their pioneering standard-setting efforts of 1975, which focused on ignition of furniture foam by an open flame,” said Dr. David Clary, Albemarle Chief Sustainability Officer. “We are encouraged that fire safety standards are being revisited after 35 years because fire remains a very real problem in the United States.  According to the National Fire Protection Association, in the United States alone, fires currently cause one civilian death every 2 hours 49 minutes, an injury every 30 minutes, and one building fire every 65 seconds.”

California’s fire safety standards for home furnishings are embedded in Technical Bulletin 117 (TB117.) California’s TB117 recognized open flames as an important source of home fires. According to the National Fire Protection Association, during the period 2005 to 2009, open flames caused more than one in five of the upholstered furniture fires and 12% of the associated deaths in the United States. A recent study funded by the U.S. government shows fire safety standards that address open flames as a source of fires provide increased escape time and the highest level of safety.

Regulatory efforts since 1975 demonstrate that California TB117 can be improved. For example, in 1988, recognizing advances in science and technology in the interim decade, Great Britain published a stricter standard which considers different sources of ignition and both the fabric and the foam cushioning of the furniture under real world conditions. Research conducted in Great Britain demonstrates that by 2007, the new British standard resulted in 37% fewer furniture fires each year and a 64% reduction in deaths from furniture fires.

Albemarle Corporation supports efforts to strengthen fire safety standards and is committed to delivering fire safety solutions based on sound science.

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

Flame retardant expert Susan D. Landry reveals how green chemistry advancements will progress

Landry works with Earthwise™, a division of Albemarle, which will release an environmentally preferred  flame retardant, GreenArmor™, later this year. Creating an industry with minimized environmental impact begins with the research and development of eco-friendly, non-bioaccumulative  compounds, like GreenArmor, but involves players at every level of production and implementation.

Landry highlights three things necessary for increased sustainability:

• Mandatory regulations
• Voluntary phase-outs
• Life-cycle awareness

Landry asks that users of flame retardants participate in VECAP (Voluntary Emissions Control Action Program) to address emissions in the manufacturing, processing and waste disposal stages of the product life-cycle.

To find out more, go see Landry’s presentation, “Regulatory Status and Sustainability of Flame Retardants,” at the IPC It’s Not Easy Being Green symposium, July 19-21 2010. You can view the presentation slides here.

Regulatory Status and Sustainability of Flame Retardants

About the Presenter

With over twenty-five years with Albemarle, Susan D. Landry serves as the company’s Advisor, Fire Safety & Advocacy. In this role, Susan promotes the benefits of Albemarle’s flame retardant products with a wide variety of stakeholders, particularly in the U.S. A respected expert on flame retardants, Susan has received fourteen patents related to these products and has presented numerous papers and presentations on flame retardants, with a particular emphasis on fire safety, regulatory, and recyclability. She recently authored a chapter (“Changing Chemical Regulations and Demands”) in the American Chemical Society Book entitled, “Fire Retardancy ofPolymeric Materials, 2nd Edition.” Susan has served on an assessment panel in the Building & Fire Research Laboratory at the National Institute of Standards and Technology and she is a member of the SPE, SFPE, and SAE. Susan received a Bachelor of Science in Polymer Science from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1984.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂), which is released through the burning of gasoline and other fossil fuels, represents a significant threat to air quality and the environment.

However, some see reducing carbon dioxide emissions as an opportunity to transform the volume of CO₂ that affects our earth.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently announced six companies were selected to receive government and private funds for projects that develop processes to convert captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from industrial sources into useful products.

One of the proposed processes will transform CO₂ into polymers, a basic plastic compound, that can be used to make a wide range of products.

Novomer Inc. has teamed with Albemarle Corporation and Eastman Kodak Co. to use a new catalyst technology that permits carbon dioxide to react with petrochemicals and then create thermoplastic polymers. These polymers are the basis for a material that can be used to manufacture bottles, films, laminates, coatings on food and beverage cans, and in other wood and metal surface applications.

Capturing the carbon dioxide emitted through the consumption of fossil fuels and recycling it obviously reduces the CO₂ emissions in the environment and has a major impact on air quality in the vicinity.

Presently, carbon dioxide emissions from large power plants are captured and put in long-term storage underground, a process known as geologic sequestration.

Now, Novomer and its partners will use some of that CO₂ inexpensively and turn it into a raw material for production of consumer and industrial packaging.

According to Novomer’s CEO Jim Mahoney, “It would be a much better use of carbon dioxide to turn it into something a company can develop a business around, rather than relying on government subsidies to bury it.”

In announcing the six awards, U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said, “These innovative projects convert carbon pollution from a climate threat to an economic resource.”

This exciting innovation in carbon dioxide processing will likely yield many new products and applications, such as the plastic bottles pictured here, starting next year.

Do you know of any other innovative programs related to Carbon Dioxide Emissions?

Today, we take for granted that our medicines and juices are pure, our meat does not harbor bacteria and many consumer products may be used safely.

Standards for health and safety have been established by credible scientific research. Everyone relies on the precise analysis of chemists and other scientists to give us peace of mind when using countless products every day. This safety was not always the case.

In the 1920s, it was common for companies to use mercury in laxatives. Under the then-ineffectual Federal Drug Administration, manufacturers did not list the ingredients in their products. Nor were they required to test their products for safe usage. Consumers, and even the drug-makers themselves, were unaware of any hidden poisons.

Contemporary scientists analyzed the biochemical effects of substances found in the home and pharmacy. Their studies revealed that the mercury of the laxative medicine, for example, accumulated in the body and caused death.

The ground-breaking research of these scientists, who carefully built the model for forensic medicine, is the subject of The Poisoner’s Handbook by Deborah Blum.

The book recounts how, between 1918 and 1936, a team of doctors, chemists and toxicologists developed procedures that revealed how unsafe many medicines and consumer products were.

The importance of reliable scientific research, which occurs behind the scenes before products are brought to market, cannot be over-estimated. As reviewer Matthew Pearl states, The Poisoner’s Handbook will “transform the way you think about the power of science to . . . save our lives.”

Albemarle’s largest U.S.-based R&D location as well as a growing manufacturing facility, the Process Development Center (PDC) sits on a 36-acre site on Gulf States Road in Baton Rouge, LA., staffed with a dedicated team of Engineers, Chemists, Researchers, and Technologists.

At the PDC, Albemarle’s professionals perform fundamental research and product development in the laboratories, Pilot Plant Development, Market Development for initial commercialization, as well as full-scale Manufacturing. The PDC offers a unique combination of laboratory synthesis experience, scale-up capabilities, world class analytical capabilities, and versatile manufacturing processes. This combination allows the PDC to rapidly develop new products and processes, support process and product development for our customers, as well as for Albemarle Sites around the World.

Albemarle continues to make significant investments in the PDC to improve and expand Research and Development capabilities along with significant Manufacturing capacity to support the Polymer Solutions, Polymer Catalysts, Alternative Fuels, and Fine Chemicals businesses.

For information on Albemarle, click here.

LONDON & MAASTRICHT, The Netherlands, Feb 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) — A session titled ‘Green Chemistry,’ detailing the latest advances in sustainable manufacturing processes for key polyurethane raw materials, will open the technical programme of the prestigious UTECH Europe 2012 conference on Tuesday 17 April. The session comprises 12 papers which are expected to announce developments in the production of useful raw materials from natural and renewable resources from specialists working on several key technologies at research establishments throughout Europe, in the Middle East and in North America.

‘Green Chemistry’ is the first of 11 different sessions in the conference, which runs 17-19 April at the MECC in Maastricht, the Netherlands, alongside a major exhibition where more than 100 companies will be showcasing their latest offerings for the polyurethanes industry. This combination of a high-level conference – with more than 90 presentations, as detailed in the full programme available at http://www.utecheurope.eu – with a major exhibition gives the UTECH events a unique appeal: in just three days delegates and visitors can come up to speed in every significant area of technical and commercial development in this still fast-moving technology.

Of particular interest in the Green Chemistry session will be the two opening presentations from Bayer MaterialScience detailing the latest state of play in their fascinating work converting waste carbon dioxide into useful polyurethane raw materials. Christoph Gurtler will present From Waste to Value: CO2-based Polyols, while colleague Hans-Georg Pirkl considers CO2-based Polyols: A Future New Product Class for the Flexible Foam Market? Erwin Honcoop of Purac will also discuss his company’s work in a paper titled Products Based on Renewable Materials with a Minimum Impact on CO2-Emission.

A further nine presentations in the session will highlight advances in other areas of ‘green chemistry,’ including the latest work from Green Urethanes Ltd of the UK in raising incorporation levels of renewably resourced polyols in flexible foam formulations to 100-percent, while other specialists will detail their latest developments using a wide range of natural and renewable resources.

Among these are Angela Smits of Croda who is presenting Bio-based Priplast Polyols for High-Performance Polyurethane Elastomers and a team from the Amirkabir University of Technology, Department Polymer Engineering in Tehran presenting From Aminolysis Product of PET Waste to Novel Biodegradable Polyurethanes, while Aleksander Prociak of Cracow University of Technology will look in depth at Polyurethane Foams and Composites Based on Renewable Raw Materials.

Jeff Rowlands of Green Urethanes will cover Expanding the Use of Natural Oil Polyols in Urethane Foam Formulations. Pietro Campaner of Cimteclab will deliver a paper on Innovative Bio-Based Aromatic Polyols: Polycard XFNTM. Marieke Smidt of DSM Bio-based Products & Services will discuss Sustainable Polyurethane Opportunities with Biosuccinium.

Ugis Cabulis of the Institute of Wood Chemistry in Latvia presents details of the EU’s Seventh Framework Programme project Forbioplast: Developing Bio-based polyurethane Foams, and Minh Ta Ton-That of the National Research Council of Canada will deliver a paper entitled New Biopolyols from Non-Food Grade and Renewable Resources. In addition, Bob Miller of DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products in the US will present details of the use of its bio-synthetic propanediol building block, in a paper titled Susterra(R) Propanediol — Evaluating the Structure-Property Relationship in CASE Applications.

Often described as the hidden polymer, polyurethanes are ever more widely used throughout manufacturing and construction industries today. Applications are as diverse as automotive, aerospace, building and construction, furniture and bedding, electrical and electro-technical, footwear and textiles, mining and offshore, pipes and pipelines, refrigeration and building insulation as well as specialist surgical and medical products.

The UTECH Europe 2012 exhibition and conference offers materials specialists from across all these industries the perfect opportunity to see the latest global advances in polyurethane technology including all the raw materials and processing equipment used in making these versatile polymers. Among more than 100 exhibitors are industry leaders Bayer, BASF, Dow, Huntsman, BorsodChem/Wanhua, Shell, Repsol, Baule, Momentive, Silcart and Evonik, processing equipment makers such as Cannon, Hennecke, Impianti OMS and Beamech Ltd, as well as systems houses, technical consultancies, and test laboratories.

In 2009, the last time the UTECH Europe event was held, almost 3,000 exhibition visitors and several hundred conference delegates came from more than 85 different countries worldwide. As the global industry celebrates 75 years of polyurethane technology in 2012, similar numbers are expected to travel to Maastricht for all the latest information on the key raw materials, such as diisocyanates, polyester and polyether polyols, as well as formulated systems and the key ancillary chemicals such as surfactants, catalysts and flame retardants.

Manufacturing technology innovations unveiled at the exhibition will include the latest mixing and dispensing machinery, equipment for reaction injection moulding as well as the cutting equipment needed for making products based on flexible and rigid foams, elastomers. More specialised companies, such as those supplying the test equipment used in the industry and detailed market research, will also join the event, making it a one-stop source for the whole of the polyurethanes industry.

Anyone wishing to attend the paid-for UTECH Europe conference and the exhibition can now register online at www.utecheurope.eu . Discounts are available on conference bookings made before 29 February 2012. Entrance to the exhibition is free to all visitors who pre-register and costs EUR25 on the day for unregistered visitors. A wealth of travel and accommodation information is available on the event website.

About UTECH Europe 2012:

Held at the MECC in Maastricht, where The Netherlands, Germany and Belgium meet, UTECH Europe 2012 is uniquely placed as the only truly international exhibition and conference for the polyurethanes industry. Unique to Europe is the sheer breadth of the applications of polyurethanes technology. From tiny medical devices to the roof insulation of the highest skyscrapers, polyurethane-based product applications are wide and varied. In 2009 UTECH attracted an audience of just under 3,000 decision makers from 85 countries and the sector is predicted to grow rapidly in the coming years. Website: www.utecheurope.eu Twitter: www.twitter.com/utecheurope Linked In Group: http://linkd.in/utooZo

BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) announced today that it has greatly reduced the odor of its ETHACURE 300 liquid aromatic diamine curative used in both hot and room-temperature polyurethane cast elastomers and sealants.

“This is an advancement that will considerably increase the utility of ETHACURE 300, especially in consumer market applications where odor is critical,” says Chris Knight, global business director of curatives and antioxidants.  “Furthermore, we were able to maintain the high properties and performance characteristics of our safe and effective ETHACURE 300 diamine curative.”

Albemarle’s curatives business is part of the company’s polymer solutions business segment.  For more information about ETHACURE curatives, please visit http://www.curatives.com/.

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 http://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.

BATON ROUGE, La., Jan. 26, 2012 /PRNewswire/ – Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) announced today that John Nicols, vice president – catalysts, will present at the Jefferies Global Clean Technology Conference in New York, NY on February 22, 2012 at 10:30am ET.

The presentation and audio webcast will be made available on Albemarle’s website at http://www.albemarle.com/ under the Investors heading.

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.  Albemarle employs approximately 4,000 people and serves customers in approximately 100 countries. Albemarle regularly posts information to http://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.