TUV Rheinland launches ‘REACH – INDIA’ project in Tamil Nadu
Project will target the leather and textile industries in Tamil Nadu primarily in the Ranipet & Karur regions
TUV Rheinland India, a worldwide leader in Testing, Inspection, Certification & Training, has announced the launch of ‘REACH – INDIA’ project in Tamil Nadu, as a part of its ongoing CSR activities, in partnership with DEG, one of Europe’s largest Development finance institutions. ‘REACH-INDIA’, a Public Private Partnership Program with a developmental agenda, would be primarily targeted at the leather and textile industries in Ranipet & Karur respectively in Tamil Nadu, aimed at addressing the current problems faced by these industries and their raw material suppliers with respect to the REACH regulations.
REACH is the European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use. It deals with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances. The law entered into force on 1 June 2007. The aim of REACH is to improve the protection of human health and the environment through the better and earlier identification of the intrinsic properties of chemical substances right from the raw material stage till the final product <more>

What is REACH http://letsfinishit.com/reach.htm


India one of the major growth markets in Asia Pacific strategy: BASF
Terming India and China as the major focus and strong emerging markets for any future growth, leading global chemical giant BASF has outlined India to be a major growth market in its Asia pacific Strategy 2020 plan. It plans to invest nearly €2.3 billion till 2015 in the region.
BASF for the first time broke the sale target of €10 billion for the Asia Pacific region in 2010 and is very upbeat about the future. It not only plans major investments in Asia Pacific region but also plans to employ people and generate new sales.
According to the BASF in India report 2010, Dr. Martin Brudermuller, vice-chairman of the Board of directors of BASF, Asia Pacific, has stated that in 2010 sales to customers in India crossed the €1 billion market for the first time. He said the R&D centres in Mumbai and Mangalore are an import part of the company plans to achieve the objective of providing more innovation from Asia for Asia. Both centres are part of the Global Technology Platform of the company to make India one of the key hubs for research and development in the region.
The company also set up two new manufacturing plants in Thane and Mangalore in order to help local and international customers become more successful. “BASF aims to grow on average two percentage points <more>
Dulux's bigger brush with Asia
DULUXGROUP will look to boost its foothold in the fast-growing Asian region after doubling the size of its Chinese operations by merging with Hong Kong paint maker Camelpaint.
DuluxGroup chief executive Patrick Houlihan said while Australia and New Zealand would remain the priority, the merger would mean about 10 per cent of total revenue would come from China. He said DuluxGroup - which reports its full-year profit results in two weeks - would continue to look for suitable acquisitions as it lifts its exposure to the region over the ''medium to long term''.
Just the sheer size of the Chinese market, which is growing at significant rates faster than Australia, really does give us a material contributor to our position when we think out to that medium to long term.'' <more>

Woman pleads guilty in illegal export to Pakistan
A San Francisco-area woman has pleaded guilty to conspiring to ship material for a Pakistani nuclear reactor after initially denying she was involved.
Xun Wang, a 51-year-old former managing director of PPG Paints Trading Co. in Shanghai, admitted her guilt Tuesday before a federal judge in Washington. She also reached a $200,000 settlement with the Commerce Department
PPG Paints Trading also pleaded guilty in December. The company and its parent, Pittsburgh-based PPG Industries Inc., paid nearly $4 million in fines and restitution.<more> <more>

Chinese interest in Titanium slag unit in AP
A Chinese Institute has expressed interest in technology transfer and investing in a titanium dioxide (pigment grade) manufacturing unit in Andhra Pradesh.
The Institute of Process Engineering, a premier Chinese research institute has offered to give pollution free technology to convert titanium slag to pigment grade titanium dioxide to Satyavathi Titaslag, a Hyderabad-based company.
A delegation of the Chinese Institute and Mr Y.Jithin Kumar, promoter of Satyavathi Titaslag today met the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Mr.N.Kiran Kumar Reddy and discussed the venture.
The Hyderabad company proposes to manufacture titanium slag and convert it to titanium dioxide (pigment grade). It has acquired around 700 acres of land in Nandigama taluk of Krishna district. The Chinese delegation expressed interest in investing upto Rs 700 crore in the plant, a release from the CM office said.
Pigment grade titanium or titanium white finds varied applications from paints to industrial to food colouring etc. China is amongst the biggest manufacturers of this important material.
The delegation included Sun Zhiqun of Beijing Sino Steel Yatai Technology, Jingkui Qu, Xu Hongbin, Jinglong Chu and Tu Qing Hai all from Institute of Process Engineering.<more>

DuPont Titanium Technologies Announces a Price Increase for all Ti-Pure® Titanium Dioxide Products Sold in Asia Pacific
SINGAPORE, Nov. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Effective Jan. 1, 2012, DuPont Titanium Technologies announces a net price increase of $200 (USD) per metric ton for all DuPont(TM) Ti-Pure® titanium dioxide grades (TiO2) sold in Asia Pacific.
DuPont Titanium Technologies is the world's largest manufacturer of titanium dioxide, serving customers globally in the coatings, paper and plastics industries. The company operates plants at DeLisle, Miss.; New Johnsonville, Tenn.; Edge Moor, Del.; Altamira, Mexico; and Kuan Yin, Taiwan; all of which use the chloride manufacturing process. The company also operates a mine in Starke, Fla. Technical service centers are located in Paulinia, Brazil; Mexico City, Mexico; Mechelen, Belgium; Dzerzhinskiy, Russia; Kuan Yin, Taiwan; Ichon, Korea; Shanghai, China; Hyderabad, India; and Wilmington, Del., to serve the Latin American, European, Middle Eastern, Asian and North American markets.<more>

TiO2 Anatase grade FOB China prices substantially down in November 2011.<more>


The World Is Running Out Of Titanium Dioxide, Which Means There Will Be Less White

Years ago I got involved with financing a Titanium Dioxide plant in Brazil. I’ve had an eye on this commodity ever since. What I find interesting about TiO2 (“TD”) is that everything that you look at that is white has this stuff in it. From pills to food to paper to paint, if it’s white, it’s TD.

Demand for this stuff has been on a tear; rising at ~20% a year. World consumption is 2 pounds of ‘white’ per person. That’s the average for all 7 billion of us. The western countries consume about 8 pounds per person. China is just up to 1 pound. That’s where the demand is coming from. (The US uses the most TD, about 9 pounds per person)<more>

Indian athletes threaten to boycott Olympics over Dow sponsorship
• Athletes send petition to government calling for boycott
• 'We feel it will be against basic principles of the Olympics'
reddit this
Gregg Roughley
The Guardian, Friday 25 November 2011
Article history

Dow Chemicals has agreed to pay £7m for a wrap which will cover the Olympic Stadium during the games. Photograph: AP
The Indian Olympic Association may boycott the London Olympics in protest at Dow Chemical's involvement as a sponsor after a group ofIndia's current and former Olympians organised a petition calling for athletes not to travel to London.
"We feel that it will be against the basic principles of the Olympics charter to partner with Dow Chemical, which is responsible for the ongoing disaster in Bhopal," the athletes wrote in a petition sent to the Indian government.<more>

Berger Paints Q2 net profit up 21.74% at Rs. 49.27 crore
Berger Paints on Friday posted a 21.74 per cent increase in consolidated net profit to Rs. 49.27 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2011.
The Kolkata-based company posted a net profit of Rs. 40.47 crore for the corresponding quarter last fiscal, Berger Paints said in a filing to the BSE.
During the quarter under review, the firm registered consolidated net sales of Rs. 719.87 crore, a 22.03 per cent increase from Rs. 589.91 crore in the corresponding quarter last fiscal.
On a standalone basis, the firm posted a 17.06 per cent increase in net profit to Rs. 43.01 crore for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, as against Rs. 36.74 crore in the corresponding period last fiscal.<more>

Hans Wijers  We want to expand our India business to 1 bn Euro
Growth really has to come from other parts of the world. Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe are very important

New Delhi: Akzo Nobel NV, the world’s largest decorative paints and specialty chemicals company, best known in India for its Dulux brand, is setting up a new manufacturing unit in Madhya Pradesh. Hans Wijers, the Dutch company’s chief executive officer (CEO) and chairman of the board, was here to announce the Rs. 200 crore facility and the entry of Akzo Nobel into the wood coating segment. In an interview, Wijers spoke of his expectations from emerging markets and challenges in the mature markets. Edited excerpts:
You once mentioned that Akzo Nobel was a late entrant in Asia. How is the company performing in the region today?
Staying in the black: Wijers says the challenge currently is much more in Europe and the US to protect Akzo Nobel’s profitability. Photo: Pradeep Gaur/Mint.
Let me be specific. We were late in Asia in some businesses. In the performance coating or B2B (business to business), we were quite early here, including in India. We were late in the decorative paints area and speciality chemicals. But that’s more to do with the state of development of the Indian economy and that it has a relatively smaller industrial sector.
We have invested heavily in the consumer-facing business with the acquisition of ICI (British paints firm acquired by Akzo Nobel in 2008). It has given us a growth platform, which has been benefiting us in the last couple of years.
Most of our growth has been in emerging markets. The decorative paints market in the United States has gone down 35% year-on-year for the last three-four years because of the housing crisis. And European markets...I mean, they are not falling off the cliff, but they are not growing very much.
So the growth really has to come from other parts of the world. Asia, Latin America and Eastern Europe are very important.<more>


Jotun completes setting up 100 exclusive retail showrooms in MP
Bhopal : Jotun India Pvt. Ltd. one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of paints, coatings and powder coatings, today announced that it has completed setting up ’100′ exclusive retail showrooms in the State of Madhya Pradesh.<more>

Titanium Dioxide Prices of Anatase and Rutile in Indian domestic market march upwards..
Titanium Dioxide Report: As per our converstion with buyers an suppliers,TiO2 Prices in the Indian domestic market gain ground further in the wake of restricted supplies and hike in prices by producers.In Mumbai Market prices for TTP is around Rs 146.95 - 147.95 per Kg plus excise and Vat as applicable, While China origin is hovering around Rs 146.75 - 147.95 per Kg. R-902 grade is moving in the range of Rs 188.65 - 188.75 per Kg plus excise and Vat as applicable.In the Delhi market prices are quoted around Rs 197.95 - 198.95 per Kg for DuPont which is inclusive of excide duty and VAT as applicable, Rs 185.65 - 186.65 for TR -92, Rs 189.85 - 189.95 per Kg for RC -822, Rs 140.20 - 141.95 per Kg for TTK, Rs 135.75 - 136.95 per Kg for China origin. The mentioned prices are also inclusive of ED and VAT as applicable. While in Chennai market also Tio2 prices are flat and are quoted around Rs 199.70 - 199.90 per Kg for RC -902 and Rs 148.70 - 148.85 per Kg for Anatase <more>

Bhopal stretches Dow Chemical's London curtain
London and Bhopal are worlds apart. Over 7,000 km of land and sea separate the two cities. But for some activists, one big global company and London Olympic organisers that distance seems small.
Dow Chemical, the American chemicals giant, signed a £7-million deal with the 2012 London Olympics Organising Committee (Locog). The company would drape the main Olympic Stadium with a light polyester curtain.

But the deal is now coming under a barrage of criticism from long-time Bhopal campaigners in India and abroad, for example the Brighton-based Bhopal Medical Appeal and Amnesty. And now, high-profile British MPs and activists are joining in.
They all contend the London Olympics shouldn't be associated with Dow which, in 2001, took over the Bhopal tragedy-marked Union Carbide. Dow has always maintained that it never owned or operated the Bhopal plant, the tragedy happened in 1984, and that legal claims surrounding the incident were resolved before its acquisition of Union Carbide. This position has never satisfied Bhopal campaigners.
"We feel that the [Dow] sponsorship goes against the very grain of the Olympic charter. How can the Olympics be associated with a company which washes its hands off from one of the biggest industrial disasters ever?" says Rachna Dhingra an activist with an organisation called the Bhopal Group of Information and Action. <more>

U.S. chemical giant DuPont Co. is looking to sell its “Performance Coatings division,” which includes its auto-paint unit, according to business-media reports.
The company, however, is not commenting on the news reports.
News outlets reported that the company has hired Credit Suisse Group AG to seek buyers for the division. In 2010, the performance-coating division had revenue of $3.8 billion and net income of $255 million.

The estimated value of the performance coatings segment includes the company’s powder-coatings unit, which DuPont is selling separately, news agencies said.
The DuPont Powder Coatings business produces powder coatings for a wide range of applications including products for architectural metals. <more>

NASA Develops Super-Black Material That Absorbs Light Across Multiple Wavelength Bands11.08.11
NASA engineers have produced a material that absorbs on average more than 99 percent of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and far-infrared light that hits it -- a development that promises to open new frontiers in space technology.

The team of engineers at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., reported their findings recently at the SPIE Optics and Photonics conference, the largest interdisciplinary technical meeting in this discipline. The team has since reconfirmed the material's absorption capabilities in additional testing, said John Hagopian, who is leading the effort involving 10 Goddard technologists.

"The reflectance tests showed that our team had extended by 50 times the range of the material’s absorption capabilities. Though other researchers are reporting near-perfect absorption levels mainly in the ultraviolet and visible, our material is darn near perfect across multiple wavelength bands, from the ultraviolet to the far infrared," Hagopian said. "No one else has achieved this milestone yet."

This close-up view (only about 0.03 inches wide) shows the internal structure of a carbon-nanotube coating that absorbs about 99 percent of the ultraviolet, visible, infrared, and far-infrared light that strikes it. A section of the coating, which was grown on smooth silicon, was purposely removed to show the tubes' vertical alignment. (Credit: Stephanie Getty, NASA Goddard)
› Larger image

The nanotech-based coating is a thin layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, tiny hollow tubes made of pure carbon about 10,000 times thinner than a strand of human hair. They are positioned vertically on various substrate materials much like a shag rug. The team has grown the nanotubes on silicon, silicon nitride, titanium, and stainless steel, materials commonly used in space-based scientific instruments. (To grow carbon nanotubes, Goddard technologist Stephanie Getty applies a catalyst layer of iron to an underlayer on silicon, titanium, and other materials. She then heats the material in an oven to about 1,382 degrees Fahrenheit. While heating, the material is bathed in carbon-containing feedstock gas.)

The tests indicate that the nanotube material is especially useful for a variety of spaceflight applications where observing in multiple wavelength bands is important to scientific discovery. One such application is stray-light suppression. The tiny gaps between the tubes collect and trap background light to prevent it from reflecting off surfaces and interfering with the light that scientists actually want to measure. Because only a small fraction of light reflects off the coating, the human eye and sensitive detectors see the material as black. <more>

Nordson Corporation : Nordson Oscillator Combines Simple Operation and High Load Capacity to Improve Efficiency in Automated Powder Coating Applications
Simple and unique Nordson design
16-gun high gun capacity machine for heavy payloads
450 mm (18") maximum stroke covering an entire range of application requirements
Pneumatic counter-balance mechanism for energy efficiency, long life and low wear of all moving parts
Onboard VFD controls for easy adjustment of speed
Plug-and-play connections for easy installation and start-up

AMHERST, OH, November 10, 2011 - The new Nordson oscillator for automated powder coating operations from Nordson Corporation (NASDAQ-NDSN) is a 450 mm (18 in) stroke oscillator that provides manufacturers with a high payload capacity of 80 kg (176 lbs) and a maximum stroke speed of 40 cycles per minute. These two features combined translate into 16 guns and high line speeds allowing for tall parts or part racks and high line speeds. These benefits equal high performance and maximum productivity. <more>

Lubrizol to buy thermoplastic polyurethane maker Merquinsa
The Lubrizol Corporation has expanded its engineered polymers business with the purchase of Merquinsa, a maker of specialty thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). Located in Barcelona, Spain, Merquinsa products are used in a wide range of applications for a variety of industries, including automotive, sports and leisure, furniture and textile coatings. Key Merquinsa global brands include: Pearlstick; Pearlthane; Pearlthane Eco; Pearlbond; and Pearlcoat.<more>

Valspar® Unveils New Spray Paint Formula and Design
New Can Design Shields Fingers from Paint, New Formula Offers Improved Coverage and a Smoother Finish
The Valspar Corporation, a leader in the paint and coatings industry, introduces a breakthrough new spray paint formula and spray can design. The innovative changes introduced to the new Valspar Spray Paint allow consumers to discover the transformative power in color more easily than ever.<more>

Oxea to build its first production plant in China
The chemical company Oxea announced today that it will build its first chemical plant for the production of oxo derivatives in Nanjing, China, in 2012. Scheduled to go on-stream in 2013, the new state-of-the-art plant will serve the fast-growing demand for oxo derivatives in China and Asia. Oxo derivatives are key ingredients that are used in nearly all sectors of China’s economy, including automotive, construction, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and personal care products. This investment will establish a new production platform for Oxea in China and is part of Oxea’s overall strategy to expand into growth regions.
“China is the main growth engine for the Asia-Pacific region, and at this strategic location our new plant will greatly support our local customers there. In a first step our Nanjing plant will produce Oxea’s specialty esters, phthalate-free plasticizers and other oxo derivatives. However, we have allowed space for future expansion and new investments,” said Miguel Mantas, Executive Board member for marketing and sales. “The new plant will enable Oxea to better serve the steadily growing high demand for our products in China and Asia and at the same time further strengthen Oxea’s leading global market position,” Mantas continued.
“By expanding our derivatives production to Asia, we are making the benefits of Oxea’s advanced production technology easily accessible to our customers there and enhance Oxea’s growth potential in this area,” explained Dr. Martina Flöel, spokesperson for the Executive Board and among others responsible for Global Operations. “Since the beginning of Oxea in 2007, we have invested significantly into new capacities, applied innovative process optimizations and continuously developed our specialty chemicals expertise. Now, the time is right to implement the next important strategic step: the extension of our geographic reach and to expand into growth markets,” she added..<more>

Research with a finger on the pulse of Asian growth markets
Essen/Singapore, November 8, 2011
Evonik to open first innovation center for coating additives in Asia with two locations in Singapore and Shanghai
Research focus on additives for environmentally friendly paints and coatings
"Tego Innovation Center" reaches out to whole of Asian growth region

Essen/Singapore. On November 8, 2011, Evonik will open its first research and development center for additives for paints and coatings in Asia. A single-digit million US dollar amount have been invested to set up the "Tego Innovation Center" in two locations, Singapore and Shanghai, as part of the global Evonik innovation network.

The "Tego Innovation Center" will cater to manufacturers in the paints and coatings industry in India and Asia. Collaborations with regional customers and research institutions aim at providing individual solutions to strengthen the competitiveness and innovative capabilities of Evonik’s Asian customers. Research is geared to meet regional demands and centers on developing cutting-edge, environmentally-friendly coating systems to accommodate the megatrend of resource efficiency.

"Evonik are expecting the Asian market to generate the largest market growth for the paints and coatings industry in the coming years," says Dr. Thomas Haeberle, the Evonik Executive Board member responsible for Segment Resource Efficiency, which oversees the Coatings & Additives Business Unit. "We are anticipating the greatest demand in the segment for environmentally-friendly coatings. Our new "Tego Innovation Center" addresses exactly these growth markets. Our know-how and our international research network put us in an excellent position to service our customers’ competitive needs." <more>

DSM Coating Resins outlines organizational alignment
DSM Coating Resins, a business unit of Royal DSM N.V., has outlined plans to align the organization with its sharpened strategic focus on its core coating and graphic arts resins markets. As part of these plans, the business unit aims to capture additional synergies from the merger of
two business units (formerly known as DSM Powder Coating Resins and DSM NeoResins+) announced earlier this year.

At the same time, DSM aims to further improve the financial performance of this newly formed business unit, which is necessary also due to the challenging economic circumstances and weak Building & Construction markets especially in Europe and North America.

As a result of the alignment, the number of worldwide positions at DSM Coating Resins will be reduced by 150 FTE. This will allow the company to effectively and efficiently continue to grow its position as the leading coating resins supplier for developing innovative building blocks for sustainable coating systems.

Patrick Niels, Business Unit Director, DSM Coating Resins, comments: “DSM Coating Resins will continue its drive to develop resins for innovative, sustainable coating solutions, such as water-based, powder and UV coating systems. In order to do that, we need to ensure sufficient financial returns. This organizational alignment will address our cost base, as well as sharpen our focus on developments in our core technologies and segments. This will allow us to continue to invest in developing innovative sustainable resin systems for our customers, while at the same time safeguarding our returns also in an economically challenging environment.” <more>

PPG Aerospace displays advanced technologies at Dubai Airshow
Lightweight transparencies, coatings, sealants enhance appearance, flying experience

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, Nov. 13, 2011 – PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace business is displaying transparencies, coatings and sealants at the Dubai Airshow that afford aircraft weight savings, attractive aesthetics and maintenance efficiencies while enhancing the flying experience for crews and passengers. The PPG Aerospace exhibit is stand E108 during the Dubai Airshow at Airport Expo, Nov. 13-17.
Sealant products on display demonstrate the unique capabilities of PPG Aerospace’s Customized Sealant Solutions program, such as PRC(R) seal caps and SEMFOAM(TM) dry bay foam. PRC seal caps are small caps molded of PRC or PRO-SEAL(TM) sealant that cures to form a flexible rubber shell. The cured caps are filled with more sealant, and then frozen to arrest curing. The seal caps are thawed and applied over fasteners to cure, affording higher quality, less waste and better uniformity than traditional extruded application. Semfoam sealant is made with reticulated polyurethane foam, die-cut to specified dimensions, impregnated with sealant, and delivered premixed and frozen. Customers thaw and install Semfoam sealant, which is fuel resistant and works especially well on structures using composites.
New coatings products featured include DESOTHANE(R) HD/CA 9000 basecoat/clearcoat, which reduces aircraft weight and provides a smooth, glossy and highly durable finish. Consisting of a heavily pigmented basecoat and clear topcoat, Desothane HD/CA 9000 basecoat/clearcoat can cut painting cycle process time by up to one full day because the fast-drying basecoat provides color in one coat, not with two or three coats as in a typical system. Using the PPG basecoat/clearcoat with new DESOPRIME(TM) CF/CA 7502 primer and DESOGEL(TM) EAP-9 metal pretreatment affords a complete chromate-free coatings system.
PPG Aerospace coatings, sealants and transparencies experts are available during the show to provide more information.
PPG Aerospace is the aerospace products and services business of PPG Industries. PPG Aerospace – PRC-DeSoto is the leading global producer and distributor of aerospace coatings, sealants, and packaging and application systems. PPG Aerospace – Transparencies is the world’s largest supplier of aircraft windshields, windows and canopies.
PPG: BRINGING INNOVATION TO THE SURFACE.(TM)
PPG Industries’ vision is to continue to be the world’s leading coatings and specialty products company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more surfaces in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG has global headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in more than 60 countries around the globe. Sales in 2010 were $13.4 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.

Bringing innovation to the surface is a trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
Desothane and PRC are registered trademarks and DesoGel, Desoprime, Pro-Seal and Semfoam are trademarks of PRC-DeSoto International, Inc. <more>

Abstract: Frost & Sullivan Award recognises Nippon’s market leadership and innovation excellence in the region.
Nippon Paint has been conferred with the Company of the Year award for Decorative Coating by the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Awards.
This accolade came about a month after Nippon received recognition at the 2011 Frost & Sullivan Asia Pacific Green Excellence Awards for its product innovation in decorative paints, further reaffirming Nippon Paint’s leadership and innovation excellence for decorative coatings.
Nippon emerged at the top of the competition with its unique and revolutionary decorative coating solutions which provide significant environmental benefits for customers.
The evaluation process included a rigorous industry research with key stakeholders, in-depth analysis against formulated criteria that are industry and market specific and measurement amongst shortlisted industry players.
“At Nippon Paint, we continuously strive to understand our customers’ evolving needs, innovating appropriate and desired products and technologies to delight them. We are elated that our efforts have been recognized with these two regional accolades.<more>

Henkel AG & Co. (Common) : Polyurethane matrix resin for automotive composites
With lightweighting in mind, automotive manufacturers are using more and more parts made from carbon fiber or glass fiber composites. Henkel has developed a polyurethane-based composite matrix resin that cures faster than the traditional epoxy resins.
Composites based on carbon fiber or glass fiber are gaining momentum in various application areas due to the opportunity for enormous weight savings over traditional part construction, with no loss in mechanical performance. Starting in aerospace where pre-impregnated fibers (prepregs) are manually laid up and then baked into composites, many different applications are now penetrating into the automotive industry. New manufacturing methods like resin transfer molding enable economic processes that are suited for high volume automotive production<more>

Nordson Corporation and Nordson Corporation Foundation Give $3.7 Million to Charity in Fiscal Year 2011
WESTLAKE, Ohio--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq: NDSN) and the Nordson Corporation Foundation today announced that they have contributed a combined $3.7 million to charity during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2011. Nordson’s giving is focused on nonprofit organizations in U.S. communities where the company has major operations, including Ohio, Georgia, California, Rhode Island and New Jersey.
“Giving back to the community is an essential pillar of Nordson’s corporate philosophy”
Grants from the Nordson Corporation Foundation accounted for approximately $2.6 million of the total amount awarded and were distributed in the areas of arts and culture, civic affairs, education and human welfare. Education was the largest giving area, followed closely by human welfare, where the amount awarded increased in 2011 due to ongoing need.
In addition to grants awarded by the Nordson Corporation Foundation, Nordson provided an additional $1.1 million in direct corporate support to various organizations through its Matching Gift program, United Way, and other corporate donations. Nordson employees also donated thousands of hours of their time to charity during the year through the company’s Time ‘n Talent volunteer program.<more>

Paint fumes from Port Authority force evacuation of McGraw building
Toxic paint fumes from the Port Authority Bus Terminal forced more than 100 people to evacuate
the nearby McGraw-Hill building Thursday, sending four people to Bellevue Hospital with breathing problems, the FDNY said.
Witnesses said fumes from an exterior paint job filled the building at 330 W. 42nd St. and smelled like nail polish remover. The stench had been there for a few days, they said.
The building was evacuated around 11:15 a.m. while it was ventilated, and employees were allowed back in once it had dissipated, officials said.
"Our painting contractor at the Port Authority Bus Terminal stopped work as soon as we became aware of the problem," the Port Authority said in a statement. "We followed all safety precautions during the work, and are carefully looking into the matter."
Bellevue didn't return a call for comment. <more>