Chemicals

Following the massive explosions and fire at West Fertilizer factory north of Waco last week, a lot of thought has been given to the devastation that can be caused by industrial fires.

Experts analysing the explosion at the fertiliser plant in Texas point to the dangerous nature of the chemicals the plant was producing.

Mayor Gary Johnson has used the recent explosion at a Texan fertiliser factory to continue the push for Incitec Pivot to move its factory out of Port Adelaide.

Incitec Pivot has credited the boom in US shale gas as a factor in its decision to build a new ammonia factory in Louisiana.

Fertiliser and explosives manufacturer Incitec Pivot has announced that it will start work on a new, $US 850 million, 800,000 metre tonnes-per-year ammonia factory in the United States.

The Columbia, US-based chemical conglomerate W.R. Grace & Co. has acquired Brisbane’s Chemind Construction Products, a manufacturer and researcher of waterproofing technology.

The Australian Industry Group has spoken out on the issue of coal seam gas production, arguing for the need to balance a secure gas supply against concerns over environmental impact.

Fire fighters were summoned to a chemical recycling factory fire in Melbourne’s north at 11 pm on Wednesday night.

Chemicals manufacturer Nufarm has posted a 53 per cent fall in profit for the six months to January this year, and has slashed its outlook for the rest of the year.

Free gas marketeers are content to “kill” Australian manufacturing and other sectors, and to allow to country to become dependent on resource exports, according to Dow Chemical CEO and chairman Andrew Liveris.

The Australian-born CEO and chairman of US-based Dow Chemical company, Andrew Liveris, has repeated his call for the limiting gas exports to boost the manufacturing sector, and criticised both political infighting and the “entitlement society” in Australia.

Chemical manufacturing is treated with suspicion by some, due to examples such as the Bhopal Union Carbide disaster in 1984, but the Green Chemistry movement hopes to change this perception.

Manufacturing Australia’s new chairman Sue Morphet has said the shortage of affordable gas is harming regional businesses.

ASIC data has shown company insolvencies for the last 12 months at record highs, with the carbon tax blamed by some for contributing to the number.

Orica and the Environmental Protection Agency are investigating an ammonia leak that occurred at Orica’s Kooragang Island ammonia plant yesterday at approximately 1:15 pm.

Canadian-based methanol manufacturer Methanex is investing $80 million to restart a plant in Waitara Valley which has lain idle since 2008.

The Australian subsidiary of China’s Sinochem has emerged as the new local distributor of Monsanto’s Roundup weedkiller product.

Agricultural chemicals maker Nufarm has announced that it will be making its own glyphosate after Monsanto cancelled a distribution agreement yesterday.

Antaria has admitted that its ZinClear-IM product is a nanomaterial, after denying this on the ASX and elsewhere.

The Australian Workers Union’s Paul Howes has said he is concerned about the widespread use of nanotechnology, claiming there’s potential for an “asbestos-style issue in the future”.