Rhein Chemie opens Chinese production plant.

A production plant for polymer-bound chemicals (Rhenogran) at Rhein Chemie (Qingdao) Ltd. in Qingdao, China, has officially opened. Rhein Chemie Rheinau Gmbh invested EUR 2.8 million in the construction of a new production plant to enable it to double its annual production capacity for polymer dispersions to 4,800 metric tons. In Qingdao, Rhein Chemie produces polymer-bound chemicals (Rhenogran), vulcanization and filler activators, processing promoters and release agents for the rubber industry.

GE Toshiba Silicones, Wilton, CT, a joint venture of GE Advanced Materials and Toshiba, have signed an agreement for the establishment of a new silicones manufacturing facility in Nantong, Jiangsu Province, in China. With a total investment of $78 million by the two parent companies, the facility is scheduled for completion at the end of 2007 and will be the largest GE Toshiba Silicones factory in China. The plant will enable GE Toshiba Silicones to supply advanced silicone technologies to China via a shortened supply chain.

Lord, Cary, NC, has signed a definitive agreement with Henkel KGaA of Dusseldorf, Germany, to purchase certain assets comprising Henkel's rubber-to-substrate bonding and rubber coating business. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including the required antitrust approvals. The business primarily services automotive and industrial manufacturers of rubber molded and extruded components and includes the trade names Chemosil, Flocksil, Cuvertin and Sipiol.

Asian manufacturers of automotive, electronic and other critical components now have direct regional access to a range of engineering thermoplastic compounds that are widely specified in Europe and the Americas, it was announced by Singapore Polymer (SPC). Production of Chemlon nylon 6 and 66 compounds developed by Chem Polymer is now underway at SPC's facility in Singapore, where SPC will also warehouse engineering-grade PET manufactured by Chem Polymer. SPC and Chem Polymer are both subsidiaries of Teknor Apex.

Indian plastics maker Lanxess ABS Ltd. plans to raise its polymer capacity. The company will increase its acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) polymer resins capacity to 80,000 mt per year from 60,000 mt now, and ramp that up to 100,000 mt in two years.

Pirelli Tire announced a new production unit for radial truck and bus tires in Gravatai in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. The unit covers approximately 573,000 square meters, adds approximately 500 employees, both direct and ancillary, to the existing 1,500, and will add 12,000 tons to the present annual capacity of 64,000 tons. The production unit required a total investment of over $50 million.

Kumho Tire Ltd., South Korea's second-largest tire maker, has made a preliminary agreement to invest $155 million to build a plant in Vietnam. Kumho plans to complete construction by the first half of 2008, and the plant will produce 3.15 million units per year.

Teijin Twaron, Arnhem, the Netherlands, established a sales department dedicated to the tire industry.

Dow Chemical plans to increase cellulosics capacity at production facilities in Midland, MI; Plaquemine, LA; and Stade, Germany. The expansions will enable an additional 20,000 mt of Methocel cellulose ethers to be produced.

Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Tokyo, Japan, has decided to transfer the company's business of rubber stoppers for medical use to its wholly-owned subsidiary, SRI Hybrid.

An affiliate of Performance Fibers Holdings has signed a letter of intent to acquire Invista Resins & Fibers GmbH's German polyester yarn business. The acquisition would include both commercial and manufacturing operations.