Rhein Chemie to buy Elastochem assets.

Rhein Chemie, Trenton, NJ, and Elastochem, Chardon, OH, have reached an agreement through which Rhein Chemie will acquire the assets of Elastochem. Rhein Chemie manufactures additives and specialty products for the rubber, plastics and polyurethane and lubricant oil industries. Elastochem is a supplier of customized active ingredient preparations and chemical specialties for use primarily in the rubber industry. Elastochem's core activities consist of developing and producing customized multiple ingredient dispersions of chemicals in pre-weighed packages in tailor-made chemical mixing, dispersions and packaging for the polymer industry. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

Two years after becoming a business unit of M.A. Hanna, Harwick Chemical Manufacturing has completed construction of a new manufacturing plant in Massillon, OH and an expansion of the Wynne, AR facility. In addition, Harwick has signed an agreement with H.M. Royal to distribute Harwick's specialty chemicals, colorants, rubber additives and aqueous dispersions. The Massillon facility houses Harwick's production of color concentrates for plastic, elastomer and specialty thermoset markets and water-based dispersions and emulsions for latex, adhesive and specialty coatings markets. In addition to manufacturing, the facility includes a laboratory to support product and new technology development efforts across all markets. The 30,000 square foot Wynne, AR manufacturing facility expansion houses new equipment which is used to manufacture Harwick's complete line of Advance and PolyBound polymer bound rubber chemical dispersions, as well as adding capacity for Harwick's Redimix, AccuWay, contract manufacturing and warehousing capabilities. Combined, the expansons represent a $9 million investment.

Teknor Apex, Pawtucket, RI, has expanded its custom rubber mixing sales and technical staff, and has substantially invested in its custom mixing program with computer-controlled mixing lines, each comprised of a 2,000 hp internal mixer, followed by three variable-speed mills. Teknor Apex plans to add more new compounding equipment and further expand its staff.

DSM Elastomers Americas (formerly DSM Copolymer) is preparing for a major plant modernization of its Addis, LA EPDM plant site. A plant turn-around completed during August marked the start of a four-year, multimillion dollar project named Horizon 20/20. The first objective of this project is to modernize the three existing rubber production lines to enable cost effective operations through the year 2020. A major capacity expansion program is under study. The site now produces approximately 200 million pounds per year of EPDM rubber and petroleum additives. Phase one, now underway, includes a $10 million capital investment to support specialty processes for DSM's global petroleum additive business.

DuPont Dow Elastomers, Wilmington, DE, plans to triple its production for Engage polyolefin elastomers over the next three years. Total capacity will increase to 500 million pounds from a combination of incremental expansions at the existing Freeport, TX site and the construction of a new 300 million pounds per year facility to be located in the U.S. gulf coast. Groundbreaking is expected in early 2001. In the interim, recent expansions at the current facility will yield a 30% increase in output for 2000.

In a strategic move to focus on core businesses, Goodyear Chemical, Akron, OH, has reached an agreement in principle to sell its nitrile (NBR) bale rubber business to Zeon Chemicals L.P., Louisville, KY, a wholly owned subsidiary of Nippon Zeon, Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan. Financial details of the agreement, which is expected to close this month subject to Zeon's board approval, were not disclosed. The sale does not affect Goodyear's other tire material and specialty chemical lines.

H.W. Wallace & Co., Ltd., Croydon, England, a supplier of instruments for testing rubber products, has set up its own sales and service company, H.W. Wallace, in Akron, OH, to supply instruments direct to U.S. customers.