On November 17, 2005, Eastman Chemical Company inaugurated its China Lab in Shanghai, China, to support the development of new formulations and performance-enhancing applications for North Asia-based customers primarily in the coatings, adhesives and plastics industries.
Akzo Nobel is investing €24 million to increase capacity at its Bermocoll® production facility in Sweden, which will transform the site into one of the biggest cellulose-derivatives manufacturing plants in the world.
The 70th Annual Southern Society for Coatings Technology (SSCT) technical meeting will be held April 6-10, 2006, on the Carnival cruise ship "Inspiration."
BASF's Automotive Refinish business has issued its North American training schedule for the first quarter of 2006. Courses will be conducted at 10 training facilities in the United States and Canada, with nine of the locations offering OEM certification training. French-language courses are offered in the Montreal facility.
CEO Hans Wijers officially opened Akzo Nobel's new powder coatings facility at Langfang in China on November 15. The new site - located between Beijing and Tianjin - not only consolidates the company's position as the world's largest manufacturer of powder coatings, but will also ensure that the business' growth momentum is maintained in what is the fastest growing global market for the product.
BASF celebrated the start of the commercial production of its amino resins plant located at BASF Auxiliary Chemicals Company Limited in Pudong, Shanghai, China. The plant reinforces BASF's commitment to long-term growth in the amino resins markets in China and the Asia Pacific region.
Pittcon (The Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy) announced the Invited Symposia that will be presented at Pittcon, March 12-17, 2006, Orlando, Fla.