Bayer AG announced plans to spin off its chemicals division and part of its polymers business in a restructuring that will create a new chemical company and place the emphasis for Bayer's existing drug business on Europe.
ICI said it plans to focus on "performance transformation rather than portfolio transformation," and indicated that major divestitures are viewed as being "unattractive at present."
New York recently became the second northeastern state to enact a VOC regulation on architectural and industrial maintenance (AIM) coatings, as the state's Environmental Board adopted a rule based on a model regulation issued in 2000 by the 12-state Ozone Transport Commission (OTC).
The Valspar Corp. said it will record an after-tax charge of $15.2 million in the company's fourth quarter for costs associated with estimated future service claims related to its furniture-protection plans, which are sold through U.S. furniture retailers.
California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) San Luis Obispo unveiled plans for the construction of the Western Coatings Technology Center and the launch of a $5 million fund-raising campaign for the project.
The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) announced program plans for the 31st Annual Waterborne, High-Solids and Powder Coatings Symposium, scheduled for Feb. 18-20, 2004, in New Orleans.
Value gains in the U.S. market for pigments in the next several years will be driven by a shift in the product mix toward more costly organic and specialty products that offer environmental or unique optical effects, a recently issued study concludes.
Akzo Nobel formally announced the opening of its new non-stick coatings production facility in Dongguan City in southern China, marking the start of operations at a plant that produces non-stick coatings primarily for the rapidly growing cookware industry in China.