“Ambition can creep as well as soar.”
- Edmund Burke

“Nothing is too small to know, and nothing too big to attempt.”
- William Van Horne

“Committee: A group of men who keep minutes and waste hours.”
- Milton Berle

“Never burn bridges. Today's junior jerk, tomorrow's senior partner.”
- Sigourney Weaver

“Every exit is an entry somewhere.”
- Tom Stoppard

“No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.”
- Helen Keller

“The cynic knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
- Oscar Wilde

 

What Makes Dirt the Color It Is?

From space, our planet appears in various shades of blue and green. Get quite a bit closer however, and you will notice this is not the case. Playing in the dirt or planting a garden reveals that the color is much different than it appears from far away.

The color of dirt reflects those materials that make up its composition. Brown dirt is brown because of its high content of plant fibers and the breakdown byproducts of plant chemicals which make up a lot of the organic portion of dirt. As plants die, their fallen leaves and limbs bring stored carbon to the soil. Microbes contained in the soil breakdown the plant matter, using specialized enzymes to expedite decomposition. In a very efficient manner, the microbes process the large quantities of carbon in the soil. However, some carbon is left behind when the microbes die. These scraps are called humic materials and have accumulated over thousands of years. Carbon absorbs most of the colors in sunlight’s spectrum, reflecting back only brown light. The result – the dirty brown color of the soil, produced by these carbon “leftovers”.

Those soils with a high organic composition tend to converge in hue, because the decomposition process itself is pretty predictable, regardless of how the plant material was introduced to the soil. Whether the result of chemical decomposition, microbial breakdown, burning or defecation by scavengers and herbivores, the set of chemicals processed is basically limited. Those soils with less plant material and a higher mineral composition will have a much different appearance. The soil takes on the colors of the minerals in its makeup.

Soils can have a variety of colors, with over 200 different soil colors being found somewhere in the world. A high iron content typically produces red soil. Blue/gray soils may be high in one type of clay, while other clay soils can be more yellow and others nearly white.

Yonye International Building New Facility in Mongolia

Chinese organic agricultural nutrient company Yongye International has begun building a new production facility in Wuchuan County, Hohhot Municipal City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. To meet current market demand, the company’s existing facility is operating at near full capacity. The new plant will have the capacity to produce 20,000 tons annually of Yonye’s liquid plant nutrient product and 10,000 tons per year of its powder animal nutrient product. Completion of the facility is expected by the end of the third quarter of this year. Capital expenditures for the new production facility are expected to be between $15 million to $20 million.

New Generation Biofuels Files Patent Application

Renewable fuels provider New Generation Biofuels Holdings, Inc. (“NGBF”) recently filed a patent application for its new glycerin-based biofuel. Adding the new technology to its property portfolio will allow NGBF to use glycerin as a primary feedstock for formulation of this highly stable biofuel. The new product compliments the company’s existing offerings for the markets it currently serves. The new patent pending technology is formulated to reduce emissions while providing the physical product properties desired by NGBF’s customers. Among the benefits are low viscosity and temperature characteristics including an extremely low pour point. In addition, the conversion process from existing liquid fuels to this new technology should require little if any modification to current fuel combustion systems.
 

Umicore To Build Technology Development Center in China

Global automotive catalyst supplier Umicore announced plans to build a technology development center in Suzhou, China. The company recently
signed a memorandum of understanding with the Suzhou Industrial Park (SIP) authorities for the construction of a technology development center
for its automotive catalysts. The facility will be located close to the company’s current production site in Suzhou. Due to be commissioned by
mid-2012, the center will primarily serve the system development and emission testing needs of the Chinese market and its customer base for a
variety of light-duty vehicle drivetrains.

 

Sigma- Aldrich Announces Management Changes

Sigma-Aldrich recently announced changes to its executive management team. Effective June 30, 2010, David Julien, President-Global Supply Chain will retire. Mr. Julien has served in that position since January of last year. Prior to that position, he held multiple senior positions, including President of the company’s Research Specialties unit from July 2005 to January 2009. Joseph Porwoll will assume the responsibilities held by Mr. Julien as part of his promotion to Vice President, Global Supply Chain. Mr. Porwoll has been with Sigma-Aldrich for 26 years and his most recent position has been as Vice President of the company’s Wisconsin-based operations.

Lapolla Industries Appoints CFO

National manufacturer of insulation foam and coating products Lapolla Industries, Inc. has named Charles Zajaczkowski as its new Chief Financial Officer. Mr. Zajaczkowski brings extensive industry management experience in P & L optimization, operational turnarounds, cash flow management, strategic visioning, and profit maximization to the company. He has held executive positions within the foam, coatings, and equipment sectors.

Tredegar Corporation Appoints New Chairman of the Board

Richmond, Virginia-based Tredegar Corporation has appointed R. Gregory Williams, an independent director, as Chairman of the Board of Directors. Mr. Williams is President of CCA Financial Services LLC. He will replace Richard Morrill, who will continue to sit on the board.

In addition, the company named Monica Moretti as Vice President. She is President of the Tredegar Film Products division. Earlier this year, Tredegar President and CEO John Gottwald retired and was replaced with Executive Vice President Nancy Taylor.

Huntsman Receives $110 Million Settlement

Huntsman Corporation has reached agreement to settle its claims related to losses resulting from the April 29, 2006 fire at its Port Arthur, Texas,
olefins facility. The facility was subsequently sold to Flint Hills Resources. The company previously received $365 million in insurance proceeds related to the 2006 fire, and under this agreement, will collect additional cash proceeds of $110 million in settlement of its claims, which had been in arbitration with its carriers. Proceeds are expected to be used to retire
secured debt and strengthen Huntsman’s balance sheet.

Huntsman is a global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated chemicals and operates from multiple locations worldwide, employing
approximately 11,000 workers.

Omnova Completes Dow Pigment Acquisition

Omnova Solutions Inc. announced the completion of its $2.5 million acquisition of Dow Chemical Company’s hollow-sphere plastic pigment product line. The deal will close after the Federal Trade Commission approves the specialty chemical maker’s purchase of the Dow business line.

With the closing purchase of Dow’s pigment business, Omnova also terminates the RohmNova paper coatings joint venture it has operated since
2002 with Rohm and Haas Company. Omnova will receive $9.7 million from Dow to end the joint venture.
 

Global Earth Energy, Inc. Closes Acquisition of RCI Solar, Inc.

Global Earth Energy, Inc. has completed its acquisition of RCI Solar, Inc. Global Earth will operate the RCI business from its facility located in
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. A North American provider of renewable energy products and services, RCI Solar’s stockholders now own
approximately 67% of the issued and outstanding shares of the Global Earth common stock as a result of the merger.

RCI Solar supplies a wide variety of solar storage tanks, controls, inverters, fan convectors, and ancillaries. In addition, the company sells
complete turnkey renewable energy solutions based on three core products; Solar Photo Voltaic (PV) Panels, Solar Domestic Hot Water, and
AQUA III Heating & Cooling System.
 

Clean Diesel Technologies Enters Merger Agreement with Catalytic Solutions

Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc. (“CDTI”) announced it has reached a definitive merger agreement with Catalytic Solutions, Inc., (“CSI”) a global
manufacturer and distributor of emissions control systems and products. CDTI, a cleantech emissions reduction company, provides sustainable
solutions to increase energy efficiency, reduce emissions, and lower the carbon intensity of on- and off-road engine applications. CSI will become
a wholly owned subsidiary of CDTI after merging with a new subsidiary of CDTI formed solely for this transaction. Terms of the transaction will be
contained in a Registration Statement (Form S-4) to be filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Clariant Showcases New Initiatives at K2010

Specialty chemicals leader Clariant will demonstrate its active approach to fundamental chemical industry issues this October at K2010. The company’s commitment to produce material innovations, processing advances and support for its plastics sector customers will be emphasized under its featured motto “Power Your Performance”. Clariant will offer visitors to its booth a section of initiatives that address primary issues like safety, efficiency, and ecology.

Under the topic of safety, Clariant will help its customers navigate plastics and chemical regulations and practices. It will unveil its new medical and pharmaceutical masterbatches and compounds brands at the show that will assist customers with minimizing the risks and costs of non-compliance in a both product development and lifestyle. From an ecological perspective, the company is committed to sustainability and the environmental impact of its customers’ operations and products. Its new masterbatches for compostable bioplastic products and packaging incorporate conventional (non-natural) additives, making them more economical and more process- and light-stable than “natural” products. The result is an extensive selection of colors and additive functionality for the biopolymer applications requiring compliance in both the Europe and the U.S. Efficiency is another area of major concern and Clariant’s processes and materials solutions play a significant part in assisting its customers with reducing their development time and improving both output potential and cost efficiency. Clariant restructured its business at the beginning of the year to the reduce complexity within the company and improve its response times. It now has ten separate business units to address the specific needs of its customers and their particular market segment.
 

Roche and Biogen Discontinue Ocrelizumab Clinical Development

Roche and Biogen Idec have decided to discontinue their ocrelizumab clinical development program. Detailed analysis of safety results and efficacy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) concluded that overall benefit to risk was not favorable when weighed against current treatment options. Results from the Phase III ocrelizumab rheumatoid arthritis program, which included four studies – SCRIPT, FILM, FEATURE, and STAGE – will be made available to the medical community at an appropriate medical forum. Treatment in the ocrelizumab relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) Phase II study is currently being evaluated, and data will be available at the upcoming ECTRIMS conference.

Ocrelizumab, a humanized molecule, has been developed specifically for use in autoimmune diseases such as RA. It selectively targets CD20 positive B cells by inhibiting the series of reactions that lead to the symptoms and irreversible joint damage caused by RA.

 

Amgen’s Prolia™ Receives FDA Approval

Amgen Inc.’s Prolia™ has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women. Prolia™ (denosumab), the first and only FDA-approved RANK Ligand inhibitor – an essential regulator of osteoclasts (the cells that break down bone), is a 60 mg subcutaneous injection administered every six months to patients at high risk for fracture or patients who have failed or are intolerant to other osteoporosis therapy. Treatment results in stronger bones, greater bone density, and reduced risk for hip, vertebral, and non-vertebral fractures measured at three years.

Amgen, a biotechnology pioneer since 1980, discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics.
 

Monsanto Donates Hybrid Corn Seed to Haitian Farmers

Monsanto Company, the U.S. agricultural giant, is donating $4 million in hybrid corn and vegetable seeds to Haiti. 475 tons of seeds have been
delivered to farmers and made available for sale at markets. The Creve Coeur, Missouri based company will not receive any revenue from the sales, instead providing the seeds free of charge to the WINNER project, a five-year program to increase farmer productivity in Haiti. The WINNER project will distribute the seeds through farmer association stores to be sold at a significantly reduced price. This is the biotechnology
manufacturer’s first venture into providing aid to the chronically hungry nation of Haiti.

 

Dow Introduces New Binder Technology for Low-Odor Paint

Dow Coating Materials is integrating a new binder technology with other initiatives to formulate low-odor paints with outstanding performance. The VERSAIR™ technology platform focuses on the paint odor issue from a holistic perspective, addressing how materials interact during formulation and application. Based on the the comapny’s considerable research, it has been able to develop a new method of synthesizing binders. One example of this is RHOPLEX™ VSR 2015. Incorporation of VERSAIR™ technology into the RHOPLEX™ VSR 2015 chemistry enables Dow to attain the low-odor features without compromising the paint’s performance and the low-to-no VOC formulating capabilities intrinsic in RHOPLEX™ VSR 2015. Test batches using the binder have resulted in coatings with odor levels that were barely detectable.

Axion Completes First Recycled Plastic Rail Road Bridge

Axion International Holdings, Inc. has installed the first of two railroad bridges made from 100% recycled plastic. The bridges, located at Fort
Eustis, Virginia, are constructed from Axion’s patented Recycled Structural Composite (“RSC”) and span approximately 40 and 80 feet, respectively. RSC is Axion’s thermoplastic solution consisting of nearly 100% recycled post-consumer and industrial plastic. It allows bridges to deliver the high-load rating of 130 tons (260,000 pounds) necessary to transport freight and locomotives. These bridges are less expensive to build than steel, concrete, or wood bridges, and are eco-friendly and nearly maintenance-free.

Cognis Develops Wellness-Based Model for Product Development

Worldwide supplier of specialty chemicals and nutritional ingredients Cognis has developed its own wellness-based model for aligning products and solutions with market demands. Designed to turn products into a well-being experience for consumers, the company’s “Newtrition™ – Eat. Feel. Live.” concept was introduced to offer ideas for modern nutrition that make people feel good and strengthen customers’ brands.

 
The strategy was first introduced at the 2009 Vitafoods tradeshow and is now being rolled out globally. The aim of the “Newtrition™ model is to assist Cognis’ customers with natural-based product development and creating tangible well-being benefits that set their brands apart from competitors. The products involve up to four wellness dimensions: emotional perception, taste, effect, and convenience. Focusing on these dimensions along with product formulation, application, and ingredient knowledge, Cognis delivers solutions that can transform products into a well-being experience, providing consumers with goods that could help boost vitality, beauty, and inner balance as well as protect against negative influences.

FDA Clears Mirel F1005 & F1006 for Use in Food Contact Applications

The Food and Drug Administration has approved the Mirel F1005 and F1006 products for use in food contact applications. The injection molding bioplastic materials are made and marketed by Telles, a joint venture between Metabolix and Archer-Daniels-Midland. While Mirel bioplastic materials have the physical properties of petroleum-based resins, they are biobased and biodegradable in natural soil and water environments as well as in home and industrial composting facilities.

The clearance allows for products made with the corn sugar technology to be used in temperatures from freezing to boiling, but not for alcohol. They may also be used in the microwave. A current use of the company’s Mirel bioplastics includes items like gift cards. With this recent approval, the technology may be used in such food service and packaging items as plastic utensils, lids, caps, forks, spoons, knives, tubs and trays. Also included in the approved usage were house wares, cosmetics, and medical packaging.

Bayer CropScience and CTC Team Up to Expand Sugarcane Technology

Bayer CropScience and the CTC – Centro de Tecnologia Canavieira, the Center for Sugarcane Technology, São Paulo, Brazil will soon combine their expertise for the research and development of biotech sugarcane varieties. The focus of the two partners is the development of varieties with higher sugar content to increase the production efficiency of ethanol. The new varieties are expected to produce significantly higher amounts of sugar, with early research indicating increases of approximately 30 to 40 percent.

Sugarcane is considered the most productive crop for economically viable renewable energy and has the best CO2 balance. CTC is one of the world’s leaders from sugarcane breeding to industrial applications. Using this proprietary germplasm along with Bayer’s technologies, the two organizations are targeting significant productivity increases for the ethanol industry. Products developed as a result of this cooperative effort are anticipated to be ready for regulatory approval submission by 2015. that are involved in the distribution, transportation, storage, use, treatment-

disposal and/or sales and marketing of chemicals