News from Notch Consulting, Inc.

December 10, 2021

Goodyear/Monolith sign development agreement on carbon black

Filed under: Carbon Black, Tires — Notch @ 4:29 pm

Monolith Materials (Lincoln, NE) today announced it has signed a collaboration agreement and letter of intent (LOI) with Goodyear Tire & Rubber under which the companies will collaborate on the development and potential use of clean carbon black produced at Monolith’s expanding Olive Creek facility in Hallam, Nebraska.

“Monolith’s carbon black enables manufacturers like Goodyear to meet their sustainability goals and address customer demands for environmentally-responsible products,” said Rob Hanson, co-founder and chief executive officer, Monolith, in a press release. Monolith expects to begin construction on its expanded Olive Creek facility in 2022, with completion scheduled for 2025. Once complete, Monolith’s Olive Creek facility will produce 194,000 tonnes of cleanly made carbon black annually, along with 275,000 tonnes of clean ammonia. When fully commissioned, the facility will be the largest manufacturer of carbon black in the U.S. and the first built in the country in over 50 years.

“At Goodyear, we’re committed to sustainability and making a positive impact by our choice of the materials we use,” said Chris Helsel, senior vice president, global operations and chief technology officer. “Our collaboration with Monolith is one example of how we are using sustainable materials in quality products that deliver a better future.”

December 6, 2021

Mitsubishi to spin off its petrochemical and coal-chemical units, including carbon black

Filed under: Carbon Black — Notch @ 11:44 pm

Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings plans to carve out and divest its petrochemical and coal-chemical units by its 2023 fiscal year, according to Bloomberg. The petrochemical business had sales during the last fiscal year of $3.8 billion, about 13% of Mitsubishi’s total. It makes olefins and polyolefins. The coal business, which makes coke, carbon black, and synthetic rubber, had sales of $1.0 billion, according to C&E News. This segment includes two carbon black plants in Japan. Mitsubishi says the businesses face both limited growth potential and difficulties as Japan shifts toward carbon neutrality. Going forward, the company will focus on electronics and health care, along with businesses such as methyl methacrylate and industrial gases.The carve-out plan is the first major move from Mitsubishi’s new CEO Jean-Marc Gilson, who joined the company in April.

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