Specialty chemicals company based out of Belgium, Solvay, has announced the start-up of a new bio-based solvent plant in Brazil.

Helpful context:

To make biodiesel (fatty acid mono-esters) we typically react methanol with triglycerides (vegetable oils). This results in a byproduct, glycerin, that producers struggle to utilize or dispose of. Solvay's new plant transforms that glycerin and hopes to sell it to the North American and European markets.

So what are they doing with it?

The glycerin is purified and converted into a variety of solvents, branded as Augeo, and offered as a sustainable alternative to solvents produced downstream of oil & gas. Companies looking to make their suppy chains greener may be interested in the solvent's low carbon footprint. Those solvents eventually find themselves in "paints and varnishes, printing inks, household and institutional cleaners, leather," and much more.

Read the press release here.

Hydrogen production and storage company, McPhy, has announced that it has raised $210 million in strategic investments from TechnipFMC and Chart Industries.

What's it going to do with all that cash?

McPhy manufactures the electrolyzers that make green hydrogen production possible. The cash collected will go towards its goal of building "an electrolyzer gigafactory" to produce its electrolyzers at a scale 10x that of current production. They hope to get started in the middle of next year and start operating in 2023.

Why TechnipFMC and Chart Industries?

Chart Industries (last mentioned 2 weeks ago) manufactures the equipment used to liquefy, store, and transport gases. TechnipFMC is an engineering and project integration specialist that has installed over 270 hydrogen-related equipment in the past few years. Both of these companies bring valuable experience money alone can't provide.

Read the press release here.

Wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, Arlanxeo, has announced the sale of its olefins business to Mitsubishi.

Why would they do that?

Arlanxeo (previously owned by Lanxess) is in the specialty chemicals and synthetic rubber products business. As it aims to specialize in the tire and automotive industries, "the olefins business no longer fits in with Arlanxeo’s strategic focus".

So what now?

The employees at the plant will be transferred over to Mitsubishi, and production won't be affected. The butadiene and raffinate that olefins business produces will continue to grow and develop in the future—just under different leadership.

Read the press release here.