C18 Basic Chemical and Chemical Product Manufacturing

BP, Macquarie see a green future for shuttered Australian oil refinery

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Original article by Nick Toscano
Brisbane Times – Page: Online : 8-Sep-21

The Western Australian government will partially finance a feasibility study into converting the defunct oil refinery at Kwinana to produce ‘green’ hydrogen. BP announced the refinery’s closure in October 2020; the energy giant and Macquarie Capital will now look into the viability of using the facility to produce hydrogen from renewable energy. WA premier Mark McGowan says that green hydrogen produced at Kwinana could eventually be exported worldwide. Green hydrogen is currently much more expensive to produce than ‘grey’ hydrogen, which is produced using fossil fuels.

CORPORATES
BP PLC, BP AUSTRALIA LIMITED, MACQUARIE CAPITAL PTY LTD, WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET

Azura heads for final studies for world-first dry eye treatment

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Original article by Yolanda Redrup
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 21 : 8-Mar-21

Biotech start-up Azura Opthalmics is seeking to develop a treatment for a type of dry eye ailment known as meibomian gland dysfunction, which impacts over 30 million people in the US alone. Meibomian gland dysfunction can occur naturally as people age, but it can also be triggered or made worse by co-morbidities such as rheumatoid arthritis. Azura Opthalmics released promising phase two clinical trial results for its treatment in the week ending 5 March, while its backers include Brandon Capital, OrbiMed and Ganot Capital.

CORPORATES
AZURA OPTHALMICS, BRANDON CAPITAL PARTNERS PTY LTD, ORBIMED ADVISORS LLC, GANOT CAPITAL

Giant fertiliser plant would frack Great Sandy Desert

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Original article by Ben Potter
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 20 : 22-Jan-21

Western Australian consortium Derby Fertilisers & Petrochemical Complex has unveiled plans for a $4.1 billion fertiliser and chemicals plant. Derby Fertilisers claims the project would create 500 production jobs for 25 years, generate annual revenues of $US1.5 billion ($1.9 billion) for that period, and would create 1,500 construction jobs and subsidised power and water for the residents of the WA town of Derby. However, it would rely on gas produced by fracking in the sensitive Great Sandy Desert, with the gas coming from a supplier that has not yet established certified reserves for the project.

CORPORATES
DERBY FERTILISERS & PETROCHEMICAL COMPLEX

No pain, big gain: partnership sends Mesoblast shares soaring

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Original article by Damon Kitney
The Australian – Page: 21 : 11-Sep-19

Shares in Melbourne-based stem cell developer Mesoblast rose by over 22 per cent on 10 September after it announced details of a strategic partnership with German drug company Grunenthal. The partnership will see the two companies work to develop and commercialise a cell therapy to threat severe lower back pain, with Mesoblast receiving up to $US150 million ($218.56 million) in upfront and milestone payments prior to the launch of any product developed under the partnership. Billionaire Alex Waislitz, who is one of Mesoblast’s investors, suggests the global potential for a non-opiate product for treating lower back pain could be worth "many billions of dollars" each year.

CORPORATES
MESOBLAST LIMITED – ASX MSB, GRUNENTHAL GMBH

Immunoglobulins: CSL tells rivals to lift supply

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Original article by Yolanda Redrup
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 15-Aug-19

Blood product company CSL released its results for the year to 30 June on 14 August, reporting a net profit after tax of $US1.92 billion ($2.9 billion), up 11 per cent. CSL’s revenue was up by 7.9 per cent to $US8.5 billion, while the company advised that it expected its net profit to exceed $US2 billion in the 2019-20 financial year. CSL CEO Paul Perreault called on its competitors in the global immunoglobulin market to boost their output, or risk demand significantly outweighing supply.

CORPORATES
CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL

Gas price cut needed to save Gibson Island

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 14 & 18 : 21-May-19

Incitec Pivot has posted a 2018-19 underlying net profit of $41.9m, compared with $147.1m previously. The company has warned that its fertiliser plant at Gibson Island in Queensland will close by the end of 2019 unless action is taken to address the issue of high gas prices. CEO Jeanne Johns says it will not be viable to keep the plant open until 2022 unless gas prices fall. She has declined to comment on whether the federal government should use the Australian Domestic Gas Security Mechanism to restrict gas export volumes in 2019 and 2020.

CORPORATES
INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, ENERGYQUEST PTY LTD

Japan Inc splashes out on Dulux

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Original article by Perry Williams
The Australian – Page: 17 : 18-Apr-19

Directors of DuluxGroup have endorsed a cash offer of $9.80 per share from Japan-based Nippon Paint, which values the deal at $3.8bn. DuluxGroup CEO Patrick Houlihan says the deal will allow the Melbourne-based company to sell its products in more international markets, following the recent launch of its Selleys range in Indonesia. Nippon Paint has stressed that DuluxGroup will retain its branding and leadership team.

CORPORATES
DULUXGROUP LIMITED – ASX DLX, NIPPON PAINT, SELLEYS CHEMICAL COMPANY PTY LTD, PARCHEM CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS PTY LTD, CRAIG AND ROSE, JAPAN POST COMPANY LIMITED, TOLL HOLDINGS LIMITED, MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP INCORPORATED, COLONIAL FIRST STATE GLOBAL ASSET MANAGEMENT, ORICA LIMITED – ASX ORI

CSL buys way into cell, gene therapy

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Original article by Sarah-Jane Tasker
The Australian – Page: 19 : 29-Aug-17

CSL has announced that it will spend $US91 million ($A114 million) on the purchase of US-based biotechnology company Calimmune. CSL executive Andrew Nash says the purchase of Calimmune gives it access to skills and technologies in the area of gene and cell-based therapies that it does not currently have. He said that CSL has had its eye on Calimmune, which has operations in both the US and Australia, for about a year.

CORPORATES
CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, CALIMMUNE INCORPORATED

Incitec predicts further growth in US, China

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Original article by Jared Lynch
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 24 : 16-Sep-15

Incitec Pivot CEO James Fazzino says that the US will account for around 50 per cent of the group’s earnings when its ammonia plant in Louisiana is fully operational. He notes that US shale gas prices have fallen sharply since Incitec decided to proceed with the plant, adding that the Louisiana facility provides investors with a "compelling" reason to buy the group’s shares. Fazzino also remains upbeat about the outlook for the Chinese economy.

CORPORATES
INCITEC PIVOT LIMITED – ASX IPL, UBS HOLDINGS PTY LTD, CHS, CF INDUSTRIES HOLDINGS INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Blackmores gives six weeks’ pay to staff as share of profit bonanza

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Original article by Simon Evans
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 8 : 26-Aug-15

Blackmores has reported a rise of 83 per cent in net profit after tax to $A46.6 million for 2014-15. Total sales increased 36 per cent to $A471.6 million. Commenting on the results, Blackmores CEO Christine Holgate said on 25 August 2015 that staff will receive an extra six weeks’ pay as part of a profit-sharing scheme. The final dividend was raised by 63 per cent to $A1.35 a share.

CORPORATES
BLACKMORES LIMITED – ASX BKL, BIOCEUTICALS PTY LTD, VITACO HEALTH LIMITED, GOLDMAN SACHS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, NUTRA-LIFE HEALTH AND FITNESS AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, HEALTHERIES OF NEW ZEALAND LIMITED, MUSASHI PTY LTD