E2S has published a complete guide for easy specification and installation for their range of intrinsically safe sounders, beacons and combination devices. The guide is based on the ATEX certification but in general, the guidelines apply to other intrinsic safety standards including NEC and IECEx.

Focusing on interface selection, the guide offers advice regarding the advantages and disadvantages of Zener barriers and isolation interfaces and provides the general entity parameters for E2S intrinsically safe products. Typical system diagrams detail how efficiently to employ different types of Zener barriers or isolators to control combination audio-visual signals and multiple alarm stages.

Additionally, the article proposes suitable barriers for use with E2S intrinsically safe products which the company can source and supply as part of your product order.

The intrinsically safe range from E2S includes audible and visual signals and manual call points suitable for use in Group II Zone 0 and Group I mining plus Class I Division 1 applications. The IS range features approval to ATEX, IECEx and NEC standards as well as Russian TR CU (EAC EX) certification.

The guide can be downloaded from www.e2s.com/isguide.

E2S is the world’s leading independent signalling manufacturer. Based in West London, England the company designs and manufactures a comprehensive range of signalling products for industrial, marine and hazardous area environments. E2S products are available globally via their distribution network, details of distributors are available on the company’s website. Additionally, E2S has a dedicated distribution hub in Houston, Texas for local product distribution and technical support.

E2S Warning Signals
Impress House
Mansell Road
London
W3 7QH
Great Britain
Tel: + 44 (0)20 8743 8880
Fax: + 44 (0)20 8740 4200
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
www.e2s.com 

New orders up by around 20 percent – slight growth in consolidated earnings

“With its first-quarter results, Schuler has got off to a successful start in the new fiscal year 2014,” explained CEO Stefan Klebert on presentation of the company’s interim report in Göppingen. From January to March 2014, orders were up 19.8 percent year on year to € 319.8 million. The press manufacturer made strong gains in Asia, and especially China, as well as in South America and the Gulf region. In Europe, Schuler received its largest-ever service order. At € 258.0 million, sales were 16.0 percent below the corresponding prior-year figure. As expected, sales suffered from falling orders in the previous year.

Due to this decline in revenue, earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (Ebita) of € 17.5 million fell short of the prior-year figure of € 26.4 million. The Group profit for the period, however, rose from € 10.7 to € 11.3 million year thanks to lower interest expenses and taxes.

At the end of the quarter, Schuler’s net financial status improved to € 307.8 million. Equity rose by 4.2 percent to € 286.3 million.

“Over the past few years, Schuler has worked hard to establish a strong market position and solid financial basis. We must now continue along this successful path,” stated Klebert with reference to the company’s key financial figures.

The company has also confirmed its guidance for the fiscal year 2014. Schuler continues to expect total sales of around € 1.1 billion in 2014 with an Ebita margin of 6 to 7 percent. “The high order backlog of around € 1.1 billion provides a solid basis for our 2014 sales and earnings forecast,” concluded Klebert. At the end of March 2014, the Group employed 5,494 people.

The complete financial report can be found here

Photo Source: Schuler

About the Schuler Group – www.schulergroup.com

As the technological and global market leader in metal and plastic forming equipment, Schuler offers cutting edge presses, automation, dies, process know-how and services for the entire metal forming industry and lightweight vehicle construction. Its clients include car manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as companies in the forging, household equipment, packaging, energy and electrical industries. Schuler is the market leader in coin minting technology and supplies systems solutions for the aerospace, railway and large pipes industries. The company can trace its roots back to a locksmith shop founded by Louis Schuler in 1839 and celebrates its 175^th anniversary in 2014. In fiscal year 2012/13 (ending Sep. 30), Schuler posted sales of € 1,185.9 million. With 5,600 employees, Schuler is represented in 40 nations around the world. The Austrian ANDRITZ Group holds a majority share in Schuler.

SigmaTEK Systems LLC, the world’s leading authority on CAD/CAM nesting and manufacturing process automation, announces the opening of its newest global office. Located in Dortmund, Germany, SigmaNEST Systems GmbH will provide software sales, support, training and consulting services to fabricators throughout the region.

SigmaTEK President & CEO, Ben TerreBlanche comments:

“The German metal market ranks among the world’s leaders and the establishment of this new office provides an increased level of responsiveness that comes only with a local presence staffed by industry veterans. Additionally, SigmaNEST Systems GmbH will bring to bear the global resources, technical expertise, and leading software of SigmaTEK Systems. We are truly excited to have a stronger presence in Germany and look forward to providing the industry´s most powerful and advanced manufacturing process automation technology to our many customers in Germany.”

SigmaNEST Systems GmbH CEO, Christoph Weber comments:

“Integration of machine and software is the key to success in the cutting industry. SigmaNEST Systems GmbH delivers the ´Cockpit´ for managing all cutting machines with one powerful, flexible solution. This is one of SigmaNEST´s unique selling points and this will give us an outstanding position in the German market. The positive feedback we already got during the Schweissen & Schneiden in 2013 makes us very optimistic. The premiere for our new team will be the 14. Deutscher Brennschneidtag in Solingen on 20th and 21st May 2014 where we will show the industry’s most advanced CAD/CAM nesting engine SigmaNEST 10.”

About SigmaNEST Systems GmbH

SigmaNEST Systems GmbH (Dortmund, Germany) is the newest global office of SigmaTEK Systems LLC. It cooperates closely with MesserSoft, the software unit of Messer Cutting Systems. Both companies share adjoining office space in Dortmund’s renowned ADAC Building on B1, the “heartbeat highway” of Germany’s major industrial zone, the Ruhr area.

About SigmaTEK

Founded in 1993, SigmaTEK System, LLC (Cincinnati, OH; USA) has an extensive global support network with branches in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. SigmaTEK develops and sells SigmaNEST®, a comprehensive software solution for nesting, NC programming and cutting of steel sheet, plate, tube/pipe, and wood. SigmaNEST is the leading CAD/CAM nesting system for plasma, laser, punch, oxyfuel, waterjet, router, knife, tube/pipe and combination cutting machines. SigmaNEST ensures superior material utilization, machine motion optimization, and maximum part quality balanced with cutting speed, work flow integration, material handling, accurate estimates and information management.

Robert Farrell
Marketing Manager
SigmaTEK Systems, LLC
001-513.595.2022

High quality, low maintenance

Beverage can manufacturer Beihai Jinmeng penetrates Chinese market with aid of Schuler cupping press

One name is to be found on many of China’s best-known beverage brands, such as Qingdao beer or the popular herbal tea Wanglaoji: Guangxi Beihai Jinmeng Zhiguan AG (short form: Beihai Jinmeng). Recently founded, the company has quickly penetrated the Chinese market. This success is due in no small part to a cupping press for the production of beverage cans supplied by Schuler.

Last year, Beihai Jinmeng launched production of beverage cans at its new facility in which it had invested around € 80 million. At the heart of the production line is Schuler’s DA 140 cupping press. “The Schuler press displays a high degree of stability in continuous operation, with relatively low operating costs and maintenance investments,” explains Project Manager Tan Jintu of Beihai Jinmeng’s Production Technology division.

“Because of the comparatively higher wear, similar machines with sliding jib systems require regular adjustment and maintenance – or even the replacement of the sliding jibs – to ensure stable operation,” adds Tan Jintu. By contrast, Schuler’s cupping presses are completely wear-free and do not require maintenance of any kind.

Due to the immense dynamic loads involved, cupping presses operating at high speeds and with heavy weights always run the risk of unevenly distributing the press force across the two sides – with negative consequences for the quality of the dies and products. Schuler’s DA 140 cupping press is therefore equipped with a dynamic counterbalance system which balances out the machine vibrations caused by high press forces during operation.

Play-free pretensioned slide guidance

The machine needs neither a solid concrete foundation nor for its base to be screwed to the floor – only the line’s own weight has to be taken into consideration. The play-free pretensioned slide guidance guarantees precise slide motions with only minimal tilting, thus significantly prolonging die service life. Moreover, the maintenance-free direct drive and very fast clutch/brake combination ensure the cupping press operates with a high degree of efficiency.

“Apart from regular minor servicing, our production line can operate continuously around the clock,” says Tan Jintu. “So far, our cupping press from Schuler has shown no defects or malfunctions of any kind. This has led to considerable savings in staff and maintenance costs.”

Beihai Jinmeng is currently producing beverage cans for Wanglaoji, China’s oldest herbal tea manufacturer. “With regard to Wanglaoji’s quality standards and its positioning in the beverage market, we can safely say that their requirements with regard to beverage cans are among the highest in China,” says Tan Jintu. “The cupping press supplied by Schuler meets all our manufacturing needs with a consistently high level of quality.”

Up to 300 strokes per minute

Most of the beverage cans produced by Beihai Jinmeng have a dimension of 330, 355 or 500 milliliters. With a press force of 140 metric tons and up to 300 strokes per minute, the DA 140 guarantees the flexible and economic production of high-quality beverage cans. At the same time, it is also suitable for particularly thin cans and complex production processes.

The hook-in die change brackets, hydraulic roller bars, and motorized slide adjustment all ensure fast die change times. “If there are fluctuations in the thickness of the aluminum used, for example, this can lead to problems with the pressed can bodies,” explains Tan Jintu. “The Schuler press enables us to react to this within just a few minutes – we simply have to adapt the parameters by changing the inner and outer slide height.”

Complete turnkey delivery

With regard to the cooperation with Schuler, Tan Jintu says: “Schuler’s engineers are top-class experts. They found the right solution for all of our wishes, such as linking the individual processes, supplying software to control the production line, providing basic technical support or designing the system’s wiring.” Schuler’s turnkey delivery of the production line included a coil line, feed device, coil lubrication unit and dies, so that production could be launched immediately on site.

Schuler’s experts not only travelled from Germany to install and set up the line, however, but also to train Beihai Jinmeng’s employees with regard to production, operation and maintenance. A joint venture company German Machine Tool Service Co., Ltd (GMS), is responsible for providing the complete technical customer service, including spare parts and advice on accessories and technical solutions. “The service provided is extremely professional and well structured,” concludes Tan Jintu: “We are highly satisfied.”

About the Schuler Group – www.schulergroup.com 

As the technological and global market leader in metal and plastic forming equipment, Schuler offers cutting edge presses, automation, dies, process know-how and services for the entire metal forming industry and lightweight vehicle construction. Its clients include car manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as companies in the forging, household equipment, packaging, energy and electrical industries. Schuler is the market leader in coin minting technology and supplies systems solutions for the aerospace, railway and large pipes industries. The company can trace its roots back to a locksmith shop founded by Louis Schuler in 1839 and celebrates its 175th anniversary in 2014. In fiscal year 2012/13 (ending Sep. 30), Schuler posted sales of € 1,185.9 million. With 5,600 employees, Schuler is represented in 40 nations around the world. The Austrian ANDRITZ Group holds a majority share in Schuler.

{jcomments off}

Scientific field-trip organisers GeoTenerife (www.geotenerife.com ) hosted a conference on sustainable energy on the island of Tenerife at the RAC Club at Pall Mall on Friday 2 May 2014.

The conference was well-attended by UK-based companies specialising in various areas of renewable energy, along with representatives from charities and educational institutes.

They were joined by members of the Cabildo de Tenerife, with Miguel Diaz Llanos (Councillor responsible for Energy) and Eduardo Pintado Mascareno (Councillor responsible for Commerce) attending on behalf of the island.

Sharon Backhouse, director of GeoTenerife and the event host, said, “There are a number of fabulous business collaborations available for British companies.

“People often see Tenerife as nothing more than a holiday destination, but there is so much more to the island than people realise, and hopefully our guests will make the most of these opportunities.”

The conference started with the attendees being addressed by President Carlos Alonso of the Island Government of Tenerife, who said, “We are keen to welcome scientists and students who wish to come to our small yet perfect paradise.

“Our sun, wind and waves are inexhaustible resources that we can no longer afford to waste.”

The Councillor responsible for Energy, Miguel Diaz Llanos, gave an informative talk on the various initiatives implemented by the Tenerife government. He specifically called for UK investors to submit tenders for their proposed RFP for a waste-to-energy project, full details of which will be announced by the Cabildo de Tenerife next month. 

The introductory session of the conference, including the President's speech and the Councillor's full address can be seen in the video below

GeoTenerife has already received several requests for more information on this and potential solar energy investment on the island, and is currently organising investor trips to the island for UK companies that are keen to learn more and meet the relevant authorities.

About GeoTenerife:

GeoTenerife is a British company that coordinates scientific bespoke trips to the island of Tenerife for UK Universities. It also organizes conferences and webinars on the island, bringing experts from Tenerife to the UK. 

Our desire to promote the potential of the island is backed by over fifteen years of experience in the field of renewable energy. We work with investors interested in projects in Tenerife and schools of all levels in the UK. 

Our events are specifically coordinated to the requirements of each group responding with activities tailored to their courses and levels of study. 

Our goal is to redefine the island of Tenerife: not just a sun and beach destination, the island has resources and potential to be a key destination for global travel and scientific study of the highest level.

For further information about GeoTenerife please contact the event organiser, Director Sharon Backhouse on 07793 063232 or email enquiries @geotenerife.com.

Powell Electrical Systems Inc., Delta/Unibus Division has reduced the process time taken to selectively plate each side of its copper bus bars by 90 percent, saving approximately $100,000 in labor costs, thanks to a unique semi-automated workstation developed by SIFCO Applied Surface Concepts (ASC), the world’s leading supplier of selective plating technology and solutions.

Copper bus bars play an important role in conducting electricity through distribution networks within the power generation industry and, therefore, need to be manufactured to an exacting standard that permits carrying very high currents across mating bus connections with minimal contact resistance. The industry practice to decrease electrical contact resistance at the mating bus connections is to electroplate them with a suitable material, such as silver or tin, before they are installed in the system.

A typical bus bar has four distinct faces that require silver plating. Prior to installing the semi-automated workstation, this was done manually, one face at a time, requiring an operator to move a hand-held plating tool (anode) back and forth across the surface being plated until the desired silver thickness was achieved. Thickness was often inconsistent because of the manual operation which required the operator to error on the high side tolerance. To complete a bus bar, this operation had to be carried out four times.

Bus bars are a core component in Powell Delta/Unibus’ portfolio; therefore the company is constantly looking for ways to improve its manufacturing process. SIFCO ASC and Powell already had an established relationship with Powell using SIFCO Process® equipment and plating solutions. Initial discussions with SIFCO ASC on process improvements identified the potential savings that could be achieved by adopting a semi-automated workstation. Further detailed discussions to better understand Powell’s production requirements resulted in the development of the Dual Plating Workstation, which was designed and built by SIFCO ASC.

This semi-automated workstation is the first of its kind for this type of application, which enabled Powell to selectively silver plate both sides of the copper bus bars simultaneously and achieve the desired plating thickness uniformly, consistently and efficiently.

The new semi-automated workstation is 90 percent faster at plating a bus bar than the original manual application, reducing the process time from 21minutes to just 2 minutes. These calculations translate into approximately $100,000 worth of labor savings annually when Powell Delta/Unibus is operating at full capacity. The efficiency gains and savings achieved have prompted Powell to purchase a second machine.

Jessica Heuel, Quality Assurance Engineer at Powell explains: “The whole copper bar processing line has multiple potential bottlenecks as do all manufacturing processes. Being able to significantly reduce the plating operation time has helped remove electroplating as a potential bottleneck in our process, which allows the workers to assemble the bus duct much faster.”

Jessica adds: “We are extremely pleased with the results of this project as it has vastly improved our business. The experts at SIFCO ASC are very good at understanding our processes and what we are trying to achieve rather than just being concerned with developing their own business by selling us product. Not only have they devised a solution that saves us time and money, but in fact it has improved the quality of our plating process as well.”

Lee Shelton, Managing Director of SIFCO ASC concludes: “This was a special project for SIFCO ASC that we are extremely proud of. We have worked with a number of companies to develop custom workstations, but these two are the first of their kind. We always endeavour to partner with our customers and create solutions that will be beneficial in the long-term.”

About SIFCO ASC

SIFCO Applied Surface Concepts provide practical, cost-effective selective plating solutions to improve part performance and reduce manufacturing costs through corrosion protection, increased wear resistance, increased hardness, improved conductivity, anti-galling or slip. SIFCO ASC surface enhancement technologies and selective plating services have been utilised for over 50 years on both OEM components and on parts requiring refurbishment in the aerospace, oil and gas, general industry and power generation sectors.

www.sifcoasc.com

SIFCO ASC is part of Norman Hay plc.

About Surface Technology

Surface Technology has more than 40 years’ experience in the development and application of high performance surface treatments for a wide variety of applications, with particular expertise in providing surface treatment solutions to customers in the aerospace, automotive and oil & gas sectors both within the UK and internationally.

www.surfacetechnology.co.uk

Surface Technology is part of Norman Hay plc.

About Norman Hay plc

Norman Hay plc is a global chemicals, sealants, surface coatings and engineering group with over 60 years trading history. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, the group operates four main divisions: Ultraseal, the market leader in impregnation chemicals and process equipment; Surface Technology, specialists in the development and application of surface treatments with well-known brands including Armourcote and ACI; SIFCO ASC, global leaders in selective plating; NHE, manufacturing bespoke process plant and equipment.

www.normanhay.com

To find out more about SIFCO’s selective plating process you can visit: www.sifcoasc.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. US

To find out more about SIFCO’s selective plating process you can visit: www.sifcoasc.co.uk or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. UK

For more information on Powell Electrical Systems Inc. you can visit: www.powellind.com

Fast on the heels of designating FILMTEC™ ECO Reverse Osmosis (RO) Elements as the company’s second Breakthrough to a World Challenge, Dow garners a prestigious Edison Award. On April 30 in San Francisco, Dow was presented with the Bronze Edison Award for FILMTEC ECO Elements in the Energy/Sustainability and Commercial Resource Management category. The judging committee recognized FILMTEC ECO Technology for its ability to significantly reduce the energy required to remove impurities from water.

“The Edison Award recognition is very important to us, as it shows our technologies and innovations, like FILMTEC ECO Reverse Osmosis Elements, are making impacts on real-world issues like water and energy scarcity.”

A program within the Edison Universe organization, the Edison Awards have recognized and honored some of the most innovative products and business leaders in the world such as Nielsen, Keurig Incorporated, Henkel, and Black and Decker®, and are among the most prestigious accolades honoring excellence in new product and service development, marketing, design and innovation.

Recognizing the perilous state of water demand, Dow Water & Process Solutions scientists developed FILMTEC ECO RO Elements, which includes one of the most advanced water purification polymer chemistries available today. FILMTEC™ ECO Elements can help deliver up to 40 percent better water purification while using up to 30 percent less energy, resulting in up to 19 percent less operating costs.

These benefits provide manufacturers, who need water as a critical utility or as a process ingredient, with an ecologic and economic win when making the products we use every day such as electronics, clothing, food and beverages. FILMTEC ECO Elements also helps power utility providers reduce the need for chemicals used to clean the membranes helping to improve their power production uptime.

“Energy consumption is the number one controllable resource in the water-energy nexus,” said Snehal Desai, global business director for Dow Water & Process Solutions. “The Edison Award recognition is very important to us, as it shows our technologies and innovations, like FILMTEC ECO Reverse Osmosis Elements, are making impacts on real-world issues like water and energy scarcity.”

In the first 10 years of use, FILMTEC™ ECO Elements will help produce 15 trillion m³ of clean water (more than 6 million Olympic-sized swimming pools), while providing more than 2 billion kWh (Kilowatt hours) of energy savings and reducing carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) emissions by 1.5 million metric tons.

“Increasingly, breakthrough innovations require multi-disciplinary expertise,” said A.N. Sreeram, corporate vice president of Research & Development at Dow. “FILMTEC ECO Technology is the result of collaboration across chemistry, engineering, material science and marketing. It’s a tangible demonstration of how we’re bringing innovations to the market with deep technical expertise, customer intimacy, global reach and a diverse product portfolio.”

FILMTEC ECO Technology was recently recognized by Dow as an innovation that will help improve the world’s ability to solve sustainable water supply challenges, as it was named Dow’s second-ever Breakthrough to a World Challenge as part of the Company’s 2015 Sustainability Goals.

About Dow

Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water, clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural productivity. Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to customers in approximately 180 countries and in high growth sectors such as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2013, Dow had annual sales of more than $57 billion and employed approximately 53,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 products are manufactured at 201 sites in 36 countries across the globe. References to "Dow" or the "Company" mean The Dow Chemical Company and its consolidated subsidiaries unless otherwise expressly noted. More information about Dow can be found at www.dow.com.

^®TM Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow

BASF is evaluating an investment in a world-scale methane-to-propylene complex on the U.S. Gulf Coast. The on-purpose production of propylene to supply the company’s North American operations would allow BASF to take advantage of low gas prices due to U.S. shale gas production and considerably improve its cost position. This would be BASF’s largest single-plant investment to date.

• World-scale, methane-based propylene complex on the U.S. Gulf Coast
• Stronger backward integration in North America

BASF intends to further strengthen its backward integration into propylene and grow its propylene-based downstream activities, leading to a stronger market position in North America. Propylene is one of the most important basic chemicals in the petrochemical industry and is used in the production of a wide range of higher-value chemicals. These chemicals are used to manufacture products such as coatings, detergents or superabsorbent polymers for baby diapers.

Details on the potential investment, including the capacity of the plant, investment amount and exact location are currently under evaluation.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN).Foir

For more information www.basf.com

“We had a good start to the year in our chemicals business and in the Agricultural Solutions segment. We sold more. This more than compensated for the negative effects on sales from the comparatively weak U.S. dollar and currencies in emerging markets,” said Dr. Kurt Bock, Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors, at the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting of BASF SE in the Congress Center Rosengarten in Mannheim. Sales declined considerably in the Oil & Gas segment, however. At €19.5 billion, BASF Group sales were down by 1% overall.

Income from operations (EBIT) before special items amounted to €2.1 billion, 3% below the level of the first quarter of 2013. While earnings in the Performance Products and Functional Materials & Solutions segments improved significantly, the contribution from the Oil & Gas segment fell considerably.

EBIT included a total of €109 million in special items in the first quarter of 2014. This was largely attributable to special income from the divestiture of shares in non-BASF-operated oil and gas fields in the British North Sea. EBIT therefore grew year-on-year by €80 million to reach €2.2 billion. EBITDA rose by €96 million to €3.0 billion. The financial result decreased by €57 million to minus €183 million.

Income before taxes and minority interests improved year-on-year by €23 million to €2.1 billion. Net income grew by €31 million to €1.5 billion. Earnings per share were €1.61 in the first quarter of 2014, compared with €1.57 in the same period of 2013.

Outlook for 2014 confirmed

The company’s expectations for the global economic environment in 2014 remain unchanged:

• Growth of gross domestic product: 2.8%
• Growth in industrial production: 3.7%
• Growth in chemical production: 4.4%
• An average euro/dollar exchange rate of $1.30 per euro
• An average oil price for the year of $110 per barrel

Bock: “For 2014, we anticipate somewhat faster growth in the global economy than in 2013. We expect to perform well in a market environment that remains volatile and challenging. We therefore stand by our outlook for 2014 despite unfavorable currency developments. We expect a slight rise in EBIT before special items, especially as a result of considerably higher contributions from the Performance Products and Functional Materials & Solutions segments.” Sales are likely to decrease slightly due to the divestiture of the gas trading and storage business planned for the middle of 2014. EBIT will likely considerably increase. The special income arising from the planned divestiture of the gas trading and storage business should make a significant contribution here.

World-scale investment in the United States being evaluated

BASF is evaluating an investment in a world-scale methane-to-propylene complex on the U.S. Gulf Coast. “The production of propylene would allow us to take advantage of low gas prices due to shale gas production, considerably improve our cost position and improve our backward integration in the United States,” said Bock. This would be BASF’s largest single-plant investment to date. Propylene is one of the most important basic chemicals in the petrochemical industry and is used in the production of a wide range of higher-value chemicals. Details on the potential investment are currently under evaluation.

Business development in the segments in the first quarter

In the Chemicals segment, sales matched the level of the previous first quarter. Lower prices and negative currency effects were offset by increased volumes. Sales volumes grew, particularly as a result of stronger demand in the Intermediates division as well as higher volumes in the Petrochemicals division, especially in North America. Earnings decreased slightly, mainly due to margin pressure.

Sales in the Performance Products segment were at the level of the previous first quarter despite negative currency effects and slightly lower sales prices. This was attributable to higher sales volumes. Strict fixed cost management contributed to a considerable rise in earnings.

In the Functional Materials & Solutions segment, sales were slightly higher on account of increased volumes, thanks primarily to strong demand from the automotive industry. Negative currency effects reduced sales growth. In the Construction Chemicals division, sales declined slightly as a result of portfolio effects, as well. Earnings considerably surpassed the level of the first quarter of 2013. All divisions contributed to this.

Sales grew considerably in the Agricultural Solutions segment. This was mainly because of the strong start in the Northern Hemisphere. Negative currency effects were more than compensated for by raising volumes and prices. Earnings rose slightly thanks to these higher volumes and prices.

Sales in the Oil & Gas segment were considerably below the level of the previous first quarter. In the Natural Gas Trading business sector, sales volumes were significantly down year-on-year as a result of the mild winter in Europe. Despite lower prices for crude oil and missing volumes from offshore production in Libya, sales levels remained stable in the Exploration & Production business sector. This was largely due to additional volumes from Norway. Margin pressure and lower volumes in natural gas trading as well as the smaller contribution from Libya led to a considerable earnings decline in the segment.

Sales in Other rose slightly compared with the first quarter of 2013. This was mainly the result of higher volumes in raw materials trading. EBIT before special items declined considerably, however. Currency losses and valuation effects for the long-term incentive program played a significant role here. Whereas provisions had been reversed in the first quarter of 2013, the positive development of the BASF share led to expenses for increasing provisions in the first quarter of 2014.

Business development in the regions in the first quarter

Sales at companies located in Europe decreased year-on-year by 3%. The considerably lower level of sales in the Oil & Gas segment was responsible for this. In the Natural Gas Trading business sector, above-average temperatures in the winter months led to a mostly volumes and price-related decline in sales. On the other hand, weather conditions were favorable for the business with crop protection products; sales rose considerably in the Agricultural Solutions segment. EBIT before special items fell by €19 million to €1.5 billion due to the considerably lower contribution from the Oil & Gas segment.

In North America, sales grew as a result of significantly higher volumes, rising by 9% in U.S. dollars and by 5% in euro terms. Sales volumes in the Petrochemicals and Catalysts divisions increased especially sharply. Besides currency effects, lower prices also reduced sales growth in the region. At €491 million, earnings surpassed the level of the first quarter of 2013 by €37 million thanks primarily to higher contributions from the Petrochemicals division and the Agricultural Solutions segment.

Sales in the Asia Pacific region rose by 7% in local-currency terms and by 1% in euro terms. Sales volumes increased in all segments. Negative currency effects and declining prices weakened sales growth. At €174 million, earnings were €71 million below the same quarter of 2013. This was largely on account of a considerably smaller contribution from the Chemicals segment as well as currency losses reported in Other. By contrast, the Functional Materials & Solutions segment was able to considerably improve earnings.

Sales in the South America, Africa, Middle East region grew by 10% in local-currency terms but declined by 10% in euro terms. Higher prices and improved sales volumes were only able to partly offset highly negative currency effects. Sales decreased considerably in the Agricultural Solutions segment. Here, negative currency effects as well as declining volumes and sales prices put a strain on sales development. Despite a considerably higher contribution from the Oil & Gas segment in Argentina, earnings for the region amounted to €17 million, down by €21 million compared with the level of the previous first quarter. This was due to the currency losses reported in Other.

About BASF

BASF is the world’s leading chemical company: The Chemical Company. Its portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products and crop protection products to oil and gas. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Through science and innovation, we enable our customers in nearly every industry to meet the current and future needs of society. Our products and solutions contribute to conserving resources, ensuring nutrition and improving quality of life. We have summed up this contribution in our corporate purpose: We create chemistry for a sustainable future. BASF had sales of about €74 billion in 2013 and over 112,000 employees as of the end of the year. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchanges in Frankfurt (BAS), London (BFA) and Zurich (AN).

American Water (NYSE: AWK), the nation’s largest publicly traded water and wastewater utility company, and Abengoa, an international company that applies innovative technology solutions for sustainability in the energy and environment sectors, today signed a worldwide licensing agreement for American Water’s patented NPXpress technology. The agreement will enable Abengoa to use NPXpress to achieve wastewater treatment and nutrient removal in a sustainable way. American Water will retain all rights with respect to its NPXpress technology.

“With our continuous commitment to provide cutting-edge solutions to our global clients, this agreement will allows us to provide technology driven at a lower energy footprint”

The NPXpress technology helps wastewater utilities, which are facing both increasing operating costs and more stringent environmental regulations, to reduce costs while improving the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus. Because the technology operates at lower oxygen levels, electricity consumption for aeration can be reduced by up to 50 percent. In addition, the process can eliminate the need for costly chemical addition (methanol) by up to 80 to 100 percent. This process provides a more affordable and sustainable way of treating sewage. NPXpress is patent-protected in 15 countries and the EU.

“This agreement is a perfect example of innovation and collaboration that helps address challenges in the water industry,” said Jeff Sterba, President and CEO, American Water. “The NPXpress technology has demonstrated promising capabilities and we are excited that others in the industry will benefit from this innovative approach.”

“With our continuous commitment to provide cutting-edge solutions to our global clients, this agreement will allows us to provide technology driven at a lower energy footprint,” said Carlos Cosin, CEO of Abengoa Water. “Our next generation of Membrane BioReactor (“MBR”) plants will be more energy efficient thanks to this global partnership.”

This is the first time American Water has licensed an internally generated technology achieved through its Innovation Development Process (IDP). American Water’s IDP program fills a vital need to seek innovative, cost effective, and sustainable solutions that can benefit all water utilities. It combines research and development, technical expertise, and infrastructure assets with innovations from both within American Water and from external business partners to create greater efficiencies in the areas of drinking water and wastewater. The IDP provides a conduit for innovators to allow their technologies to be evaluated and to accelerate the adoption and market penetration of products or services that help solve pressing needs within the water industry.

About American Water

Founded in 1886, American Water is the largest publicly traded U.S. water and wastewater utility company. With headquarters in Voorhees, N.J., the company employs approximately 6,600 dedicated professionals who provide drinking water, wastewater and other related services to an estimated 14 million people in more than 40 states and parts of Canada. More information can be found at www.amwater.com.

About Abengoa

Abengoa (MCE: ABG.B/P SM /NASDAQ: ABGB) applies innovative technology solutions for sustainability in the energy and environment sectors, generating electricity from renewable resources, converting biomass into biofuels and producing drinking water from sea water. (www.abengoa.com)

American Water
Denise Venuti Free
External Communications Manager
856-309-4690
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.