Tag: Lubrizol

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To meet growing demand for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) pipe and fittings in India, Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Advanced Materials, a global specialty chemical leader and the market leader for CPVC, and Grasim Industries Limited, a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, have entered into a definitive agreement to manufacture and supply CPVC resin in India.

Once commissioned, this near 100,000 metric-ton state-of-the-art CPVC plant at Grasim’s site in Vilayat, Gujarat, will be the largest single-site capacity for CPVC resin production globally.

The project will take part in two phases, with the first phase of production expected to be operational in late 2022. The CPVC resin produced at Vilayat will enable product sold under Lubrizol’s FlowGuard® Plus, Corzan® and BlazeMaster® brands.

This collaboration, in support of the Government of India’s “Make in India” initiative, is expected to bolster economic development in the state of Gujarat. To further support the local market, Lubrizol will make additional investments in the coming years to expand its existing CPVC compound plant in Dahej, Gujarat and establish a local innovation center as demand continues to grow.

India is amongst the largest consumers of CPVC, primarily in the form of plumbing pipe and fittings, and growing needs for clean water in all residential and commercial buildings will drive continued growth. Lubrizol is the inventor and largest manufacturer of CPVC resin and CPVC compounds worldwide. With billions of feet installed globally, Lubrizol’s CPVC solutions enable long-lasting systems and reliable access to clean, safe drinking water to millions of homes, in alignment with the company’s mission to help the world Live Better.

To-date, Lubrizol products have been instrumental in delivering safer water to some 200 million citizens in South Asia. Lubrizol has plans to introduce other advanced water management solutions in India in the future.

With this investment to supply resin to its existing compounding plant in Dahej, Gujarat, Lubrizol becomes the only company in India with end-to-end CPVC capability. In addition to its regional manufacturing capabilities, Lubrizol continues to strengthen its customer network, collaborating with local leaders like Ashirvad Pipes, an Aliaxis company, and Prince Pipes to ensure robust distribution in India and South Asia. As part of its regional support, Lubrizol is also committed to the ongoing development of plumbers in India, having trained nearly 100,000 local plumbers on installation of advanced plumbing systems.

“This alliance will help Lubrizol better serve our customers in India and South Asia, as well as support the Indian economy,” said Arnau Pano, Vice President, Lubrizol Advanced Materials, South Asia. “Connecting with Grasim Industries Limited, a reputable global conglomerate, who share our commitment to sustainable chemical production, will allow us to provide our customers with increased, reliable CPVC supply and further our goal of improving access to clean, safe drinking water for millions of global citizens through the advantages offered by FlowGuard® Plus plumbing solutions.”

“This collaboration with Lubrizol Advanced Materials is part of our long-term direction to bring in world-class technologies to India and additionally complements our growth strategy in Chlor-Alkali and Derivatives platform,” said Kalyan Ram Madabhushi, CEO-Global Chemicals & Group Business Head-Fertilisers & Insulators, Aditya Birla Group. “The collaboration will support the ‘Make in India’ initiative and is expected to create local jobs and downstream opportunities.”

This collaboration also will enable Aditya Birla Group and The Lubrizol Corporation to explore collaboration opportunities across additional segments, such as water management, construction, textiles, automotive and piping by leveraging the technologies and market channels of both groups.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Advanced Materials, Inc., inventors and the largest manufacturers of CPVC compound worldwide, and Prince Pipes and Fittings Ltd., announced today, the signing of a FlowGuard® CPVC Processor agreement for the manufacturing and sale of Prince FlowGuard® Plus CPVC (Chlorinated polyvinyl chloride) pipes and fittings in India.

FlowGuard Plus products will be available from Prince Pipes and Fittings Ltd. in India starting in September.

“Lubrizol is dedicated to supplying the highest quality CPVC compounds to service hot & cold water plumbing markets in India. This partnership with Prince Pipes and Fittings Ltd. will further strengthen FlowGuard Plus’ commitment to enabling clean water supply to millions of citizens in India through Prince Pipes’ robust distribution network and strategically located manufacturing facilities across India,” explains Vince Misiti, General Manager – TempRite® Engineered Polymers.

FlowGuard Plus has been part of Indian homes and buildings for more than two decades. Our commitment remains persistent with the support of our licensee partners, who continue to benefit from Lubrizol’s decades of understanding the Global plumbing market and its expertise in CPVC manufacturing. India’s plumbers, engineers, builders and consultants have been reassured by FlowGuard Plus’ higher performance which meets global standards and ensures peace of mind for consumers.

Commenting on the collaboration Mr. Parag Chheda, Executive Director of Prince Pipes and Fittings Limited, said, “Our association with Lubrizol significantly expands our capabilities and strengthens our agility in the market place. Prince Pipes’ robust distribution network combined with Lubrizol’s brand equity is set to create strong and sustainable partnership in Indian piping industry. We understand India’s evolving needs and committed to leveraging new technologies to offer home owners, consultants and builders the advantage of a preferred global brand and best-in-class product.”

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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To support rapid growth in surface protection applications, Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol has made a variety of investments in its thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) business globally. These investments extend the company’s capabilities in surface protection and paint protection film (PPF), providing additional benefit to PPF manufacturers, brand owners and their supply chains.

PPFs are used to maintain the long-lasting beauty of vehicle surfaces. With more than 30 years of proven experience, Lubrizol’s ESTANE® TPU is recognized as the benchmark material for performance in PPF, a reputation carefully developed through years of strategic investments in capacity, acquisitions and technology innovation.
The company’s most recent investments include:

• TPU capacity expansion through state-of-the-art manufacturing and processing technology at its Montmelo, Spain facility to serve growing demand

• Application resources and testing capabilities in its Brecksville, Ohio; Montmelo, Spain and Songjiang, China technical centers to develop the next-generation innovations

• Expansion of its consumer and market insights platform to stay ahead of the evolving needs in PPF and other surface protection end uses

This integrated combination of investments uniquely positions Lubrizol to collaborate with customers and partners across the value chain to support their growth and accelerate speed to market with new product innovations, while providing additional security of supply across the globe.

This focused growth also supports the company’s recent launch of its “Made with ESTANE TPU” branding initiative, designed to promote alignment with PPF brand owners to help them specify Lubrizol’s ESTANE TPU material in their products, bringing the assurance of quality and reliability expected by their installers and end-use customers.

“Our strategic focus is on markets and applications where we can deliver value-added solutions to our customers, while helping the industry advance,” says Viviana Wilson, Director of Global Industrial Marketing, Lubrizol. “This, in turn, fuels our investment in technology, market and applications know-how, and manufacturing.”

“We’re at our best collaborating with customers across the value chain. We aim to create smarter, and this investment in TPU capacity, testing and process technology enables us to do more, and more quickly, to meet the growing demands of this dynamic market. All of this is backed by reliable, world-class manufacturing and strong technical centers, close to our customers,” states Gabe Rhoads, General Manager, Lubrizol Engineered Polymers.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation has become the first lubricant additive technology supplier to join the Getting to Zero Coalition. An international group currently endorsed by 14 governments and composed of more than 100 organizations, it aims to drive the development of commercially viable, zero-emissions deep-sea ships by 2030.

The partnership between the Global Maritime Forum, the World Economic Forum and Friends of Ocean Action boasts leading ship owners, ports, technology providers and fuel companies as well as academic and research institutions.

“Joining the Getting to Zero Coalition is an opportunity for Lubrizol to contribute to one of the most important challenges of our time,” says Simon Tarrant, business manager – large engines, with Lubrizol. “It is also a chance to align with forward-thinking industry stakeholders to gain some insight into the engine and fuel solution challenges of the future.”

Lubrizol brings a wealth of experience in lubricant and fuel research. It recently analyzed IMO 2020-compliant very low sulphur fuel oil blends to develop a robust cylinder oil additive package to handle the widely varying properties of these fuels.

The coalition has chosen 2030 as its target date because most ships after that date will still be sailing in 2050, by which time global regulator the International Maritime Organization hopes to at least decrease greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from shipping by half. To fulfil that vision, a big proportion of the fleet will need to operate on low- or zero-carbon fuels.

New fuels and enhanced engine design will bring new operating condition challenges. For example, while today’s lubricants must counter the corrosion caused by sulphuric acid in cylinders—the result of sulphur in fuel—new fuels will form different acids. New lubricant formulations will therefore be needed to tackle any challenges that arise.

Ian Bown, technical manager – marine diesel engine oils, with Lubrizol, adds: “We are talking with engine manufacturers to understand the challenges that new fuels might bring. This will help us to evaluate the type of additive chemistry required in the future. But to gain more understanding we need in-service testing, which depends on the availability of ships operating on the relevant fuels.”

Lubrizol’s wider approach to sustainability aims to reduce both the environmental impact of making its products and the impact of the products themselves. It takes a lifecycle analysis approach to sustainability decisions in order to identify genuine opportunities to reduce its impact and prevent shifting the environmental burden from one product, process or phase to another.

“We are excited about the important work the coalition is doing and look forward to working together to help the shipping industry achieve its emissions goals by 2030,” says Tarrant.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol together with NIKE, Inc. is helping protect frontline medical workers fighting against COVID-19. To support Nike’s efforts to develop and donate full-face shields and powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) lenses to hospitals across several U.S. cities, Lubrizol donated ESTANE® thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) polymers, an important element in both pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Nike’s version of the full-face shield transforms elements of the brand’s footwear and apparel, including TPU. Lubrizol’s innovation team quickly evaluated materials, provided insights to optimize performance and re-orchestrated its production and supply chain to produce and donate the necessary material to Nike as part of this effort.

In addition to the full-face shields, the ESTANE TPU donation will be used in lenses for powered, air-purifying respirator (PAPR) helmets, used in situations where medical professionals face the greatest airborne pathogen exposure as they provide critical care to infected patients.

With Lubrizol’s support, Nike has shipped full-face shields and PAPR lenses to health systems in Oregon, where Nike is headquartered, and several other U.S. cities, including Cleveland, where Lubrizol’s world headquarters sit.
“We are grateful for the generosity of companies around the country as we build up our supply levels in anticipation of a surge in COVID-19 patients,” said Lara Kalafatis, Chair of Cleveland Clinic’s Philanthropy Institute. “This collaboration between Lubrizol and Nike demonstrates ingenuity applied alongside compassion and a sincere interest to help thousands of our caregivers.”

“These face shields will allow us to treat patients while keeping our front-line medical providers safe,” said MetroHealth President and CEO Akram Boutros, MD, FACHE. “We appreciate this generous donation. It’s another example of the community coming together to care for each other.”

Lubrizol’s TPU is an incredibly versatile polymer that bridges the gap between flexible rubber and rigid plastics, which allows partners to apply TPU across a wide range of applications. In addition to full-face shields, Lubrizol’s TPU is being used in medical gowns, medical equipment, hospital mattresses, tubing, hoses, and medical devices for many other critical applications.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Nike to improve lives and support those in need during COVID-19,” says Rick Tolin, President, Lubrizol Advanced Materials. “Every day our employees enable products used across the world, and our team is fully committed to enabling our science and applications expertise to deliver even greater impact during this global crisis.”

Earlier this month, Lubrizol announced a $2 million donation commitment to support COVID-19 needs globally. The company has contributed critical supplies to hospitals across the world, donated to Food Banks where Lubrizol has major operations and supported local restaurants by purchasing meals for hospital workers, amongst other efforts. The company has also challenged its employees to contribute 2,020 virtual or at-home volunteer hours to assist organizations providing support in this environment.

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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On January 1, Lubrizol’s Lipofoods SLU became a part of the Health Business of Lubrizol Life Science (LLS Health), strengthening the organization’s global presence and providing support to advance its growth in the rapidly developing nutraceutical market.

The Lipofoods brand, was previously part of the Lubrizol Life Science Beauty business.

Lipofoods Nutraceutical Ingredients is now the umbrella brand for the new Nutraceutical Division within LLS Health and includes all existing brands and product platforms for microencapsulated minerals and botanicals.

The transition gives the Lipofoods brand strong global infrastructure for driving more innovative solutions to the expanding nutraceuticals market.

“Over the last few years, the Lipofoods brand has experienced rapid growth and scale-up,” says David Padró, Business Unit Manager of the Nutraceuticals Division of LLS Health. “This has propelled the need for a larger structure to meet the demands of the fast-changing, highly segmented global nutraceuticals marketplace. This new structure will bring technology and scientific support to active ingredients with functional performance attributes.”

The newly formed Nutraceutical Division will leverage the broad range of internal Lubrizol capabilities for improving bioavailability and oral delivery for its portfolio of active ingredients. It will benefit from LLS Health’s technological platforms, well established applications expertise, global sales and marketing structures, operations and regulatory know-how to continue developing the nutraceuticals market, while keeping the current sales structure and distribution network.

“The addition of the Lipofoods brand to our portfolio will boost Lubrizol’s exposure to the nutraceuticals market and complement our product offerings in the health and wellness industry,” adds Barbara Morgan, Global Business Director for Pharmaceutical Solutions of LLS Health. “This illustrates our holistic commitment to improve health outcomes by providing expertise that accelerates customers’ growth through expanded access to innovative nutraceutical platforms.”

© 2020 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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Sientra, Inc. (NASDAQ: SIEN), a medical aesthetics company, has announced the acquisition of the dedicated FDA-approved silicone breast implant manufacturing operation in Franklin, Wisconsin, from Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Life Science.

Lubrizol will receive $20 million in cash and up to 607,442 shares of Sientra stock for assets comprised of dedicated manufacturing equipment, building improvements, in-process inventory, raw materials and supplies and the transfer of the intellectual property rights, processes and know-how necessary for Sientra to manufacture its breast implants.

The transaction is as follows:

• $14 million is payable in cash at closing.

• The balance of the cash consideration will be paid in a $3 million cash payment in 2021 and a $3 million cash payment in 2023.

• Sientra will also issue up to 607,442 shares of stock to Lubrizol Corporation if certain Sientra share price milestones are achieved over a 48-month period.

In exchange, Lubrizol Life Science will turn over to Sientra a turnkey, fully operational Class 3 breast implant manufacturing operation that is now 19 months into commercial scale-up with established capacity that continues a steady ramp to position the Company to meet its near-term and long-term commercial objectives. Importantly, this transaction culminates a win-win commercial relationship between Sientra and Lubrizol Life Science that began in 2016 with co-development to achieve the validated manufacturing processes and specifications necessary to gain FDA PMA supplement approval in April 2018.

Sientra has agreed to employ the majority of Lubrizol Life Science’s employees that are currently dedicated to the Sientra implant manufacturing operation in Franklin. The parties have also agreed to a transition services agreement and a long-term lease agreement of existing and expansion space in Lubrizol’s Franklin facility. Sientra’s tissue expanders will continue to be manufactured by Lubrizol Life Science in Victor, Montana and both companies will continue to collaborate on bringing innovative new products to the aesthetic market.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance is no guarantee of future results.

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French prosecutors on Tuesday launched an investigation into whether there was negligence on behalf of Berkshire Hathaway’s Lubrizol Corporation that caused the massive fire that destroyed the Lubrizol plant in Rouen, Normandy, France.

Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz released a statement that prosecutors where investing whether there was “involuntary destruction caused by fire due to an obviously deliberate breach of a security obligation”.

Fears of toxic chemical contamination from the September 27 fire are ongoing, but France’s Minister of Health previously announced that “first samples remain below the recommended thresholds of the normal environment.”

The Rouen plant was founded in 1954, and manufactured and packaged additives for lubricants and paint.

No casualties have been reported.

© 2019 David Mazor

Disclosure: David Mazor is a freelance writer focusing on Berkshire Hathaway. The author is long in Berkshire Hathaway, and this article is not a recommendation on whether to buy or sell the stock. The information contained in this article should not be construed as personalized or individualized investment advice. Past performance