In 1925, ammonia production was started, with a process licensed from Casale. Ammonia was also converted to nitric acid. With calcium cyanamide and calcium nitrate (made from nitric acid), Lonza commercialised formulated fertilisers starting in the 1930s. At the start of WWII, Lonza was contracted by the Swiss government to produce synthetic fuel, which it did by converting acetaldehyde to paraldehyde, used as an additive in transport fuel. In 1928, ketene production started using acetic acid made by oxidation of acetaldehyde. Ketene was initially used to make cellulose acetate for rayon manufacture, but after 1947 Lonza converted most of its ketene to diketene, which was then converted to a range of chemical precursors. Diketene capacity rose to 18'000t per year in 1993. In 1956, the production of niacin (an important vitamin) via 5-ethyl-2-methyl-pyridine. In the 1940s, Lonza used its C2 basis to enter the vinyl chloride business. The production was relocated to Sins and finally discontinued.Īt the 1959 AGM, it was decided to back integrate into petrochemistry, and Montecatini was contracted to build the world's smallest cracker in Visp. The initial failure of this plant to meet its specifications triggered a CHF12mio penalty which Lonza used to build a research center. 1962: Lonza acquired the Ftalital works in Scanzorosciate, Italy which manufactured intermediates for polyester resins, and started work on.1969 Lonza expands into the United States and founds Lonza Inc.This and the acquisition of a Mapleton, IL plant producing sorbitol, tertiary amines and quaternary ammonium compounds creates the Chemical Specialties Business Unit. 1974, the group merged with aluminium firm Alusuisse, after which the group moved into the biotechnology sector.1977: Lonza's first US fine chemicals plant starts operation in Bayport, TX.
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