Sibur's Nomokonov elected IISRP president international
NEW DELHI-Sibur Holding's Vasily Nomokonov was elected the 2007-08 president international for the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers.
The association of the world's SR companies, holding its annual meeting in New Delhi this week, also elected officials for its four regional sections.
Nomokonov is head of the division of technology and operations optimization at Sibur. The IISRP customarily elects a member from the region where its next annual meeting will be held to serve as president international. This year it was K. Ramamurthy of Reliance Industries Ltd. of India, who now becomes past-president international.
Nomokonov also will serve as European Section president. Abraham Brink of Karbochem will be the region's vice president, and Igor Golberg of Efremov the performance review delegate.
In the Far East Section, Yoshimasa Fushimi of Zeon is the president, Wei-Hua Tu of TSRC vice president and Nobuyuki Takahashi of UBE Industries the performance review delegate.
P. Dodd May of Lion Copolymer is the new president of the Americas Section, with John Vincent of Firestone Polymers vice president and Art Sullivan of ExxonMobil the delegate.
The IISRP also said continuing to serve on its Executive Committee is Ramamurthy as past-president international; Jacques Collonge of Eliokem as treasurer; and James L. McGraw, the organization's managing director and CEO, as assistant treasurer and secretary.
Dow to expand divinylbenzene capacity
MIDLAND, Mich.-Dow Chemical Co. plans to expand its divinylbenzene capacity by about 3 million pounds per year with an addition to its plant in Midland.
The firm expects to complete the expansion in the fourth quarter of this year. Cost of the project was not disclosed.
Dow hopes the expansion will help meet demand for growing end-use applications, such as adhesives and elastomers.
Marvin Bourelle, commercial director for Dow Specialty Polymers, said the firm intends to improve some of its processes with the expansion, which will strengthen product reliability, consistency and quality.