Under the Acetylene Purchase Agreement, HydroGraph USA will purchase acetylene for its Bellville facility directly from Western International via pipeline for an initial t10-year term, with options for renewal.

Reportedly, the Bellville facility will leverage Western International’s acetylene production, storage, transportation and distribution infrastructure, including a dedicated pipeline connection supplying feedstock directly to HydroGraph’s manufacturing operations.

The certification followed comprehensive audits of Elinor Coatings’ operational practices, documentation, manufacturing controls, customer processes, and continuous improvement systems.

“Achieving ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100D (2016) reinforces our promise to our partners and customers: to operate with precision, consistency, and an unwavering focus on quality. It positions us to support the industry with even greater confidence as we continue to grow,” said Holly Anderson, CEO of Elinor Coatings.

Elinor Coatings plans to use these certifications to expand capabilities, strengthen partnerships, and drive future innovations in surface protection and corrosion resistant technologies.

“We are confident that our expanded platform will drive innovation, new product development, and technological advancements,” said Terence Yu, OXERRA Group CEO. “Our customers and stakeholders will directly benefit from enhanced supply chain sustainability, strengthened support to the market, and our strategic investment.”

Customers will continue to engage directly with OXERRA through its established commercial, technical, and customer service channels. OXERRA will remain responsible for customer relationships, product quality assurance, technical support, and market facing coordination across its global network.

“H.M. Royal has long been a trusted partner in the rubber, plastics adhesives, sealants, and protective coatings spaces, and this marks an important step forward for our Performance Materials business,” said Matthew Oliver, senior vice president of Performance Materials for Univar Solutions.

According to the company, Tioxide has recruited more than 60 employees since its establishment in April and plans to create 60 additional roles in this second phase of recruitment. Recruitment has focused on positions related to production, engineering and technical specialists.

“We are proud to be creating high-quality jobs and supporting the local economy and are looking forward to supplying premium products to customers around the world,” said Karen Askwith, Managing Director at Tioxide.

The 2027 CoatingsTech Conference offers industry experts — including coatings manufacturers, their suppliers, universities, and government representatives —  a forum to share new research and pursue continuing education and skills development. Technology-focused sessions will be categorized to provide attendees with an opportunity to focus on individual interests and specializations.

Notably, the CoatingsTech Best Paper Award will be presented for the best overall paper contributed to the conference, and the award winner will receive a $2,500 cash prize. Student Poster Awards will be given for the top three student posters presented at the CoatingsTech Conference.

NOTE: Those submitting abstracts for consideration should know that, if accepted, they will be expected to provide a full paper (or poster, if selected for a poster session), register for the conference, provide slides and a headshot, and contribute an in-person presentation/poster for the conference.

Paper and Poster Topics

In keeping with the theme, papers and posters on the following topics are being sought:

• Advances in Analytical Methods & Technology
• AI Methodologies for Formulation Optimization and Coating Testing
• Application/Manufacturing/Processing Equipment
• Architectural Coatings
• Biocidal Control (e.g., preservation, surface protection, antifouling)
• Functional Coatings
• Industrial and Factory-Applied Coatings
• Inks and Coatings technology for Battery Manufacturing and Other New Energy Applications
• Nanotechnology
• Packaging Coatings
• Pigments & Dispersants
• Powder Coatings
• Protective and Infrastructure Coatings
• Radiation-cured Coatings
• Reformulating to address Health, Safety and Environmental Concerns
• Renewable/Bio-based Coatings
• Waterborne Coatings
• Weathering, Corrosion Control, Durability and Service-Life Prediction
• Wood Coatings

Abstract submission guidelines and additional pertinent information, including other key deadlines, may be found at .

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Sheboygan Paint Company has appointed Amy Wirtz as chief financial officer. Wirtz holds a Master of Business Administration Degree from University of Wisconsin – Whitewater and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Accountancy from University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse.

The ChemQuest Group has appointed Robert Lovegrove as CEO. Lovegrove joins ChemQuest after 13 years at Milliken & Company, where he served as vice president of Corporate Strategy/Corporate Development for the last 10 years. Lovegrove has also held leadership roles with Eastman Chemical Company and BFGoodrich. As Lovegrove steps into the role of CEO, Daniel Murad will remain involved with ChemQuest as chairman.

In addition, Cheng-Le Zhao has joined the ChemQuest Group as vice president with over 35 years of experience in global research, technology, innovation, and business leadership in specialty chemicals. He previously worked at BASF as regional head of Technology & Development for Asia Pacific, director of Technology for BASF’s Dispersions & Pigments Division in North America, R&D manager for BASF Polyurethanes, and senior technical manager for Product Development. Zhao holds a Ph.D. in physical chemistry of polymer materials from the University Louis Pasteur in Strasbourg, France, and Bachelor of Science Degree from East China University of Science and Technology in Shanghai, China.

Gemini Industries, Inc. has announced the appointment of Marc Jacomet as the Director of UV Innovation & Commercial Development. According to the company, Jacomet will oversee the technical development and early commercialization of new UV-curable technology initiatives while working to evaluate and develop new market opportunities.

“This expansion is a reflection of the relationships we’ve built with our customers,” said Debora Hense-Hric, technical director. “As their needs have evolved, we’ve applied our technical expertise to their coatings’ formulation needs. The added facility helps us continue supporting them in the ways they’ve come to expect.”

According to the company, the newly acquired space allows Stonebridge to enhance operational efficiency, increase capacity, and further develop its growing capabilities in custom coatings manufacturing.

“Lubrizol introduced CPVC technology to India more than two decades ago, and since then, we have witnessed strong growth of the market alongside the country’s expanding economy,” said Abhishek Shrivastav, managing director, Lubrizol IMEA. “With the commissioning of this world-class facility in Vilayat, we are strengthening our manufacturing capabilities in India by following a local-for-local approach. This investment underscores our long-term commitment to India by enabling consistent access to high-quality, locally produced materials backed by Lubrizol’s global standards of innovation, reliability, and performance.”

According to APC, the company is implementing Albert’s AI-native operating system for chemistry and materials science to centralize experimental data, capture institutional knowledge, and enable more efficient collaboration across research teams. As the company continues to expand its footprint, the investment supports a more connected and scalable innovation environment.

“Innovation in polymer coatings is driven by the quality of our scientific insight. As our research programs expand, having a structured platform to capture and analyze experimental knowledge allows our team to move faster, build on prior work, and continue advancing the performance of next-generation coating technologies,” said Jeremy Pasatta, vice president of Technology and Process, Advanced Polymer Coatings. “Using Albert’s AI capabilities, we’ve been able to cut development time in half—screening out unnecessary experiments and reaching optimized formulations much faster.”

“Innovative companies like APC demonstrate how structured scientific data and AI-driven tools can transform R&D by empowering scientists with tools that connect experimentation and insight. Organizations can accelerate innovation while leveraging knowledge to drive long-term competitive advantage,” said Nick Talken, CEO, Albert Invent.