CHEMICALS & SCIENCE : View Posts

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW:

Chemistry is essential to our everyday lives and the economy. The business of chemistry transforms the natural raw materials of the earth, sea and air into products that we use everyday; it also drives innovation and creates jobs and economic growth by creating products that bring major societal benefits to quality of life, health, productivity, convenience and safety.

The science and materials of chemistry make the lives of Americans and others throughout the world healthier, safer, and more sustainable and more productive. Indeed, our food, safe water supply, clothing, shelter, health care, computer technology, clean energy sources, transportation and every other facet of modern life, all depend upon the business of chemistry.

Not only is the business of chemistry essential to the economy for the jobs it generates through its business activities, it is essential to the economy through its products. More than $700 billion of chemistry products flow through the economy each year. The products of chemistry are present in some form in nearly every facet of the American economy. In fact, over 96 percent of all manufactured goods are directly touched by chemistry. Industries consume products made by other industries that have large chemical inputs, i.e., plastics, rubber, synthetic textiles, and components using these materials. A significant amount of the chemistry use in many products comes from packaging. Chemistry is also essential to the American standard of living.

Companies in this industry transform organic and inorganic raw materials by a chemical process and formulate products. Major companies in the US include Dow, DuPont, and Pfizer. Major companies outside the US include BASF (Germany), Formosa Plastics (Taiwan), Roche (Switzerland), SABIC (Saudi Arabia), and Sinopec Group (China).

The global chemical manufacturing industry remains at about $5 trillion annually, according to Statista. China, the US, Ireland, Germany, and Belgium produce the most chemicals and also are among the largest importers of chemicals, according to Global Newswire.

The US chemical manufacturing industry includes about 14,000 establishments (single-location companies and units of multi-location companies) with combined annual revenue of about $740 billion.

THIS PROFILE IS COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL COUNCIL and www.dnb.com

All are invited to participate:
Finance Industry Entity Features Live Video Blog Schedule: March 11th, 2025 @ 11am
Venue: https://www.cibunet.com/

Discussion Questions:
1. What are some of the obvious ethics/practices of the industry or entity in the industry that violate scriptures?
2. What are the notable complaints of those who patronize this industry or entity in this industry?
3. What services or products of this industry or entity of this industry ultimately hurt people?
4. Does the industry or entity in the industry violate Environmental Social and Governance ESG sustainability goals in any way?
5. How does this industry or entity in this industry compete that is flawed in your opinion?
6. What are some of the tactics of this industry or entity in this industry that does not augur well for other industries and the overall economy?

MIDLAND, Mich. – Dowopens in a new tab (NYSE: DOW) and Carbiceopens in a new tab, a pioneer in carbon nanotube (CNT) technology, have announced a strategic, first-of-its-kind partnershipopens in a new tab to provide a multi-generational thermal interface material (TIM) product offering for high-performing electronics in the mobility, industrial, and consumer industries, as well as semiconductors. The collaboration, revealed this morning at The Battery Show North America, combines Dow’s decades-long legacy in silicones with Carbice’s patented CNT technology to offer novel thermal management products. This collaboration will meet the rising demand for reliability in the expanding thermal interface market with innovative pad solutions for e-mobility and electronics applications.

“Launching this partnership at the show reinforces Dow’s MobilityScience™opens in a new tab commitment to driving the future of mobility through cutting-edge material science. By leveraging our application know-how, our expertise in material science, and collaborating with industry leaders like Carbice, we are committed to advancing the performance and reliability of EVs,” said Jon Penrice, President of Dow Mobility.

“Heat poses a significant threat to electronics, which makes selecting the right TIM crucial in the design process,” stated Jeroen Bello, Dow Global Marketing Senior Director, MobilityScience™ – Performance Silicones. “Partnering with Carbice enables us to enhance our service to customers by offering thermal management solutions through the combined use of liquid silicones and solid pads. This is a uniquely advantageous collaboration within the industry. We look forward to jointly setting new performance and reliability benchmarks for electronic applications.”

Silicone and CNTs individually offer thermal management benefits, but together they offer even more. The exceptional wetting capabilities and precise dispensing of Dow silicones combined with the versatility and durability of Carbice CNTs creates an interface contact that lowers all modes of stress transfer for reliable solutions, allowing them to operate in a wide range of environments. By leveraging Carbice’s CNT technical and modeling expertise with Dow’s material science knowledge, customers can utilize thermal management materials tailored to their applications with the thinnest bondlines to reduce interface stress.

Collaboration from the initial design phase will allow customers to tap into comprehensive modeling capabilities efficiently, guaranteeing access to more predictable outcomes. This approach not only will provide for more cost-effective design optimization, but it will also enable more efficient manufacturing processes, especially in targeted applications. Additionally, ongoing joint R&D will support continuous delivery of cutting-edge liquid and solid thermal management technologies.

“Whether it’s an EV battery or a GPU in a mobile device, electronics need to withstand a wide range of complex operating environments without overheating,” said Baratunde Cola, CEO and Founder at Carbice. “Our partnership with Dow allows us to combine our high-performance, easy-to-use thermal interface solutions with their silicone technologies to yield durable, tailored and cost-effective solutions that can be relied on regardless of the temperature or moisture levels within their environment. This partnership reflects another stride in our mission to supply critical components to the world’s most important applications at scale, creating a world where solid pads you can trust function as the backbone of every electronics’ cooling system.”

Dow at The Battery Show North America
Visitors to Booth #3800 will discover Dow MobilityScience™ innovations focused on battery pack assembly, protection, thermal management and end-of-life/circularity. Products on display include two born from the Dow Carbice partnership – Carbice® SW-90 with silicone wax and Carbice® SA-90 with silicone adhesive. Both products are available for sampling and will launch in 2025.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.comopens in a new tab

About Carbice:
Founded in 2011, Carbice is an Atlanta, Georgia-based company that develops scalable interface solutions to protect the performance of semiconductors and electrical components from heat and stress in any physical environment. From simulation to manufacturing to implementation, Carbice partners with companies in the automotive, consumer electronics, aerospace and defense, data center, networking, and energy systems sectors to enable innovation, drive system cost reduction, and lengthen electronic lifespan. With its class of sustainably manufactured, reliable, easy-to-use, and affordable solutions, Carbice is leveraging aligned carbon nanotube technology to create a future where all electronics are protected from overheating.

WILMINGTON, Del., — DuPont today introduced the Water Solutions Sustainability Navigator, the first digital tool designed to help users estimate key sustainability indicators when using various water treatment technologies—whether from DuPont or from other manufacturers.

The Water Solutions Sustainability Navigator enables users to compare how different potential water treatment scenarios impact sustainability indicators, including carbon emissions, chemicals used, wastewater produced, solid waste generated and footprint needed—with all calculations and indicators validated by a third-party verification performed by LRQA, a global assurance provider.

Carbon emission calculations are in conformance with ISO 14020:2001 and 14021:2016, and chemical, footprint, wastewater and solid waste calculations are in conformance with ISO 14020:2023 and ISO 14021:2016 + A1: 2021.

“While there are many factors that can influence the design and selection of water treatment technologies, the Water Solutions Sustainability Navigator will help users better understand the interconnection of sustainability-driven choices and the cost of operations,” said Jeroen Bloemhard, Vice President and General Manager, DuPont Water Solutions. “By uncovering solutions that require fewer chemicals, less energy or a smaller land footprint, our customers are not only reducing their impact on the planet, but also driving down the total cost of water.”

Currently, the tool allows users to input four different water treatment technologies—reverse osmosis (RO), ultrafiltration (UF), ion exchange resins (IER) and membrane bioreactors (MBR) —used alone or in combination.

“By empowering customers to compare up to five different and independently verified scenarios, they have better insight into the total value and long-term savings derived through the selection of sustainability-advantaged water treatment technologies,” said Veronica Garcia Molina, Global Marketing Leader, Industrial Water & Energy at DuPont Water Solutions. “Our customers are already beginning to harness the power of the Water Solutions Sustainability Navigator to help them make decisions that positively impact both their operations and their sustainability goals.”

Interested users can request access by contacting their DuPont representative. DuPont Water Solutions will host a webinar on October 17 to share a live, hands-on demonstration of the Sustainability Navigator. Registration is free and open to the public at www.dupontwatersolutions.com/sustainabilitynavigator.

DuPont offers market-leading technologies to address a variety of challenges faced by water treatment municipalities, seawater desalination plants, and industrial water users, including the microelectronics industry, through a broad portfolio of membranes, resins and complete systems. The team is also innovating solutions that balance the world’s growing water and energy demands, with products that help maximize the availability of electricity, lithium and green hydrogen.

In 2023, DuPont Water Solutions was named Water Technology Company of the Year, presented at the Global Water Awards, for innovating solutions to sustainably address the hardest global water challenges.
About DuPont
DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare and worker safety. More information about the company, its businesses and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com.

Tokyo, Japan – Dow (NYSE:DOW) today announced the finalists of the 35th Packaging Innovation Awards (PIA). The winners will be unveiled at an award ceremony on October 24, 2024, held in conjunction with Tokyo Pack. Winning entries will also be showcased at the exhibition from October 23 to 25.

The Packaging Innovation Awards has been one of the packaging industry’s premier competitions for over 30 years. It is the longest running independently judged awards created for, and by the packaging industry.

Evaluated for their breakthroughs in technological advancement, sustainability and enhanced user experience, the finalists were identified following a rigorous evaluation process that took place this June. During the judging period, 18 of the world’s top leaders across the packaging value chain convened to lend their expertise to identify the next generation of innovative packaging solutions that will help shape the future of the industry. These industry judges represent cross-disciplinary leadership across various fields, including business and strategic planning, design, technology and R&D, sustainability, and academia. The panel also brings extensive knowledge in marketing and branding, retail, customer experience, product development, packaging engineering and performance, process and systems development.

“This year, the Packaging Innovation Awards had the privilege of receiving over 300 submissions from across the world – a record-breaking number of entries that has almost doubled since the previous edition. Participants have raised the bar for winning, and it is important that we spotlight the top innovations that will drive robust, lasting change across the industry,” said Daniella Souza Miranda, global marketing director, Dow.

“During the evaluation process, the judges had the opportunity to crystal ball the future while bearing witness to today’s game-changing solutions that marry both sustainable impact and innovation. We recognize the cutting-edge technology and smart use of the renewable materials ecosystem to promote design for recyclability and ideas to reduce local waste. These advancements are simultaneously pushing the boundaries of engaging brand user experiences, making packaging more interactive, creative and responsible than ever before. We look forward to October with immense excitement, and to unveiling this edition’s winners. It is important that as an industry, we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible,” said David Luttenberger, the jury chairperson for the 35th edition of the PIA and global packaging director for Mintel Group Ltd.

The following 28 finalists will be recognized as individual Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, or Special Award winners.

The finalists are:

• AmPrima® PE Plus for Coffee by Amcor with Kjeldsberg
• BarrierFlex NutVault – Plastic Packaging Bag for Nuts by Packaging Industries Limited
• Bom Ar Spray de Ambientes by Reckitt Industrial
• Cioccoriso Perugina – Plastic Bottle for Chocolate by Nestlé Italiana Spa
• EcoLamHighPlus – Polyethylene-based Fully Recyclable Pouches for Breakfast Cereals by SB-Constantia Flexibles India
• Fiama Handwash Recyclable Standup Pouch – First in India by ITC Limited
• Figmint Paper-based Packaging for Kitchen Products by Target Corporation
• First-of-its-kind Biscuits Outer Paper Bag by ITC Limited
• Flat-shaped Multipurpose Repair Tape by 3M
• Graphene-enhanced Packaging – Gerdau Graphene’s Sustainable Innovation by Gerdau Graphene
• Heat-shrink Labels from Recycled Light-blocking PET Bottles by Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd
• Hetbahn® with Bio-Circular Packaging by CJ CheilJedang Corp
• Ice-cream Packaging Box to Create a DIY “Pino Gacha” by MORINAGA MILK INDUSTRY CO., LTD with TOPPAN Inc.
• Inikin Brew-on-demand Tea Beverage Packaging with Freshness Retaining Cap by Inner Mongolia Yili Industrial Group Co., Ltd (Yili Group)
• Macada – Paper Box for Macadamia by Starprint Public Company Limited
• Magmark SS by Magnomer
• Neo Dropper Autoload Design by Aptar (China) Investment Co., Ltd
• Paper-based Bag for Dry Batteries by Panasonic Energy Co., Ltd with TOPPAN INFOMEDIA CO., LTD
• Paper Based Packaging for Spreads by Upfield
• PET Film for Cold Blister Forming by UFlex Limited Film Division
• PharmaGuard® Recyclable Blister Packaging for Pharmaceutical Products by SÜDPACK MEDICA AG
• Reciplus – Cafe Sello Rojo Mono-Material Coffee Packaging by Alico SAS BIC
• Reusable Transport Packaging for Large Household Appliances by Free Pack Net Holding Sagl
• Star Drop – Squeeze Bottle for Liquid Cosmetic Products by Aptar (China) Investment Co., Ltd
• ‘Tube Pouch’ Plastic Tube Container for Food and Cosmetics by TOPPAN Inc.
• Versafiller Paper-based Honeycomb Structure by P&G China
• 100% Recyclable Stand-up Pouch for Detergent Liquid by Henkel Guatemala (Henkel La Luz, S.A.)
• 26mm Lightweight Water Closure Beverage Cap by Alltrista

For detailed background and visuals of the finalist entries, please refer to https://dow.inc/4g1wEwq.

As a proud sponsor of the Packaging Innovation Awards, Dow maintains non-participation in both the judging process and participant selection to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the competition.

About the Packaging Innovation Awards
The Packaging Innovation Awards has been one of the packaging industry’s premier competitions for over 30 years. Emerging up-and-comers and well-established brands alike have the opportunity to have their most innovative packaging judged on the world’s stage. The Packaging Innovation Awards celebrates creations that challenge the accepted limits of what’s possible, showcase new technologies or techniques and inspire future innovation. The winning packages are celebrated and showcased across the global packaging industry, receiving recognition among industry peers and gaining exposure in new markets and with new audiences. You can learn more at https://pia.awardsplatform.com.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

WASHINGTON – Today, July 15, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is putting protections in place sooner for farmworkers, their families, and the general public near where pesticides are applied. EPA will now assess the potential for people to be exposed to a pesticide when it drifts away from where it is applied earlier in the agency’s review process. This applies to new active ingredient pesticide registrations and new use decisions. This updated process will protect people from pesticide spray drift 15 years sooner in the review process for new pesticides than has historically occurred.

During and after application, pesticides can drift to unintended areas like residential or recreational areas where people can get it on their skin or eyes, causing different symptoms depending on the pesticide. By assessing the amount of a pesticide that drifts beyond its intended target, EPA can identify measures that will protect people from unintended pesticide exposure. This change is also consistent with the agency’s commitment to address environmental justice concerns from pesticide use in and around farm communities and to comply with the Endangered Species Act, where EPA is working to improve how it evaluates risk to and protects endangered species.

“People who live or work near farms can be unintentionally exposed to pesticides, and it’s our job to do as much as possible to prevent that from happening and to protect their health,” said Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff. “Our new policy will ensure that vital public health protections are in place when a pesticide is initially approved – so people don’t have to wait years for the protections they deserve and need.”

Historically, EPA has only conducted a chemical specific assessment of the potential for people to be exposed to pesticide ‘spray drift’ during registration review, which happen every 15 years after a pesticide is approved to ensure that it can carry out its intended functions without creating unreasonable adverse effects to human health and the environment. Starting now, the agency will also complete a chemical specific spray drift analysis during the initial registration process or the review process for new and amended uses of existing products, to ensure that any needed protections are put in place from the beginning of the pesticide’s use, rather than delaying them for 15 years. This will also ensure both new and old pesticide registrations are held to the same standard.

EPA will use chemical specific human health spray drift analyses to determine specific label instructions to protect against and reduce the occurrence of spray drift, such as droplet sizes and buffer distances, for each pesticide and use. Additionally, if EPA identifies spray drift risks for people living or working nearby or non-target species, the agency will protect against those risks.

As part of this action, going forward EPA will now include a chemical specific human health spray drift analysis for:

New active ingredients: any new submissions for domestic uses of new active ingredients.
New uses and amended uses: any new use and amended use registration submissions where that active ingredient has previously received a chemical specific spray drift analysis.

Currently pending registrations: registration actions that are currently under review with the agency, when possible.

To read more about how the agency will implement this change, see the document entitled Implementing Chemical Specific Human Health Spray Drift Analysis into Pesticide Registration Actions, July 2024. Information on the methodology for conducting human health quantitative spray drift analysis can be found in the document entitled Residential Exposure Assessment Standard Operating Procedures Addenda 1: Consideration of Spray Drift. These documents can be found at docket ID EPA-HQ-OPP-2013-0676 at the Regulations.gov page.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 10, 2024 — Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) and Air Products (NYSE:APD) jointly announced today that Honeywell has agreed to acquire Air Products’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) process technology and equipment business for $1.81 billion in an all-cash transaction. This represents approximately 13x estimated 2024 EBITDA.

As a result of the acquisition, Honeywell will be able to offer customers a comprehensive, top-tier solution for managing their energy transformation journey. The new holistic offering will encompass natural gas pre-treatment and state-of-the-art liquefaction, utilizing digital automation technologies unified under the Honeywell Forge and Experion platforms. This full-service solution will enable efficient, reliable and optimized management of natural gas assets, delivering unparalleled value and support.
Currently, Honeywell provides a pre-treatment solution serving LNG customers globally. Air Products’ complementary LNG process technology and equipment business consists of a comprehensive portfolio, including in-house design and manufacturing of coil-wound heat exchangers (CWHE) and related equipment. CWHEs provide the highest throughput of natural gas in a single exchanger with a small footprint and robust, reliable and safe operations both onshore and offshore.

“While the world continues to build the renewables-based energy infrastructure of the future, natural gas is a critical lower-emission and affordable transition fuel that will help meet ever-increasing and dynamic global energy demands,” said Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell.

“This highly complementary acquisition will further strengthen our energy transition portfolio, and Air Products’ CWHE technology will immediately expand our installed base – creating new opportunities to compound growth in aftermarket services and digitalization through our Honeywell Forge platform,” Kapur added.

“The decision to divest our LNG heat exchanger technology and equipment business reflects Air Products’ continued focus on its two-pillar strategy — to grow our core industrial gas business and related technology and equipment, and to be a first-mover delivering clean hydrogen at scale to decarbonize industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors,” said Air Products’ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Seifi Ghasemi. “The LNG business is a great business and at its strongest point in its decades-long history thanks to the outstanding work of our people, and they will be in good hands to advance as part of Honeywell’s related portfolio of technologies.”

The LNG market has quadrupled over the past 20 years and is expected to double over the next two decades, driven by demand in key end markets including power and data centers according to industry research.1

Ken West, President and CEO of Honeywell’s Energy and Sustainability Solutions (ESS) segment, said, “The integration of this talented team and the acquired proprietary technologies will enable Honeywell UOP to bring a full spectrum of scalable solutions and services that help our global customers navigate the complex journey to more sustainable and efficient energy practices.”

Air Products’ LNG Business has approximately 475 employees with headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania and a 390,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Port Manatee, Florida, where all sizes of CWHEs are made.

This is the fourth acquisition Honeywell has announced this year as part of its disciplined capital deployment strategy. The company is focused on high-return acquisitions that will drive future growth across its portfolio, which is aligned with the three compelling megatrends of automation, the future of aviation and energy transition.

This transaction, which is expected to be adjusted earnings per share accretive in the first full year of ownership is not subject to any financing conditions and is expected to close before the end of the calendar year, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of certain regulatory approvals.

Editor’s Note: Link to Photo – A completed LNG heat exchanger manufactured at Air Products’ Port Manatee facility is being loaded on a carrier at the Port of Manatee for shipment to the customer.

1LNG industry trends | Deloitte US

About Honeywell
Honeywell is an integrated operating company serving a broad range of industries and geographies around the world. Our business is aligned with three powerful megatrends – automation, the future of aviation and energy transition – underpinned by our Honeywell Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Forge IoT platform. As a trusted partner, we help organizations solve the world’s toughest, most complex challenges, providing actionable solutions and innovations through our Aerospace Technologies, Industrial Automation, Building Automation and Energy and Sustainability Solutions business segments that help make the world smarter, safer and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

We describe many of the trends and other factors that drive our business and future results in this release. Such discussions contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Forward-looking statements are those that address activities, events, or developments that management intends, expects, projects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future. They are based on management’s assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments, and other relevant factors, many of which are difficult to predict and outside of our control. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ significantly from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update or revise any of our forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to material risks and uncertainties, including ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical risks, such as lower GDP growth or recession, capital markets volatility, inflation, and certain regional conflicts, that can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. In addition, no assurance can be given that any plan, initiative, projection, goal, commitment, expectation, or prospect set forth in this release can or will be achieved. These forward-looking statements should be considered in light of the information included in this release, our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking plans described herein are not final and may be modified or abandoned at any time.

This release references certain non-GAAP measures, including:

Segment margin, which is defined as segment profit divided by net sales; segment profit, on an overall Honeywell basis, is defined as operating income, excluding stock compensation expense, pension and other postretirement service costs, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, certain acquisition-related costs, and repositioning and other charges.
Adjusted earnings per share, which is defined as diluted earning per share adjusted to exclude pension mark-to-market expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, certain acquisition-related costs, and other items as described in reconciliations provided when we disclose adjusted earnings per share; and
EBITDA, which we define as earnings before tax, depreciation and amortization.
Management believes that, when considered together with reported amounts, these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in the analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitations of these non-GAAP financial measures are that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recognized in the consolidated financials statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets. The Company has two growth pillars driven by sustainability. Air Products’ base business provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food. The Company also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest clean hydrogen projects supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the heavy-duty transportation and industrial sectors. Additionally, Air Products is the world leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment, and provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally.

The Company had fiscal 2023 sales of $12.6 billion from operations in approximately 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of over $50 billion. Approximately 23,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products’ higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and reimagine what’s possible to address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook or Instagram.

WILMINGTON, Del., – DuPont (NYSE: DD) announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Donatelle Plastics Incorporated, a leading medical device contract manufacturer specializing in the design, development and manufacture of medical components and devices. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter 2024, subject to satisfaction of customary closing conditions and receipt of regulatory approvals.

“Our healthcare strategy is focused on offering a comprehensive suite of solutions for customers in high-growth therapeutic areas,” said Jon Kemp, President, DuPont Electronics & Industrial (E&I). “Donatelle Plastics Incorporated will be the second acquisition, following Spectrum last year, that will deepen our expertise in the medical device market segments and enhance our position as a partner of choice for our customers.”

DuPont’s healthcare exposure within the Industrial Solutions line of business of the E&I segment includes Spectrum, a leader in medical device components, and Liveo™, a leader in silicone solutions for healthcare applications. The acquisition of Donatelle Plastics Incorporated will bring complementary advanced technologies and capabilities including medical device injection molding, liquid silicone rubber processing, precision machining, device assembly, and tool building. Donatelle Plastics Incorporated has a strong financial growth profile aligned to attractive therapeutic areas including electrophysiology, drug delivery, diagnostics, cardiac rhythm management, neurostimulation, and orthopedic extremities.

Founded in 1967 and headquartered in New Brighton, Minnesota, Donatelle Plastics Incorporated has a workforce of more than 400 employees and operates a facility strategically located in a medical technologies hub near leading original equipment manufacturers. Donatelle Plastics Incorporated has established decades-long relationships by providing best-in-class customer service, top-notch quality and injection molding expertise. They are recognized for innovation in medical device and component manufacturing, particularly in complex applications where quality, reliability and technical expertise is required for critical end-use applications.
“We’re excited for this next chapter in Donatelle’s journey and for our team of highly talented and skilled employees to join DuPont,” said Treasa Springett, President of Donatelle Plastics Incorporated. “As a part of a broader healthcare offering, we will have even greater impact on patient outcomes by enabling the innovation and development of next generation devices for patients worldwide.”

About DuPont
DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare and worker safety. More information about the company, its businesses and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com.

MIDLAND, Mich. – Dow (NYSE: DOW) and Teach For All expand collaboration to support Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) teacher recruitment, professional development and placement. The programming will continue to take place in underserved schools in Bahía Blanca, Argentina; Chiba, Saitama, and Ishikawa, Japan; Lagos, Nigeria; Tarragona, Spain; and, new this year, Plaquemine, United States.

“Since joining forces with Teach For All, we have made an incredible impact together,” said Bob Plishka, global director of Strategic Corporate Partnerships and Dow Company Foundation president. “Through our funding, Teach For All was able to reach more than 10,000 students, and this year, we are excited to expand our work to include educators and students in Louisiana.”

By collaborating with organizations like Teach For All, Dow aims to ensure equitable access to STEM education, help develop and support educators and improve students’ readiness.

Teach For All is a growing network of independent partner organizations and a global organization working to develop collective leadership to improve the quality of education for all children and break down the barriers standing in the way of their ability to learn and thrive. It has grown to include 62 network partners across six continents, with 13,000+ current teachers and 100,000+ alumni. Since 2022, Dow’s support for Teach For All has enabled the following outcomes:

62 STEM educators recruited and trained as part of the programs
Up to 30% improvement in student performance in the countries where the programs were implemented
“Since 2022, we have proudly partnered with Dow, collaborating on significant support for young people in our shared communities. We’re delighted that with each renewal of the partnership, we’ve expanded the reach of our work together, this time extending that support to the United States. We’re so grateful to Dow and their colleagues for their continued support in helping ensure all children can fulfill their potential,” said Wendy Kopp, CEO and Co-Founder of Teach For All.

About Teach For All
Teach For All is a global network of 62 independent, locally led organizations and a global organization united by a commitment to developing collective leadership to ensure all children can fulfill their potential. Each network partner recruits and develops promising leaders to teach in their nations’ under-resourced schools and communities and, with this foundation, to work with others, inside and outside of education, towards a world where all children have the education, support, and opportunity to shape a better future. Teach For All’s global organization works to increase the network’s impact by supporting the development of new organizations; fostering network connectivity and learning; providing coaching and consulting; and enabling access to global resources for the benefit of the network.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

CHARLOTTE, N.C., July 10, 2024 — Honeywell (Nasdaq: HON) and Air Products (NYSE:APD) jointly announced today that Honeywell has agreed to acquire Air Products’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) process technology and equipment business for $1.81 billion in an all-cash transaction. This represents approximately 13x estimated 2024 EBITDA.

As a result of the acquisition, Honeywell will be able to offer customers a comprehensive, top-tier solution for managing their energy transformation journey. The new holistic offering will encompass natural gas pre-treatment and state-of-the-art liquefaction, utilizing digital automation technologies unified under the Honeywell Forge and Experion platforms. This full-service solution will enable efficient, reliable and optimized management of natural gas assets, delivering unparalleled value and support.
Currently, Honeywell provides a pre-treatment solution serving LNG customers globally. Air Products’ complementary LNG process technology and equipment business consists of a comprehensive portfolio, including in-house design and manufacturing of coil-wound heat exchangers (CWHE) and related equipment. CWHEs provide the highest throughput of natural gas in a single exchanger with a small footprint and robust, reliable and safe operations both onshore and offshore.

“While the world continues to build the renewables-based energy infrastructure of the future, natural gas is a critical lower-emission and affordable transition fuel that will help meet ever-increasing and dynamic global energy demands,” said Vimal Kapur, Chairman and CEO of Honeywell.

“This highly complementary acquisition will further strengthen our energy transition portfolio, and Air Products’ CWHE technology will immediately expand our installed base – creating new opportunities to compound growth in aftermarket services and digitalization through our Honeywell Forge platform,” Kapur added.

“The decision to divest our LNG heat exchanger technology and equipment business reflects Air Products’ continued focus on its two-pillar strategy — to grow our core industrial gas business and related technology and equipment, and to be a first-mover delivering clean hydrogen at scale to decarbonize industrial and heavy-duty transportation sectors,” said Air Products’ Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Seifi Ghasemi. “The LNG business is a great business and at its strongest point in its decades-long history thanks to the outstanding work of our people, and they will be in good hands to advance as part of Honeywell’s related portfolio of technologies.”

The LNG market has quadrupled over the past 20 years and is expected to double over the next two decades, driven by demand in key end markets including power and data centers according to industry research.1

Ken West, President and CEO of Honeywell’s Energy and Sustainability Solutions (ESS) segment, said, “The integration of this talented team and the acquired proprietary technologies will enable Honeywell UOP to bring a full spectrum of scalable solutions and services that help our global customers navigate the complex journey to more sustainable and efficient energy practices.”

Air Products’ LNG Business has approximately 475 employees with headquarters in Allentown, Pennsylvania and a 390,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Port Manatee, Florida, where all sizes of CWHEs are made.

This is the fourth acquisition Honeywell has announced this year as part of its disciplined capital deployment strategy. The company is focused on high-return acquisitions that will drive future growth across its portfolio, which is aligned with the three compelling megatrends of automation, the future of aviation and energy transition.

This transaction, which is expected to be adjusted earnings per share accretive in the first full year of ownership is not subject to any financing conditions and is expected to close before the end of the calendar year, subject to customary closing conditions, including receipt of certain regulatory approvals.

Editor’s Note: Link to Photo – A completed LNG heat exchanger manufactured at Air Products’ Port Manatee facility is being loaded on a carrier at the Port of Manatee for shipment to the customer.

1LNG industry trends | Deloitte US

About Honeywell
Honeywell is an integrated operating company serving a broad range of industries and geographies around the world. Our business is aligned with three powerful megatrends – automation, the future of aviation and energy transition – underpinned by our Honeywell Accelerator operating system and Honeywell Forge IoT platform. As a trusted partner, we help organizations solve the world’s toughest, most complex challenges, providing actionable solutions and innovations through our Aerospace Technologies, Industrial Automation, Building Automation and Energy and Sustainability Solutions business segments that help make the world smarter, safer and more sustainable. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywell.com/newsroom.

We describe many of the trends and other factors that drive our business and future results in this release. Such discussions contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the Exchange Act). Forward-looking statements are those that address activities, events, or developments that management intends, expects, projects, believes, or anticipates will or may occur in the future. They are based on management’s assumptions and assessments in light of past experience and trends, current economic and industry conditions, expected future developments, and other relevant factors, many of which are difficult to predict and outside of our control. They are not guarantees of future performance, and actual results, developments and business decisions may differ significantly from those envisaged by our forward-looking statements. We do not undertake to update or revise any of our forward-looking statements, except as required by applicable securities law. Our forward-looking statements are also subject to material risks and uncertainties, including ongoing macroeconomic and geopolitical risks, such as lower GDP growth or recession, capital markets volatility, inflation, and certain regional conflicts, that can affect our performance in both the near- and long-term. In addition, no assurance can be given that any plan, initiative, projection, goal, commitment, expectation, or prospect set forth in this release can or will be achieved. These forward-looking statements should be considered in light of the information included in this release, our Form 10-K and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Any forward-looking plans described herein are not final and may be modified or abandoned at any time.

This release references certain non-GAAP measures, including:

Segment margin, which is defined as segment profit divided by net sales; segment profit, on an overall Honeywell basis, is defined as operating income, excluding stock compensation expense, pension and other postretirement service costs, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, certain acquisition-related costs, and repositioning and other charges.
Adjusted earnings per share, which is defined as diluted earning per share adjusted to exclude pension mark-to-market expense, amortization of acquisition-related intangibles, certain acquisition-related costs, and other items as described in reconciliations provided when we disclose adjusted earnings per share; and
EBITDA, which we define as earnings before tax, depreciation and amortization.
Management believes that, when considered together with reported amounts, these measures are useful to investors and management in understanding our ongoing operations and in the analysis of ongoing operating trends.

Management does not consider these non-GAAP measures in isolation or as an alternative to financial measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The principal limitations of these non-GAAP financial measures are that they exclude significant expenses and income that are required by GAAP to be recognized in the consolidated financials statements. In addition, they are subject to inherent limitations as they reflect the exercise of judgments by management about which expenses and income are excluded or included in determining these non-GAAP financial measures.

About Air Products

Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for over 80 years focused on serving energy, environmental, and emerging markets. The Company has two growth pillars driven by sustainability. Air Products’ base business provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemicals, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food. The Company also develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest clean hydrogen projects supporting the transition to low- and zero-carbon energy in the heavy-duty transportation and industrial sectors. Additionally, Air Products is the world leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment, and provides turbomachinery, membrane systems and cryogenic containers globally.

The Company had fiscal 2023 sales of $12.6 billion from operations in approximately 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of over $50 billion. Approximately 23,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products’ higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and reimagine what’s possible to address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, X, Facebook or Instagram.

WILMINGTON, Del., July 1, 2024 – DuPont (NYSE: DD) proudly announces its participation in SEMICON West, taking place July 9-11, 2024, in San Francisco, California. At booth number 6148, the company will showcase the latest advancements in custom parts from its renowned DuPont™ Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts, further solidifying its commitment to collaborative innovation with customers.

Kalrez® products are globally recognized for their exceptional sealing capabilities in critical applications. At this year’s SEMICON West, DuPont will exhibit several game-changing solutions, including:

The Kalrez® Bonded Door Seal (BDS), specially designed for use in gate valves and slit valve doors for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, enabling easy installation and low particle generation, enhancing processes such as plasma etching, CVD, and PVD. By allowing for easy detachment from the metal assembly and enabling re-use of the metal components, the newly designed BDS helps reduce waste without sacrificing performance.

Low permeation seals from the DuPont™ Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer series, crafted for high-temperature and high-vacuum uses. Operating efficiently up to 300C, their unique multi-layer seal design enables minimal gas permeation, including—but not limited to—oxygen gas.

An innovative bonding method developed by DuPont’s technology team, allowing Kalrez® components to be fused with other functional materials, creating unique, composite-structured Kalrez® parts.

DuPont’s extensive portfolio of Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts includes O-rings, custom-designed components, and bonded parts integrated with metals, glass, ceramics, and fibers. These composite structures are increasingly important in meeting the growing demands of the semiconductor and industrial manufacturing industries.

This year also marks a special milestone for Kalrez® as the brand celebrates its 50th anniversary. For five decades, Kalrez® has been a leader in the industry, providing sealing solutions for mission-critical applications across the globe.

“Marking the 50th anniversary of Kalrez®, we are reminded of our legacy of innovation and our steadfast commitment to delivering ultra-high-performance sealing solutions,” said Brian Ammons, Global Business General Manager of Industrial Polymers, DuPont Electronics & Industrial. “SEMICON West is an ideal platform to showcase our latest breakthroughs, foster deeper collaborations, and explore new opportunities for customized solutions that enable faster, more differentiated growth.”

In another significant development, in November 2023, DuPont announced the opening of its new Kalrez® manufacturing facility in Newark, Delaware. This expansion in capacity underscores the company’s commitment to the highest quality, reliability, and consistency in the supply of Kalrez® O-rings, catering to the rapidly growing demand in both the semiconductor and industrial market segments. This new facility significantly boosts production capacity, helping meet the increasing demand for Kalrez® products and further strengthening DuPont’s supply capability.

At this year’s SEMICON West event, DuPont is also proud to sponsor the Sustainability Reception at the Sustainability Pavilion on Tuesday, July 9, and will host tours of DuPont’s Silicon Valley Technology Center in nearby Sunnyvale, California on Friday, July 12. Registration for the tours is available for FLEX pass holders.

SEMICON West attendees are invited to visit booth 6148 to explore how DuPont’s latest sealing solutions can elevate performance in semiconductor and electronics applications, embodying DuPont’s commitment to collaborative customer partnerships and industry stability.

About DuPont™ Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts
DuPont™ Kalrez® perfluoroelastomer parts have been a global leader in ultra-high-performance sealing solutions for critical applications for more than 50 years. Known for its unwavering commitment to excellence and trailblazing innovations, Kalrez® parts provide exceptional, long-term reliability in demanding industrial environments, including semiconductor and chemical processing, aerospace, and oil & gas applications. Kalrez® parts deliver to customers worldwide game-changing solutions backed by technical expertise that enable progress and drive technological advancements. More information can be found at https://www.dupont.com/kalrez.html.

About DuPont Electronics & Industrial
DuPont Electronics & Industrial is a global supplier of new technologies and performance materials serving the semiconductor, circuit board, display, digital and flexographic printing, healthcare, aerospace, industrial and transportation industries. From advanced technology centers worldwide, teams of talented research scientists and application experts work closely with customers, providing solutions, products, and technical services to enable next-generation technologies. http://electronics.dupont.com/

About DuPont
DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets, including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare, and worker safety. More information about the company, its businesses, and solutions can be found at www.dupont.com. Investors can access information included on the Investor Relations section of the website at investors.dupont.com.

MIDLAND, Mich., June 20, 2024 — Today, Dow (NYSE: DOW) announced it has signed an agreement to acquire Circulus, a leading recycler of plastic waste into post-consumer resin (PCR). This transaction includes two facilities, one in Ardmore, Oklahoma, and another in Arab, Alabama, with a total capacity of 50,000 metric tons per year. Dow expects the transaction to close in the third quarter of 2024, subject to customary regulatory approval.

“This acquisition will allow Dow to combine our Company’s industry leading materials science technology with Circulus’ film recycling expertise to accelerate progress towards our 2030 Transform the Waste goal,” said Karen S. Carter, president, Packaging & Specialty Plastics. “It will also expand how we participate in the industry, allowing us to generate value for our customers by directly producing more higher performing circular products that brands and consumers are demanding.”

Dow’s expertise in materials science and high-performance resins combined with Circulus’ mechanical film recycling capability will allow Dow to enhance its offerings in applications, such as collation shrink packaging, stretch film, liners and select food packaging, to a wider range of applications in the industrial, consumer, and transportation markets.

“The Circulus team is excited to move forward with Dow in advancing a circular economy. Circulus leverages the best technology available to advance the recycling of plastic packaging waste,” said Mike Dulin, CEO, Circulus. “Our leadership team brings more than 65 years of combined experience in the recycling and plastics industries, resulting in high quality and sustainably produced resins, suitable for upcycled applications.”

This transaction supports Dow’s efforts, announced earlier, to transform plastic waste and other forms of alternative feedstocks into 3 million metric tons of circular and renewable solutions annually by 2030. To do this, Dow is building industrial ecosystems to collect, reuse or recycle waste and expand its portfolio to meet rapidly growing demand.

About Dow
Dow (NYSE: DOW) is one of the world’s leading materials science companies, serving customers in high-growth markets such as packaging, infrastructure, mobility and consumer applications. Our global breadth, asset integration and scale, focused innovation, leading business positions and commitment to sustainability enable us to achieve profitable growth and help deliver a sustainable future. We operate manufacturing sites in 31 countries and employ approximately 35,900 people. Dow delivered sales of approximately $45 billion in 2023. References to Dow or the Company mean Dow Inc. and its subsidiaries. Learn more about us and our ambition to be the most innovative, customer-centric, inclusive and sustainable materials science company in the world by visiting www.dow.com.

For further information, please contact:

Mary Fournier
Dow
+1 989-636-7475
mkfournier@dow.com

X: https://twitter.com/DowNewsroom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dow/
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/company/dow-chemical
Instagram: http://instagram.com/dow_official

SOURCE The Dow Chemical Company

LUXEMBOURG, June 11, 2024 – PPG (NYSE:PPG) today announced that it will support the WorldSkills Europe (WSE) vocational skills organization for 2024-25 as a Premium Sponsor. WSE promotes vocational, technological, and service-oriented education and training across Europe, working with young people, educators, governments, and industries to prepare the workforce and talent for the jobs of the future.

WSE organizes EuroSkills, the largest vocational education and skills excellence event in Europe, bringing together hundreds of young people from 33 countries to compete in various skills and professions including painting and decorating.

“Collaborations with global industry-leading companies like PPG are invaluable in helping WorldSkills Europe prepare young people for their future careers,” said Guillaume Suteau, board chair of WorldSkills Europe. “PPG recognizes the critical role that skills play in building industries and supporting creativity and innovation. We look forward to benefiting from PPG’s expertise and impressive capabilities throughout this partnership.”

“Our partnership with WorldSkills Europe reflects PPG’s dedication to shaping the future of our industry,” said Pascal Tisseyre, PPG vice president, government affairs, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. “Partnering with WorldSkills Europe aligns with our mission to address the lack of skilled workforce, encourage youth participation, and foster talent development.”

PPG has been a longstanding WorldSkills supporter. Earlier this year, the company announced its support for WorldSkills Lyon 2024, where it will provide financial support and supply products and expertise for the painting and decorating skill category, including SEIGNEURIE® paints by PPG.

The partnership is also part of PPG’s commitment to support education and workforce development initiatives that prepare students for careers in the skilled trades. In 2023, PPG and the PPG Foundation announced a $2 million investment to support programs that provide training, curriculum development and career readiness resources for students and educators.

To learn more about WorldSkills Europe, visit: https://worldskillseurope.org/.

PPG’s global community engagement efforts and the PPG Foundation aim to bring color and brightness to PPG communities around the world. We invested more than $17.5 million in 2023, supporting hundreds of organizations across nearly 40 countries. By investing in educational opportunities, we help grow tomorrow’s STEM innovators and skilled workforce in fields related to coatings and manufacturing. Plus, we empower PPG employees to multiply their impact for causes that are important to them by supporting their volunteer efforts and charitable giving. Learn more at communities.ppg.com.

PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD®
At PPG (NYSE:PPG), we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and specialty materials that our customers have trusted for more than 140 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 70 countries and reported net sales of $18.2 billion in 2023. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets. To learn more, visit www.ppg.com.

The PPG Logo and We protect and beautify the world are registered trademarks of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has announced a new risk mitigation process, the Trusted Research Using Safeguards and Transparency (TRUST) framework, which will guide the agency in assessing grant proposals for potential national security risks. The revised procedures will help safeguard U.S. taxpayer investments in research and innovation while strengthening international collaboration.

Developed by the NSF Office of the Chief of Research Security Strategy and Policy (OCRSSP), the TRUST framework includes three branches. The first focuses on assessing active personnel appointments and positions, while the second focuses on identifying instances of noncompliance with disclosure and other requirements. The third branch — the inclusion of potential foreseeable national security considerations — represents a significant new effort for NSF. The framework is designed to avoid curtailing beneficial research activities due to institutions or individuals in the community being overly cautious, protect the agency’s core values of fairness and due process and maintain open lines of communication with the research community.

“This framework represents a major step in pivoting from a compliance culture to a research security culture,” said CRSSP Rebecca Keiser. “But we cannot continue to lead the world in science and innovation if we are fixated on achieving zero risk related to research security. We must be bold and invest in science here at home while continuing to encourage principled, mutually beneficial international collaboration. NSF will work collaboratively with the research community, industry, individual researchers and our partners in the U.S. government to identify, understand and address the potential risks so researchers can continue to do their work.”

The development of the framework was guided by requirements in the “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022” and the Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Report. The “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022” directs NSF to identify research areas that may involve access to “controlled unclassified or classified information” and “exercise due diligence in granting access.” The FY 2023 Appropriations Report directs NSF to collaborate with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence to compile and maintain a list of all NSF-funded open-source research capabilities that are known or suspected to have an impact on foreign military operations.

NSF also commissioned a report by JASON, an independent scientific advisory group that provides consulting services to the U.S. government on matters of defense, science and technology. The key findings of the Safeguarding the Research Enterprise report included an assertion that “openness and transparency in fundamental research promote scientific discovery, which improves national security” and recommended specific steps NSF could take to identify sensitive areas of research and processes NSF might use to enhance security in those areas of concern.

The TRUST process will be rolled out in three phases. Beginning in FY 2025, the process will be piloted on quantum-related proposals. The pilot will collect data and assess key metrics, monitor the impact on NSF directorates and build and evaluate NSF’s ability to review the potential national security applications of NSF-funded technology. In the second phase, lessons learned from the pilot phase will be implemented and the process will be expanded to include other key “CHIPS and Science Act of 2022″technology areas. In phase 3, NSF will scale up the review process to include all key technology areas and/or the priorities of the NSF Technology, Innovation and Partnerships Directorate’s priorities.

Once considered a tranquil final frontier, space has emerged as the latest—and arguably the most complex—domain for military operations.

Today, the U.S. faces numerous challenges in this new domain, from counterspace technologies and space debris to orbital congestion and adversaries’ rapidly advancing space capabilities. The need for robust Space Domain Awareness (SDA) has never been more urgent, enabling the U.S. to monitor and safeguard its vital space assets, ensure the peaceful use of outer space, and maintain a technological edge in this critical domain.

The U.S. Space Force states that space domain awareness is “fundamental to achieving the Space Force’s cornerstone responsibilities of preserving freedom of action, enabling joint lethality and effectiveness, and providing independent options.”

Underscoring the importance, the Space Force doctrine states that “obtaining and maintaining domain awareness is fundamental to successful operations in any environment.”

So, how do government agencies lead and succeed in that “space”? With the most discerning radar technology and software known to mankind.

1) LRDR
LRDR, lauded for its primary mission of missile defense, serves a secondary mission for space domain awareness. In recent months, the radar successfully passed several space domain awareness events, confirming the radar’s warfighter capability for space domain awareness. These events are intended to provide early use to Space Force/SPACECOM, prior to completion of transition phase from MDA to Space Force which is planned for later this year. These events provide information for how the radar behaves during a stressing resident space object (RSO) environment and provides information for future capability upgrades.

The multi-mission software defined polarization-diverse radar provides better tracking and discrimination of threats in contested environments. Further, LRDR technology was leveraged and scaled for Lockheed Martin’s SPY-7 land and maritime radar product line, which includes the Japan Aegis System Equipped Vessel (ASEV), Canadian Surface Combatant and Spain F-110 Frigate. The SPY-7 product line has already successfully integrated with Aegis as part of program execution milestones and recently demonstrated the first live track with the ASEV AN/SPY-7(V)1 radar. A transportable version will be deployed in Guam.

2) Space Fence
Space Fence provides crucial support of military and commercial space operations and will provide long-term benefits for the United States and its allies. Building Space Fence in the remote Marshall Islands was a great engineering accomplishment and a huge advancement in radar technology to enable dramatically increased orbital debris awareness, critical to protecting national security assets in a complex 21st Century Security threat environment.

Space Fence is now actively tracking satellites and discovering objects as small as a marble in low earth orbit, making it a key contributor to U.S. Space Force’s Space Domain Awareness. Armed with more accurate and timely information about debris, satellite operators can make better informed decisions about how to expend precious resources to maneuver and avoid collisions. Before Space Fence came online, system operators were faced with less accurate debris estimates in addition to large quantities of untracked debris.

3) iSpace
Lockheed Martin’s iSpace™ software provides command and control and battle management capabilities for customers in all arenas – defense, international, commercial, and civil – that operate in the space domain. These Lockheed Martin-developed systems provide the ability to detect far more debris than previous technologies could, and with greater accuracy, providing timely and actionable information to protect key assets in orbit.

Ready for the Future, Today
Staying Ahead of Ready is crucial as threats evolve at hypersonic speeds. The U.S. military and its allies need reliable, effective radar systems that can detect challenging targets and adapt to ever-changing landscapes. Lockheed Martin’s Radar Center of Excellence makes our sensors the top choice for more than 40 nations on six continents and all branches of the US military.

WASHINGTON (May 16, 2024) – Congress passed a bill to reauthorize the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) that contains important provisions supported by the American Chemistry Council (ACC) that will help protect chemical facilities. The first provision directs the FAA to complete its long overdue rule to create “no fly zones” for unauthorized drone operations over or near critical infrastructure, which includes chemical facilities. The second provision establishes a risk-based approach for authorizing the use of drones to transport hazardous materials, which will help reduce potential risks to chemical facilities.  

The following statement regarding the drone provisions FAA can be attributed to Ryan Jackson, Vice President of Federal Affairs at ACC:

“We applaud Congress for taking action to address the threat drones pose to our industry and helping our members protect against the rising number of drone-related incidents involving chemical facilities. The provisions in this bill provide important and much-needed direction for the FAA to put rules in place that will help safeguard critical infrastructure, including the chemical sector. 

“The provisions in this bill are an important step but not the last step that Congress must take when it comes to drone security. ACC strongly encourages Congress to also pass legislation that would provide the government with the additional tools it needs to guard critical infrastructure from dangerous drone operations.”

American Chemistry Council
The American Chemistry Council’s mission is to advocate for the people, policy, and products of chemistry that make the United States the global leader in innovation and manufacturing. To achieve this, we: Champion science-based policy solutions across all levels of government; Drive continuous performance improvement to protect employees and communities through Responsible Care®; Foster the development of sustainability practices throughout ACC member companies; and Communicate authentically with communities about challenges and solutions for a safer, healthier and more sustainable way of life. Our vision is a world made better by chemistry, where people live happier, healthier, and more prosperous lives, safely and sustainably—for generations to come.

Learn more at: https://www.americanchemistry.com/chemistry-in-america/news-trends/press-release/2024/acc-applauds-drone-provisions-in-faa-reauthorization-bill

The Commonwealth of Kentucky will receive $20 million from the U.S. National Science Foundation through the Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR). This program aims to support U.S. states and territories, also known as EPSCoR jurisdictions, that have historically received less funding for research and development.

Through the EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Program Track-1, Kentucky has been awarded five years of funding to study how climate change affects local communities. The project will allow researchers to find new ways to deal with these challenges, educate the community and create programs to teach future researchers.

Kentucky faces mounting threats from environmental change, including extreme weather events, floods, droughts and landslides. The Climate Resilience through Multidisciplinary Big Data Learning, Prediction & Building Response Systems (CLIMBS) project will advance the fields of climate science, geohazards engineering and disaster management to improve sustainability and resilience to climate change. Research and educational programs will benefit underserved communities in eastern Kentucky. 

“We are proud to invest in Kentucky’s future through the CLIMBS project, which aims to enhance climate resilience and sustainability across industries,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “By focusing on science-driven solutions, Kentucky can address climate challenges, protect communities and bolster economic growth for communities across the commonwealth and throughout the region.”

Led by the University of Kentucky, scientists from eight universities will use Big Data, artificial intelligence and machine learning to model the impact of different climate scenarios. CLIMBS will help build climate resilience and sustainability in Kentucky’s key industries of manufacturing, data analytics, energy transition and engineering and help train a science and engineering workforce that will enable the growth of smaller industries, such as food and beverage and agriculture. 

CLIMBS is responsive to Kentucky’s Vision 2030: Science & Technology Plan, which includes a major focus on climate and resiliency and is motivated by the flood and weather events in 2021 and 2022 that impacted the area, including impoverished mountain and rural communities. Along with improving education and outreach in Appalachia, CLIMBS will promote the development of university-industry partnerships and enhanced abilities to compete for center-level funding and commercialization.  

As the fourth round of negotiations on a global plastics treaty opens this week in Ottawa, we’re eager to continue the dialogue and identify the solutions that will help the world address the issue of plastic waste.

The ideal outcome of these talks is a ratified treaty that keeps waste out of rivers and oceans. We believe the best way to reach that goal is to remember why these talks began – with a focus on ending plastic pollution.

ExxonMobil supports a treaty that provides the framework to make real progress toward eliminating plastic waste. Keeping a laser-like focus on that issue will get us to a solution faster.

We’re in Ottawa to serve as a resource for negotiators, to share what we know and to learn from others. We want to engage with and listen carefully to all interested parties.

Through the first three rounds of discussions, we’ve been encouraged to hear negotiators acknowledge the value of plastics and the benefits they bring to society:
They help reduce food waste, a significant problem. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that wasted food causes 58% of methane emissions from municipal solid waste landfills.
They also help transport clean water, keep medicine sterile, and save energy by reducing the weight of packaging and vehicles.
They’re key to reaching many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and net-zero emission ambitions.
They’re essential in the making of mobile devices, computers, vehicles, airplanes, and solar cells.
Plastic is also the material with the lowest environmental impact for many uses, in most cases with a smaller life-cycle footprint than alternatives like glass, paper, and aluminum.

At the same time, plastic waste in the environment is a serious challenge, and the industry is already hard at work, rallying scientists and engineers to help solve the problem.

At ExxonMobil’s advanced recycling plant in Baytown, Texas, we’re taking in millions of pounds of discarded plastic and transforming it at the molecular level into raw materials for making new products. The amount we make is freely attributed through a mass balance approach to the plastic we sell as “certified-circular plastics.”

Because our mass balance approach is certified through an independent, third-party system, our customers know their purchases help prevent used plastic from going to landfills or being incinerated. This market exists today. It has many serious participants, and we expect it to keep expanding.

That expansion can happen faster with strong infrastructure for gathering and sorting used plastic. Instead of going to a landfill, it can go to plants like Baytown and be transformed into the building blocks of useful products.

We’re also listening to policymakers and our customers, who want to manufacture more recyclable materials. Today, we make polymers that are lighter, stronger, and more durable, so our customers can use less of them in their products that can be more easily recycled after they’re used.

Big problems require multiple solutions. Let’s not limit ourselves as we convene in Ottawa.

Billions of people benefit from the use of plastics. None of them want to see waste on our roadways, in our forests, or in our rivers and oceans. That’s the problem that needs solving.

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Endowment of the Humanities (NEH) joined partner funding agencies from Canada, Finland, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United Kingdom in announcing the launch of the Global Centers 2024 competition, with the theme “Addressing Global Challenges through the Bioeconomy.”

Winning teams will be awarded up to $5 million to implement new Global Centers — international, interdisciplinary collaborative research centers that will apply best practices of broadening participation and community engagement to develop use-inspired research on the bioeconomy. The centers will also create education and workforce development opportunities for students and early-career researchers while enhancing diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across the global STEM enterprise.

“The Global Centers 2024 competition is a testament to NSF’s commitment to global partnerships that are advancing critical innovations in the bioeconomy and enabling new solutions to some of our most important global challenges,” said NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan. “I am especially excited about the range of international partners that are working together on this project. The shared values that underpin our commitments to robust research collaborations are fostering new breakthroughs and supercharging innovation at the frontiers of the bioeconomy.”

The 2024 competition is an NSF-led activity, coordinated through NSF’s Global Center program with the NEH, and co-sponsored with five other countries’ science agencies: Canada’s Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) and Social Science and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC); Finland’s Research Council of Finland (RCF) and Business Finland (BF); the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST); the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Science and Information and Communication Technology (MSIT) and National Research Foundation (NRF); and the United Kingdom’s U.K. Research and Innovation (UKRI).

Focused on the bioeconomy — the share of the economy based on products, services and processes derived from living systems — the 2024 competition will prioritize holistic, multidisciplinary projects, that demonstrate large-scale, international collaboration to advance science within the scope of the competition’s theme and may include research from any combination of disciplines supported by NSF. To achieve maximal outcomes and benefits, submissions are expected to integrate crosscutting objectives into the project’s research outlines and the proposed center’s framework. These include plans for public engagement, the collaborative generation of research activities, workforce development, education and strategies and anticipated impacts on the communities the center serves, clearly stated.

The Global Centers program encourages proposal submissions designed to enhance diversity within STEM, with priority given to teams whose projects involve the participation of historically under-represented or underserved populations, minority-serving institutions, primarily undergraduate institutions and/or two-year colleges. Proposals from Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) jurisdictions are especially encouraged.

Proposals solicited for this competition will fall under two overarching categories: “Leveraging Biodiversity Across the Tree of Life to Power the Bioeconomy” and “Biofoundries.”

Leveraging Biodiversity Across the Tree of Life to Power the Bioeconomy includes research on all manner of organisms and how they interact — from microbes to plants to animals — and the application of comparative genomics to identify similarities and differences that can be harnessed in novel biotechnologies and biomanufacturing processes.

Biofoundries include using the design-build-test-learn process in biology to facilitate iterative biological engineering — allowing researchers to test large-scale genetic designs and incorporate state-of-the-art approaches at the interface of artificial intelligence and statistical sciences to enhance the design process.

Examples of research areas encompassed by the two categories include data for the bioeconomy, biocomputing, microbial biodiversity, plant genomics, precision agriculture, green economy, economic and policy perspectives, ethical implications of bioeconomy technologies, metabolomics, bioengineering, synthetic biology, metabolic engineering, rapid prototyping of biological designs and biorefineries.

Global Centers program anticipates awarding 5 to 7 teams from the 2024 competition, with NSF and NEH supporting U.S.-based researchers up to $5,000,000 for four to five years. Foreign researchers will be supported by their respective country’s funding agency (NSERC, SSHRC, RCF, BF, JST, MSIT, NRF and UKRI) with similar amounts of funds.

The Global Centers 2024 competition is poised to create prominent, enduring, international centers of research excellence that generate crucial knowledge, empower communities and develop innovative solutions that address global challenges. Outcomes fueled by the 2024 class of Global Centers will also strengthen the foundations of international cooperation between partner nations and make valuable and unique contributions to key areas highlighted in President Joe Biden’s “Executive Order on Advancing Biotechnology and Biomanufacturing Innovation for a Sustainable, Safe, and Secure American Bioeconomy” and the report developed pursuant to the order: Bold Goals For U.S. Biotechnology And Biomanufacturing.

To learn more about this funding opportunity and how to submit a proposal, visit the NSF Global Centers webpage.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded over $12.7 million across nine research teams to understand better the untapped capabilities of ribonucleic acid (RNA) for potentially far-reaching biotechnology applications, from disease prevention in crops to cancer-fighting therapies. The nine teams will each receive $1 million to $1.65 million from NSF through the Molecular Foundations for Biotechnology (MFB) program, a joint effort of NSF in partnership with the National Institutes of Health’s National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). NHGRI plans to invest in additional projects to be announced later in 2024, which will focus on the development of novel technologies to investigate RNA biology.

“Innovative new modes of inquiry into the molecular-level structure, dynamics and function of RNA is expected to lead to significant biotech breakthroughs at the intersection of chemistry and biology,” says NSF’s Chemistry Division Director David Berkowitz. “By advancing this fundamental science, we open the door to new avenues of use-inspired research and applications that can benefit society and improve our quality of life.”

“We are excited to partner with NSF to support research into the structures, interactions, functions and applications of RNA,” says Carolyn Hutter, Director of the Division of Genome Sciences at NHGRI. “New tools and technologies that harness RNA research have the potential to transform the biomedical field and improve human health.”

RNA is a complex organic molecule that performs essential tasks within the biological and chemical machinery of all living cells. Although RNA was first identified nearly a century ago, many of its functional aspects are not fully understood or predictable. The nine research teams will explore RNA’s roles and actions with the goal of creating new RNA-based methods for treating cancerous cells, making crops more resistant to blight and disease, fighting viral infections like the common cold and more. The teams include experts in a range of fields from chemistry, biology and physics to mathematical modeling and machine learning. Their projects are expected to provide opportunities to partner with industry to translate knowledge gained in the lab into marketable new biotechnologies.

In addition to supporting the research, NSF’s investment will provide hands-on training for students and early-career researchers through mentorship, workshops and internships for high school and undergraduate students and other activities to expand and broaden participation in the U.S. STEM workforce.

The nine projects and teams are:
Next-generation Proximity Labeling Technologies to Map Subcellular Transcriptomes and RNA Interactomes in Living Cells with Nanometer Resolution (Stanford University) aims to create new technologies to enable scientists to quickly visualize where RNAs localize within living cells and identify other genetic materials nearby that could interact with the RNAs; these technologies could be useful in studying in-cell interactions in diseases such as cancer.

Stabilizing Hairpin Inserts in RNA Virus Induced Gene Silencing Vectors (University of Maryland, College Park and Silvec Biologics) will work to create stable RNA genomes that can be used as delivery devices to disable the bacteria that cause diseases in plants, such as citrus greening; a serious plant disease that impacts economically and agriculturally important citrus trees internationally and for which there is no cure.

Cracking the Codes: Understanding the Rules of mRNA Localization and Translation (University of Colorado Denver) aims to use recent developments in RNA sequencing technology to create a model capable of predicting protein output from a messenger RNA, which could have a broad impact on what we understand about how genes encode and transmit information.

Better Homologous Folding using Computational Linguistics and Deep Learning (Oregon State University and the University of Rochester) seeks to use artificial intelligence to develop faster and better algorithms and software tools to model RNA secondary structures, which has the potential for advancing therapeutic and diagnostic design.

Characterization of the Biogenesis, Uptake, and Cellular Response to the Ribonucleoprotein Cargoes of Extracellular Vesicles using EV-CLASP (Vanderbilt University) will work to increase our understanding of extracellular vesicle-derived RNAs, which could enhance our ability to understand RNA dynamics during cellular communication, which would help identify novel gene regulatory elements and develop ways to deliver RNA treatments into cells.

RNA Modifications of Frameshifting Stimulators: Cellular Platforms to Engineer Gene Expression by Computational Mutation Predictions and Functional Experiments (New York University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) aims to predict and model how two proteins can be generated from the same messenger RNA with the goal of applying that knowledge to limit how RNA viruses can use this mutation to infect humans or to develop new forms of drug delivery.

Evaluating and Advancing Cryo-EM for RNA Conformational Ensembles (Stanford University) will test whether cryogenic electron microscopy and computational methods can accurately visualize functionally critical features of RNA machines to create a validated toolkit that could help researchers develop models of a variety of RNA-based machines of biological or biotechnological interest.

Massively Parallel Identification of Translation Regulatory Sequences in Human and Viral mRNAs (Yale University) will take a systems-level approach to understand the various factors that impact the amount of protein synthesized from messenger RNAs, which could aid in designing new classes of therapeutic messenger RNAs.

Continuous Evolution of RNAs with Novel Functions in Mammalian Cells (Weill Cornell Medicine and Massachusetts Institute of Technology) aims to overcome the challenges in deploying functional RNA into live cells, which could transform biotechnology, biomedicine and biology broadly by allowing scientists to develop and deliver RNAs that can bind to target proteins in living cells.

The MFB program is a cross-disciplinary initiative led by NSF’s Directorates for Mathematical and Physical Sciences and Biological Sciences, with additional support from the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering and the Directorate for Engineering.