DuPont (NYSE: DD) Group Vice President James C. Borel told a United Nations (UN) special meeting here today that the public and private sectors must act quickly to knock down barriers and help small-scale farmers in the developing world move out of poverty.
Axion Power International, Inc. (OTC: AXPW), announced today that is has been notified that its common shares will be traded on the Over The Counter Bulletin Board as of today under the unchanged ticker symbol, "AXPW." Prior to this the shares have been traded on the Pink Sheets.
RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM) today announced that its board of directors has declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.19 per share, payable on July 31, 2008 to stockholders of record as of July 14, 2008. This payment represents an 8.6% increase over the quarterly cash dividend paid at this time last year.
Braskem (BOVESPA: BRKM3, BRKM5, BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX: XBRK), the leading company in the thermoplastic resins industry in Latin America and third-largest resin producer in the Americas, announces the start of a new cycle in its business development with the appointment of Bernardo Gradin as its new CEO, replacing Jose Carlos Grubisich, who has led the company over the past seven years.
Irrespective of the strong euro and massively rising energy and raw material costs, the chemical industry recorded an output growth in the 1st half 2008. However, growth was noticeably slower in Germany's fourth largest industry: The German chemical industry association (VCI) informed the press in Frankfurt that the chemical output rose by 3.0 percent in the 1st half 2008, so that the growth rate exactly halved compared with the relevant period 2007. VCI expects a further slowdown in chemical business for the coming months but believes that a slump is unlikely. For 2008 as a whole, VCI forecasts an output growth by 2.5 percent and a sales increase by 5.5 percent.
- Higher Growth Than Competitors - Proximity to Central and Eastern Europe Pays off - Long-Term Growth Potential of 3 Percent - Emission Trading System (ETS) as Major Problem
To meet the increasing demand of its Indian customers, Saint-Gobain has announced plans to build a new flat glass plant in this country.
Tasker Products Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: TKER), a distributor and marketer of proprietary technology effective in inhibiting pathogenic bacteria, today announced that it has received authorization from the United States Food and Drug Administration ("USDA") to market its post-chill spray application, which will be used immediately after the Chill process in poultry processing plants to further eradicate pathogenic bacteria prior to packaging.
Polymer Group, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: POLGA; POLGB) ("PGI") announced that it will begin implementing additional price increases on a global basis in response to increases in raw material costs that continue to reach unprecedented levels.
WD-40 Company (Nasdaq: WDFC) today reported net sales for the third quarter ended May 31, 2008 of $82.1 million, an increase of 5.8% over the third quarter last year. Year-to-date net sales were $240.2 million, up 5.0% over the same period last year.
Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced that it has completed its proposed acquisition of Marmot, S.A., which operates Semillas Cristiani Burkard (SCB), a privately-held seed company headquartered in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
Tronox Incorporated (NYSE: TRX, TRX.B) completed the sale of two parcels of 100%-owned property at the end of June 2008, with net proceeds from the sales totaling approximately $12 million (pretax). The parcels sold were located in Henderson, Nev., and Oklahoma City. The company was able to use $3.2 million of the net proceeds to reduce outstanding debt under its senior secured credit facility at June 30, 2008, and will use the remainder of the net proceeds to reduce outstanding debt during the first week of July.
A. Schulman, Inc. (Nasdaq: SHLM) announced today that net sales for the fiscal third quarter ended May 31, 2008 were $511.8 million, a 9.6% increase over last year's third-quarter net sales of $467.0 million. Tonnage was down 8.2% while changes in prices and product mix increased sales 6.4%. The tonnage decline was primarily in North America, where approximately half was the result of the March 18, 2008 sale of the Orange, Texas tolling business. The translation effect of foreign currencies, primarily the euro, increased sales 11.4% or $53.5 million. Gross profit improved to $61.6 million or 12% of net sales from $58.7 million or 12.6% of net sales a year ago. Gross profit as a percentage of net sales for the quarter increased slightly from the 11.9% of net sales reported for the second quarter of fiscal 2008, reflecting the Company's ongoing pricing and mix improvement initiatives that have allowed it to maintain margins despite the challenging economic environment, particularly in North America.
N-Viro International Corp. (OTC Bulletin Board: NVIC.OB) ("N-Viro" or "the Company") announced today it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding agreement (the "Agreement") with a significant electrical generating company which operates a facility in Pennsylvania. Under the terms of the Agreement, which outlines regulatory approval, testing and permitting requirements, N-Viro will supply sufficient quantities of its patented N-Viro Fuel(TM) to be blended with waste coal that will in turn be utilized in boilers owned by this energy company. The blend is expected to be tested for multiple days and different percentage mixtures. N-Viro believes the mixture of waste coal and N-Viro Fuel(TM) can be utilized as a renewable and sustainable fuel source within one or more circulating fluidized bed boilers (CFB) configured to produce steam for electric power generation.
Vyta Corp (OTC Bulletin Board: VYTC) and Justin Holdings, Inc., equal owners of their joint venture, BIOAGRA, LLC, today announced the completion of another successful study of the efficacy of AGRASTIM(R), BIOAGRA's proprietary all-natural Beta-1,3/1,6-D-glucan feed supplement. Broilers infected with E. coli, the bacteria that causes the poultry disease, Infectious Process (IP), showed improved feed conversion and weight gain, and reduced mortality when fed AGRASTIM(R), compared to the standard industry treatment. AGRASTIM(R), a biologically active yeast Beta-1,3/1,6-D-glucan with a guaranteed minimum purity level of 80%, is manufactured, marketed, and distributed by BIOAGRA, LLC.
Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced that its Board of Directors unanimously provisionally authorized the company to exercise Huntsman's right to extend the merger agreement with Hexion by an additional ninety days to October 2, 2008, as permitted by the terms of the merger agreement. Huntsman expects to deliver a formal notice of the extension to Hexion on July 4, 2008.
PolyOne Corporation (NYSE: POL), a premier provider of specialized polymer materials, services and solutions, announced on June 30, 2008 the streamlining of its management and segment organization as well as the presentation of its financial results.
RPM International Inc. (NYSE: RPM) announced today that it will release its fiscal 2008 fourth- quarter and year-end results before the stock market opens on Monday, July 21, 2008. The results will be issued via newswire and also will be available on the RPM web site at www.rpminc.com
Peerless Mfg. Co. (Nasdaq: PMFG) today announced that it will hold a special shareholder meeting on August 14, 2008 at 10:00 a.m., Dallas, Texas time. At the meeting, Peerless shareholders will be asked to approve a reorganization of Peerless into a Delaware holding company structure. In the reorganization, Peerless would become a wholly owned subsidiary of PMFG, Inc., a newly formed Delaware corporation. The current business, operations and management of Peerless will not change as a result of the reorganization.
JPS Industries, Inc. (JPST.PK) announced today that it has completed the sale of its Stevens(R) Roofing and Geomembrane business unit and related assets to Dow Building Solutions (DBS), a market-facing unit of The Dow Chemical Company. Financial terms and conditions were not disclosed. The transaction does not involve the Company's other operating units, JPS Composite Materials and Stevens(R) Urethane.
