Chevron awards steel contract

Phoenix-based Schuff International said its Schuff Steel Gulf Coast division won a contract to fabricate steel for the expansion of Chevron's Pascagoula, Miss. refinery. It will fabricate 11,400 tons of structural steel at its Humble, Texas, plant. Chevron is working on a $500 million project to increase gasoline production by 10 percent in Pascagoula. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/24/08)

SSAB to cut contractors

MOBILE, Ala. - Swedish steel maker SSAB said it would cut contractor jobs at its Axis mill, among 1,300 across the company, responding to rapidly shrinking steel demand. The company declined to say how many jobs would be cut in Axis. The company has previously said that it has 400 employees and 350 contractors at the north Mobile County mill. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/09/08)

ThyssenKrupp holds job fairs

MOBILE, Ala. - ThyssenKrupp Steel and Stainless USA will hold a job fair today in Robertsdale and another Dec. 16 in Prichard. Today's job fair runs from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Baldwin County Central Annex Auditorium at 22251 Palmer St. in Robertsdale. The Dec. 16 fair is 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the A.J. Cooper Municipal Auditorium at 216 E. Prichard Ave. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 12/09/08)

Solutia cuts workforce

PENSACOLA, Fla. - Solutia Inc. laid off more than 330 workers at its plants in Pensacola and Foley, Ala., on Friday in a restructuring of its nylon manufacturing business. The layoffs include 200 Solutia employees and 340 contract workers. About 200 workers in Pensacola and 58 in Foley will be rehired when demand for nylon fibers and resins picks up, the company said. (Source: Pensacola News Journal, Mobile Press Register, 11/22/08)

Crosslinks partners with USM

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - The University of Southern Mississippi signed a lease agreement with Missouri-based Crosslink to provide research space in the university's polymer science building. Crosslink has worked with Southern Miss polymer science researchers since 2004. Previous collaborations include a variety of projects in polymer-related technologies, particularly for military applications. Crosslink and USM hold a joint patent for a corrosion-inhibiting polymer and are working on a "smart" aerospace composite that can alert crew of damage and initiate repair on its own. (Source: University of Southern Mississippi, 11/20/08)

Evonik unveils $10M facility

MOBILE, Ala. - Evonik Industries AG on Wednesday dedicated a new $10 million facility in Theodore that produces Rohacell, a lightweight but strong foam used in everything from airplane wings to high-end sports equipment. The 40,000 square-foot Evonik Degussa facility started production several months ago. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/20/08)

Theodore plant candidate for expansion

MOBILE, Ala. - Evonik Degussa Corp. is considering its Theodore site for a $160 million expansion to make a nylon used in protective coating. If chosen, the plant would get 56 additional jobs to add to the current 680 employees. Three other sites in the U.S. as well as Singapore and China are being considered for the project. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 11/14/08)

Axis steel mill to expand

MOBILE, Ala. - SSAB's steel mill in Axis has beaten the company's Iowa mill for a $460 million expansion that will create 180 new jobs. The Swedish company’s investment is the second largest announced in Mobile County in recent years, behind the $4.5 billion ThyssenKrupp AG steel plant in Calvert. SSAB said it would begin construction in 2009 and complete work in 2011. The mill now has 400 employees and 350 contractors. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 10/22/08)

New research park named 'The Garden'

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Viridis Development Co. plans to build a 100,000-square-foot office and research building at the University of Southern Mississippi's 521-acre innovation and commercialization park – now officially named The Garden. Viridis, formed by a group of Southern Miss alumni, will offer space to companies wanting to locate in the park. The USM Research Foundation will be the building's first tenant. The park will be home to the National Formulation Science Laboratory expected to open in August 2009 and the Mississippi Polymer Institute. St. Louis-based Crosslink, which makes electroactive polymer coatings, will move to the park as soon as space is ready. (Source: Hattiesburg American, 10/12/08)

FAA OKs Goodrich composite cowl

FOLEY, Ala. - Goodrich Corp. received FAA certification for a lightweight fan cowl for V2500-A5 engine nacelles. Goodrich's Aerostructures business unit, through its Alabama Service Center in Foley, Ala., will provide a one-piece cowl as part of its aftermarket support program. The cowl, developed with Bombardier Aerospace of Northern Ireland, uses Bombardier's resin transfer infusion process that replaces the traditional honeycomb interior. The International Aero Engines V2500-A5 is widely used on the Airbus A320 aircraft, including the A319 and A321. There are about 2,500 of the engines in service worldwide. (Source: Tcp, Goodrich release, 10/09/08)

Wellman closing S.C. plant

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. - Wellman Inc., will close a plant in South Carolina, shed some of its product lines and centralize operations at Port Bienville Industrial Park. Wellman’s Pearl River plant is an anchor tenant at the county-owned Port Bienville, where it employs about 158 people. The company entered bankruptcy this year and said consolidating operations is part of its reorganization. (Source: The Sun Herald, 09/20/08)

Ablitech probes new cancer treatment

HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Ablitech Inc. has received $100,000 from the National Science Foundation to develop a new cancer treatment. The PolyRNA technology kills cancer cells without harming healthy cells. Silencing RNA (siRNA) has been known as effective in killing cancer cells, but the problem has been enzymes attack it and break it down. Ablitech found a way to protect the siRNA by attaching specially tailored polymers around it. (Source: Ablitech, 09/04/08)

Pascagoula refinery expanding

PASCAGOULA, Miss. - Chevron announced Thursday it's planning to expand its Pascagoula refinery again. The refinery would produce 25,000 barrels a day of base oil, used in making premium motor oils. It would make Chevron the largest producer of base oil in the world. (Source: The Sun Herald, 08/22/08)

Industrial composites firms sold

MOBILE, Ala. - Two Mobile companies have been acquired, the parties involved said Tuesday. Canada’s Reinforced Plastics Inc. bought Non Metallic Resources Inc. and SealTech Inc. for an undisclosed amount. The companies have 100,000 square feet of manufacturing space in west Mobile. (Source: Mobile Press-Register, 08/20/08)

Chevron moves to new digs

NEW ORLEANS, La. - Chevron has vacated its downtown New Orleans office building and moved into its new regional headquarters in an office park south of Covington in St. Tammany Parish. A national firm, Cushman & Wakefield, will be selling the New Orleans office building at 935 Gravier Street. (Source: New Orleans Times Picayune, 05/08/08)