The Weekly News Update is a weekly roundup of business news from around the Asia-Pacific region, covering Fusion Consulting's core industry practices: chemicals, consumer & retail, financial services, industrial & logistics, information & communication technology, life science and media & leisure. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.    Major chemical company expansion in Asia-Pacific   Rohm & Haas has been named the most vigorous chemical company in  Asia-Pacific in the latest Asia-Pacific Chemical Business Vitality Index report,  out-competing its chemical and energy sector peers with a winning combination of  regional presence, revenue performance and innovation. Request your free copy  here.

Chemical

China - H.B. Fuller to establish regional lab in Shanghai Source: Fox Business, 28 March 2008 H.B. Fuller will establish a regional lab in Shanghai. The move will facilitate innovation and the development of customer intimacy, and help drive growth in the Asia Pacific region. The new lab will focus on reactive chemistry, and help the company promote product development and localisation of initiatives in key markets, including Performance Wood, encompassing Window, Flooring, and Textile that includes Footwear. Beyond the formation of the lab, additional technical resources are being dedicated within Asia Pacific to support acceleration of growth in the Hygiene (Nonwoven) and Packaging industries, further enabling the company to be responsive to the needs of regional customers. India - ICI India to sell adhesives business to Henkel Source: Daily News & Analysis, 29 March 2008 ICI India has decided to sell its adhesive business to the Henkel group for Rs2.6 billion (US$65 million) as a part of a global restructuring following parent ICI's takeover by Akzo Nobel NV. After Akzo Nobel took over ICI UK, it finalised the sale of ICI's adhesives business globally to Henkel AG. ICI India has a paints business of Rs8 billion (US$200 million) and non-paints portfolio of about Rs1.5-2.0 billion (US$38-50 million). With a robust decoratives portfolio, the combined entity with Akzo, which is strong on the industrial front, would catapult it to a firm footing in the likes of Berger Paints and Kansai Nerolac. Vietnam - Idemitsu, Mitsui Chem plan petrochem complex Source: Nikkei Report, 28 March 2008 Idemitsu Kosan and Mitsui Chemicals will construct a petrochemical complex in Vietnam with Kuwait Petroleum International and Vietnam Oil & Gas Group. The joint venture will build a US$5.8 billion refinery and a petrochemical complex that will produce petroleum products - such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel oil - as well as polypropylene, paraxylene and other basic petrochemical materials. Japanese materials and energy companies have been cautious about making large investments in foreign countries out of concerns over country risks and leaking of expertise. But the shrinking domestic market and continuing demand growth in emerging economies appear to be driving them to take the plunge. View an example of our experience in this industry. Back to list of articles. Visit our website to sign up for free intelligence on Asian markets.

This Weekly News Update is a free newsletter, providing a round-up of the week's Asia-Pacific news from our core industry practices. If you have colleagues or friends who may be interested in subscribing, please forward this email to them and copy knowledge@fusionc.com.

Fusion Consulting is a business intelligence consultancy providing clear strategic advice on Asia-Pacific markets. With offices in Shanghai, Singapore and Hong Kong and 400 industry consultants in 16 countries, we conduct custom research and consulting to help companies understand their markets, compete more effectively and grow into new areas of opportunity. Email more@fusionc.com or visit www.fusionc.com for more information.