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

India - BASF Indian arm to start Kolkata plant Source: The Press Trust of India, 8 February 2008 BASF Construction Chemicals (India), the wholly-owned subsidiary of BASF Group, will start manufacturing at its Kolkata plant in March 2008. The Kolkata plant, coming up at Jalan Industrial Complex in Howrah, would be the company's fourth in India after Mumbai, Bangalore and Chandigarh. The plant would cater to the needs of the eastern region, where construction activity is witnessing an upswing. The company also plans to commission a large plant in South India. Total investments to be made by BASF in the five year horizon would be around Rs600 million (US$15 million). BASF targets to increase the market share to 15% in the next five years from the current 11%. Japan - Japanese paint makers target emerging markets Source: Japan Chemical Week, 7 February 2008 Japan's major paint manufacturers are accelerating the expansion of their businesses in the emerging markets of countries like the BRIC nations that have maintained high rates of economic growth, to counteract sluggish demand for their products in Western and domestic markets. In India, Kansai Paint will build a plant in Hosur in the suburbs of Bangalore in 2010 to produce automotive and building paints. Nippon Paint will start this autumn production of general-purpose paints like emulsion paints at its Chennai plant in India. Dai Nippon Toryo will start production by June 2008 of emulsion and anticorrosion paints in Tianjin while expanding its facility in Shanghai for the manufacture of solvent-based paints. Singapore - Lanxess Selects Singapore for Butyl Rubber Project Source: Chemweek's Business Daily, 8 February 2008 German chemical company Lanxess plans to build a new rubber plant in Singapore in an investment worth EUR400 million (US$582 million). Singapore edged out Malaysia and Thailand to win the hotly contested race for the new plant that will produce butyl rubber, which is used to make car tyres. The butyl rubber plant will have capacity to produce about 100,000 metric tons/year of halo butyl rubber and will be completed toward the end of 2010. Lanxess will have 380,000 metric tons/year of butyl rubber capacity by 2010, including the planned Singapore unit. The company's present capacity is split about equally between sites at Sarnia, ON and Zwijndrecht, near Antwerp. 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.