Hexion Specialty Chemicals (Columbus, Ohio / USA; www.hexion.com) is struggling to wrap up a financing package to complete the USD 10.6 bn takeover of Huntsman (Salt Lake City, Utah / USA), as ordered by a Delaware court.

The company´s private equity owner Apollo has made USD 540m available, following approval of the deal by the US anti-trust authority, Federal Trade Commission. EU competition authorities gave the thumbs up in July, providing Hexion agreed to divest some of its epoxy resins business, which the Czech Republic’s Spolchemie wants to buy.

European car makers believe that they will be at a disadvantage compared with their US competitors when – as planned – the latter receive financial aid amounting to USD 17 bn through a government credit scheme. Because of this, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne proposed a similar measure for Europe during the recent meeting of the industry association ACEA (Brussels / Belgium; www.acea.be).

He said a sum of EUR 40 bn would be appropriate to create equitable conditions. The money would be used primarily to develop more economical cars.

Arkema subsidiary Altuglas International (La Garenne-Colombes / France; www.altuglas.com) is to increase the prices of its “Altuglas” acrylic sheet and “Repsol Glass” sheets in Europe, Middle East and Africa by EUR 90/t, effective 1 November 2008.

The company last increased the prices for the products, by EUR 110/t, in August 2008

DuPont Engineering Polymers (Europe: Geneva / Switzerland; www.dupont.com) is to increase the prices of its thermoplastic resins in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), effective 1 November 2008. The price of “Delrin” acetal resin will increase by EUR 0.10/kg, “Crastin” PBT, “Hytrel” thermoplastic elastomers, and ETPV engineering thermoplastic vulcanisates will all rise by EUR 0.15/kg. “Zytel” HTN high-performance polyamide and “Rynite” PET thermoplastic polyester resins will increase by EUR 0.20/kg, while the prices of “Zytel” and “Minlon” polyamide resins will increase by EUR 0.30/kg. “Zenite” LCP will increase by EUR 1.00/kg.

The company said that speciality grades and colours in all thermoplastic product families may be hiked by larger amounts. Specifically, “Zytel”, “Crastin” and “Rynite” “FR”, flame retardant, grades will increase by EUR 0.70/kg.