BASF, Ludwigshafen, Germany, has expressed interest in acquiring Degussa's construction chemicals division to expand its own portfolio in a high-growth market through forward integration.

The GREENGUARD Environmental Institute (GEI) has awarded its GREENGUARD Indoor Air Quality Certification to the Miracle/Kingco line of HVAC duct sealants from ITW TACC.

BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany, has made an all-cash proposal to acquire all outstanding shares of common stock of Iselin, NJ-based Engelhard Corp. for $4.9 billion.

Sika Corp., Lyndhurst, NJ, has announced that it recently received five ASBI Bridge Awards of Excellence. The American Segmental Bridge Institute's biennial awards program recognizes the owners of bridges that show excellence in concrete segmental bridge design and construction. This year's awards were presented to winners at the 2005 ASBI Convention in Washington, DC.

Nelson Augé will collaborate with the CHEMARK Consulting Group, Southern Pines, NC, to assist its clients with the development of comprehensive and coordinated manufacturing operations in coatings, adhesives, and sealants production disciplines.

Frederic Booth Powers, Jr., a pioneer in the construction fastening industry and former chairman and president of Powers Fasteners Inc., New Rochelle, NY, died at his home in Larchmont, NY, on Dec. 20, 2005. He was 72.

At a White House ceremony on Jan. 5, Bayer Corp. received the Ron Brown Award for Corporate Leadership for its Making Science Make Sense® program.

Rio Tinto, a world leader in finding, mining and processing the world's mineral resources, has announced that it will bring three of its industrial minerals businesses together to better serve markets.

Forbo recently announced that it has acquired 100% of the Chinese adhesives business Victa Technology Holdings Limited.

Week of 1/16/06