Chemicals

"This license authorizes Union Carbide to enter into transactions necessary to dissolve its Iranian branch, which the company says has conducted no business since the imposition of sanctions." (New York Times, "Licenses Granted to U.S. Companies Run the Gamut," 12/24/10)

"Cabot received this license after it assisted in a sales transaction of silicon dioxidebetween two non-U.S. parties. The company applied for the exception after learning that the goods would be shipped via the Iranian government-owned shipping line known as Irisl. 'The items in question are already loaded onto containers at the dock and ready to be loaded onto the vessel, which is due to depart the port of Antwerp, Belgium, on Monday,' the company's lawyers, in the firm of Baker & McKenzie, wrote to OFAC on May 11, 2001. OFAC's director, Adam J. Szubin, stressed that the approval came seven years before Irisl was blacklisted by the United States for aiding Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Up until then, he said, the agency made case-by-case exceptions to a broad prohibition against dealing with Iranian companies in situations like this one in which the company had no prior knowledge that an Iranian entity was involved in the transaction and granting the license did not involve a direct payment from a United States person or company to an Iranian entity." (New York Times, "Licenses Granted to U.S. Companies Run the Gamut," 12/24/10)

According to its February 28, 2018 SEC disclosure, Albemarle said, "We do not intent to continue doing such business in Iran." (SEC, "Form 10-K," 2/28/2018).

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The US Government granted Albemarle Corporation a license to sell ibuprofin in Iran. (New York Times, "Licenses Granted to U.S. Companies Run the Gamut," 12/24/10)

Transammonia actively does business in Iran via a Swiss subsidiary. (CNBC. "Transammonia:A Story of American Business in Iran," 12/7/10)

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Transammonia has performed business dealings with the Iran Petrochemical Commercial Company (IPCC), which is the subsidiary and international trading arm of the National Petrochemical Company (NPC). NPC is wholly owned by the Iranian government. It is responsible for the development and operation of the country's petrochemicals sector and is the second largest producer and exporter of petrochemicals in the Middle East after Saudi Arabia's Sabic.

On June 16, 2010, the U.S. Treasury Department added NPC and its subsidiary IPCC to the Iranian Transactions Regulations (ITR), which “prohibit transactions between U.S. persons and the Government of Iran. These identifications allow U.S. persons and others to identify Iranian Government entities and protect themselves against the risks posed by such entities.” (U.S. Department of Treasury, “Fact Sheet: U.S. Treasury Department Targets Iran’s Nuclear and Missile Programs,” 6/16/10)
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February 2010: “Transammonia purchased 23,000 tonnes from IPCC at $370/tonne FOB for late March loading from BIK [(Bandard Imam Khomeinei)].” (Chemical News & Intelligence, 2/24/10)

July 2009: “This price was $18/tonne lower than last done spot business in the Middle East, [1]which was concluded at $200/tonne FOB following a sale by Iran's Petrochemical Commercial Co (PCC) to trader Transammonia.” (Chemical News & Intelligence, 7/3/09)

May 2009: “Trader Transammonia confirmed it had purchased 23,400 tonnes from Iran Petrochemical Commercial Co (IPCC) at $200/tonne FOB (free on board) with 30 days' credit… Transammonia will ship 15,000 tonnes on 18-21 May on the Marycam Swan for shipment to the southeast Asia. The balance of the purchase will be lifted later, it said.” (Chemical News & Intelligence, 5/14/09).

May 2006: The Agricultural Support Services Company of Iran (ASSC) “received nine offers from traders and purchased urea from Transammonia at Euro212/tonne cost and freight (CFR) southern Iranian ports.” (Chemical news & Intelligence, 5/8/06)

SABIC signed a memorandum of understanding with Iran's PCCI in 2002 to export 500,000 tons of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) over five years. MTB is "a gasoline additive that replaces lead to raise the gasoline octane number and reduces harmful gas emissions from vehicles and engines." (European Fuel Oxygenates Association, "Sabic exports 500,000 tonnes of MTBE to Iran," 7/16/2002)

Helm AG is a Hamburg-based chemicals firm specializing in plastics, fertilizers, pharmaceuticals, and acids. The company has branches in over 30 countries and had a 2009 turnover of 5 million euros (Company Website). 

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Helm AG had previously been involved in the importation of Iranian petrochemicals to Europe, but announced in October of 2010 that they would be pulling out of the business. A company spokesman announced that "The company management decided there would be no more business with Iran - either directly or indirectly. The decision came into effect immediately and will not be revised in the immediate future" (Platts). 

In its May 2010 6-K report form, Braskem reports that operational problems in Iran may affect the company’s profitability:

"The outlook for the medium term is less favorable, as the industry expects the new capacity coming online in the Middle East and Asia to pressure profitability in the world petrochemical industry as of the second half of this year, since the additional capacity announced exceeds the expected growth in demand. However, various factors could minimize the impact from these new players and maintain industry profitability at levels above current expectations, such as: (i) continued operational problems in Iran, where crackers have operated at rates of around 50% since their start-up (2005); (ii) project and commissioning delays at these new capacities; (iii) the lack of qualified labor; (iv) problems with the supply of natural gas feedstock, such as in Qatar; and (v) stronger growth in world demand." (SEC, May 2010 6-K Report Form, 5/14/10)

Anhydro is "a global company specialising in the design, development and delivery of innovative liquid concentration and powder processing solutions as well as dewatering plants and equipment" (Company Website). Its equipment and technology have many applications, including in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. 

Intercool Iran is a chemical company that acts as a distributor for Anhydro's products in that country (Company Website). Business Monitor states that "Intercool Iran is an agent/distributor for Anhydro, a global supplier of liquid concentration and powder processing solutions" (Business Monitor, subscription needed).  

Anhydro advertises on their website that they support the United Nations Global Compact. In a posted letter from Anhydro CEO Jens Logstrup to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, the company states, "We are committed to making the Global Compact and its principles part of the strategy, culture and day-to-day operations of our company and to engaging in collaborative projects which advance the broader development goals of the United Nations" (Company Website). 

"Laboratory supplies company Millipore Corp. has paid the US government $1,000 to settle allegations that two of its subsidiaries made illegal exports to Iran. Millipore paid the fine on behalf of the company and its subsidiaries to settle alleged violations of Iranian transactions regulations. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Asset Controls alleged the companies exported scientific samples to Iran without a proper license. The company voluntarily disclosed the matter to the government" (Boston.com, "Millipore Pays $1000 for Illegal Exports to Iran," 1/12/2008).

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In a 2007 letter of correspondence with the SEC, Millipore stated that,  "two companies, NovAseptic AB and Serologicals, sold products into Iran totaling $5,684.80 in 2005, in each case prior to being acquired by Millipore. Millipore acquired NovAseptic AB on August 9, 2005 and acquired Serologicals on July 14, 2006. Neither NovAseptic AB nor Serologicals sold any products or services into Iran after being acquired by Millipore" (Correspondence for Millipore Corporation, 3/1/2007). 

In 2018 the U.S. state of New Jersey listed Grimley Smith Associates on its list of entities determined to be engaged in prohibited activities in Iran rendering Grimley Smith Associates ineligible for investment and/or state contracting.

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Grimley Smith Associates is a British engineering firm that "offers services that encompass virtually every aspect of process engineering" (Company Website). 

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Grimley Smith's website describes contract work it performed on three crude oil facilities in Iran for the National Iranian Oil Company. This work constituted "70,000 man-hours of design work" which rendered the facilities "capable of meeting the processing capacity of 400,000 barrels a day for the next 25 years" (Company Website). 

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Grimley Smith's website lists its key values as "integrity, openness, competence, trust, quality, enjoyment, loyalty, accountability, and responsibility" (Company Website).