Chemicals

Orascom is an Egyptian business group. It holds a portfolio of business activities ranging from contracting to railways and navigation services to manufacturing, and also maintains significant holdings in telecommunications, information technology, and networking. It has recently acquired a contract to establish telecommunication service in post-war iraq. Inspite of other famous and more influential competitors orascom got this project which in itself is evidence of political rigging.

Arysta produces chemicals and recently registered the new fumigant, methyl iodide with the EPA. Methyl iodide has been proven to cause cancer in lab rats, and is now proposed to be used as an insecticide on "strawberries, tomatoes and peppers, ornamentals, turf, trees, and vines." The approval of this chemical has been widely opposed.

Suterra LLC manufactures the product called "Checkmate LBAM-F" used in the controversial Northern California light brown apple moth (LBAM) spraying in 2008. The primary ingredients are known to be harmful if ingested. The EPA has allowed application of this chemical previously, waiving the normal requirements for public comment.

One of the largest private economic conglomerates in Brazil, the Votorantim Group has large positions in cement and concrete, mining and metals (aluminum, zinc, nickel and steel), as well as paper and pulp production. Described by the Wall Street Journal as "a tropical style General Electric," Votorantim also produces concentrated orange juice and specialty chemicals, and is involved in a number of electric generation projects (often to service its own industrial operations). Its financial arm is Banco Votorantim.

Braskem S.A. is the largest Brazilian petrochemical company with head office in São Paulo. The company was formed in 2002 as part of a major restructuring of the Brazilian petrochemical industry which saw Copene merge with petrochemical companies controlled by Odebrecht, a heavy engineering and construcution company owned by the Odebrecht family, and another family-owned conglomerate, the Mariani Group.

The Clorox Company headquarters are located in Oakland, California. Clorox manufactures bleach and other cleaning products, Glad-brand trash bags and other plastic products, cat litter, car polishes, Brita water-filtration systems, condiments, and charcoal barbecue briquettes. They also own Burt's Bees, a line of natural body care products.

3M is a leading manufacturer of adhesives, tapes, and a variety of industrial and medical products. There are six divisions: consumer and office supplies; industrial and transportation, electro and communications (connecting, splicing, and insulating products); display and graphics (specialty film, traffic control materials); health care (dental and medical supplies, and health IT); and safety, security, and protection (commercial care, occupational health and safety products).

ABB (formerly Asea Brown Boveri) is a Zürich, Switzerland-based multinational, one of the largest engineering and construction companies in the world, with operations in 100 countries.

Reliance industries is one of India's largest companies with a profit of US $2.033 billion in 2006. Indian Petrochemicals Corporation and Reliance Industries merged in financial year 2006-2007. In November 2006 the Reliance launched its first retail mega-store, "Reliance Fresh" in Hyderabad, expanding to 96 stores at the end of FY 2006-2007.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation's principal activity is sell crude oil and natural gas. The company's operations are carried out through many subsidiaries and affiliates. Two major subsidiaries are Occidental Chemical Corporation and Occidental Oil and Gas Corporation. The company also owns 76% of OxyVinyls, the primary maker of PVC in North America.