According to a Chemical & Engineering News (C&EN) survey, 15 US chemical companies plan to increase capital spending 9.4% on average this year to $8,263 million. In 2009, the companies cut capital spending by an average of 27.5%. Ten firms plan to increase capital spending. C&EN forecasts the firms’ capital expenditures to be 5.1% of sales in 2010, the same as last year. In 2010, seven firms plan to increase R&D expenditures 2.1% on average to $5,442 million, compared to a 3.8% average increase in 2009. Four companies plan R&D increases and two plan no change.

Source: C&EN