BASF Venture Capital GmbH, Ludwigshafen, Germany, announced its $13.5 million investment in Allylix Inc., a San Diego-based renewable specialty chemicals company. The BASF subsidiary was part of an $18.2 million financing round for Allylix Inc., which also included existing investors Tate & Lyle Ventures, Avrio Ventures and Cultivian Ventures.

BI Nutraceuticals, Long Beach, Calif., hired Randy Kreienbrink as director of marketing and Steve Smith as quality control manager.

Sethness Products Co., Lincolnwood, Ill., opened a new manufacturing plant in Lianyungang, China, for its Sethness-Roquette Food Ingredients Co. Ltd. joint venture. The Shanghai-headquartered joint venture is in partnership with Roquette Frères of France. The new plant will manufacture Sethness-Roquette caramel color applications for the Asian market.