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News and Articles

Shell innovatively  uses plastic waste to produce chemicals

11/25/2019

 
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Shell has announced it has successfully made high-end chemicals using a liquid feedstock made from plastic waste. The technique, known as pyrolysis, is considered a breakthrough for hard-to-recycle plastics and advances Shell's ambition to use one million tonnes of plastic waste a year in its global chemicals plants by 2025.

"This makes sense for the environment and our business," said Thomas Casparie, Executive Vice President of Shell's global chemicals business.  "We want to take waste plastics that are tough to recycle by traditional methods and turn them back into chemicals – creating a circle. These chemicals will meet our customers' growing demands for high quality and sustainable products."

Atlanta-based Nexus Fuels LLC recently supplied its first cargo of pyrolysis liquid to Shell's chemical plant in Norco, Louisiana, USA where it was made into chemicals that are the raw materials for everyday items.  Shell is working with multiple companies who collect and transform plastic waste in order to scale this solution to industrial and profitable quantities across its chemicals plants – in Asia, Europe and North America.

Shell is a founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW).  This not-for-profit organisation is bringing together top minds from across the plastics value chain (chemical and plastic manufacturers, consumer goods companies, retailers, converters and waste management companies) and partnering with the financial community, governments and civil society.  The AEPW has committed $1.5 billion over the next five years to help end plastic waste in the environment.  

Shell is also working with its retail, business fuels and lubricants customers to help reduce, reuse and recycle plastic packaging.  

About Shell
  • Shell makes chemicals that support modern life. It may not be obvious, but they are used in thousands of products people use every day - from furniture, medical equipment, clothes and refrigerators, to computers and smart phones. Window frames, pipes, roofing, mattresses, vehicle parts and tyres. Packaging, shampoos and fertilisers. These products contribute to society's ability to live, work and play.
  • Shell manufactures base chemicals - ethylene, propylene and aromatics – using oil and gas as feedstock. We also make intermediates, such as mono ethylene glycol (MEG), polyols and alpha olefins, and certain performance products, such as polyethylene.
  • Shell's global chemicals business sells around 18 million metric tons of petrochemicals per year to over 1000 industrial customers.
  • Shell's world-class integrated refining and chemicals plants are in Asia-Pacific (Singapore), Europe (the Netherlands), and North America (the US Gulf Coast and Canada).
  • Shell operates three major petrochemical facilities in the USA at Deer Park, Texas; Norco and Geismar in Louisiana; and additional chemicals manufacturing in Canada at Scotford and Sarnia.
  • We draw strength from being part of an integrated energy company; we benefit from shared infrastructures, access to a variety of feedstocks, and deep manufacturing and processing expertise. This gives Shell a competitive advantage over stand-alone chemicals companies.
  • References to the expressions "Shell", "Shell's chemicals business" or "Shell's chemical plants around the world" refer to multiple companies that are part of the Shell Group that are engaged in chemical or related businesses. Each of the companies that make up the Shell Group of companies is an independent entity and has its own separate identity.
  • For more details, visit www.shell.com/chemicals

​About Nexus Fuels
  • Nexus profitably converts waste plastics into feedstocks, fuels, waxes and other marketable materials satisfying the demand for renewable alternatives at market-driven prices.
  • Nexus is currently operating a commercially-scaled 50-ton/day plant serving an array of clients seeking high-quality products. Clients include companies converting Nexus pyrolysis products back to chemicals and others refining these products into fuels.
  • Nexus is an end-to-end business – not simply a technology - including software, front-end handling, regulatory approvals, training/safety procedures, engineering, logistics and more led by an experienced team and guided by financially-driven metrics.
  • Operational and economically proven, Nexus has already sold over 75,000 gallons of pyrolysis products to a rapidly growing group of global customers.
  • Nexus is headquartered in Atlanta, GA. For more details please go to www.nexusfuels.com

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Borealis and Neste partner to accelerate circularity and bioeconomy in plastics

11/4/2019

 
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Borealis and Neste begin strategic co-operation to accelerate circularity and bioeconomy in plastics. Borealis to produce renewable polypropylene using Neste’s renewable propane by end of 2019.

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Borealis to produce renewable polypropylene using Neste’s renewable propane by the end of 2019
Borealis, a leading provider of innovative polyolefin solutions; and Neste, the world’s leading provider of renewable diesel, renewable jet fuel, and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, are entering into strategic co-operation for the production of renewable polypropylene (PP). The co-operation will enable Borealis to start using Neste’s 100% renewable propane produced with Neste’s proprietary NEXBTL™ technology as renewable feedstock at its facilities in Kallo and Beringen, Belgium, starting end of 2019. 

Borealis and Neste: a new milestone in sustainable polypropylene
As an industry frontrunner in sustainability, Neste offers bio-based alternatives to conventional fossil-based feedstock to be used in the production of polymers and chemicals. Neste has an annual production capacity of 3 million tonnes of renewable products. Thanks to its proprietary NEXBTL technology, it can utilize nearly any bio-based oil or fat as raw material, including lower-quality waste and residue oils to produce various premium-quality renewable products. Borealis will use Neste’s renewable propane, produced in Rotterdam, at its facilities in Belgium to create an entire portfolio of applications based on renewable PP. This marks the first time that Borealis uses bio-based feedstock to partially replace fossil feedstock in commercial production of PP. It will also be the first time ever that renewable propane dehydrogenation is carried out at an industrial scale. The high-quality product will offer the same excellent product properties as conventional PP, and is fully recyclable. 

Borealis’ unique propane dehydrogenation (PDH) and PP plant set-up in Kallo will enable the company to start offering bio-based propylene and consequently bio-based-PP in which bio-based content can be physically verified and measured. In addition, Borealis will continue to apply mass balance approach in its production at Kallo and Beringen to take a major step forward to provide both renewable propylene and renewable polypropylene to its customers. The process will be certified by the ISCC Plus (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification), whose full value chain scope ensures that the renewable feedstock used is certified renewable, sustainably produced and traceable to point of origin.

“Using renewable feedstocks produced primarily from waste and residue streams is a major contribution to reducing our reliance on fossil fuel based feedstocks,” explains Lucrèce Foufopoulos, Borealis Executive Vice President Polyolefins, Innovation & Technology and Circular Economy Solutions. “Through co-operation with Neste we can offer our customers and partners a new portfolio of renewable PP solutions, helping them to make their offering more climate friendly. True to our EverMinds™ approach, we are a frontrunner in helping build a circular economy for plastics. Borealis will not only help protect the environment, but also build a business fit for the future.”

“Polymers and chemicals industries will play a major role in the fight against climate change. It is, therefore, very satisfying to see the industry change starting to happen towards more sustainable, climate-friendlier feedstock alternatives. We are eager to help forerunner companies like Borealis to start replacing fossil-based feedstock with renewable ones. This new step is a meaningful contribution towards creating a healthier planet for our children,” says Mercedes Alonso, Executive Vice President, Renewable Polymers and Chemicals, Neste.

“Following its earlier commitment to scale its offer of recycled plastics, it is great to see Borealis continue to gradually shift its core business away from the consumption of fossil resources by producing renewable-based plastics,” comments Sander Defruyt, Lead of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation's New Plastics Economy initiative. “This ambition is very much in line with the vision of a circular economy for plastics that Borealis endorsed when joining The New Plastics Economy Global Commitment. In a circular economy, plastics never become waste, and plastics production shifts from a model depending on the extraction of finite fossil resources towards one based on the circulation of materials. By scaling up the production of renewable-based plastics, Borealis and Neste actively support the shift towards a circular economy for plastics.” 

About Neste
Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates sustainable solutions for transport, business, and consumer needs. Our wide range of renewable products enable our customers to reduce climate emissions. We are the world's largest producer of renewable diesel refined from waste and residues, introducing renewable solutions also to the aviation and plastics industries. We are also a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products. We want to be a reliable partner with widely valued expertise, research, and sustainable operations. In 2018, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 14.9 billion. In 2019, Neste placed 3rd on the Global 100 list of the most sustainable companies in the world. Read more: www.neste.com

About Borealis
Borealis is a leading provider of innovative solutions in the fields of polyolefins, base chemicals and fertilizers. With its head office in Vienna, Austria, the company currently has more than 6,800 employees and operates in over 120 countries. Borealis generated EUR 8.3 billion in sales revenue and a net profit of EUR 906 million in 2018. Mubadala, through its holding company, owns 64% of the company, with the remaining 36% belonging to Austria-based OMV, an integrated, international oil and gas company. Borealis provides services and products to customers globally, in collaboration with Borouge, a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and with Baystar™, a joint venture with Total and NOVA Chemicals in Texas, USA. www.borealisgroup.com

About Borealis EverMinds
Launched in 2018, EverMinds is an umbrella brand uniting the wide range of Borealis activities and initiatives aimed at making plastics more circular. As a dedicated platform, EverMinds promotes a circular mind-set among all Borealis stakeholders. The platform encompasses proprietary Borealis technologies as well as established brands such as Purpolen™ and Dipolen™. It facilitates deeper collaboration between Borealis and its partners in order to develop innovative and sustainable polyolefins solutions based on the circular model of recycling, re-use and design for circularity. EverMinds also extends to pioneering corporate programmes such as Project STOP, and engagement in industry initiatives like the Polyolefins Circular Economy Platform (PCEP), and Project CEFLEX. www.borealiseverminds.com
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Dipolen, Purpolen Baystar and EverMinds are trademarks of Borealis AG
NEXBTL is a trademark of Neste
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Christian Kohlpaintner to Become New CEO of Brenntag AG

10/3/2019

 
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​The Supervisory Board of Brenntag AG appointed Christian Kohlpaintner as the company's next CEO and Member of the Management Board effective January 1st, 2020. Over the last two decades, Christian Kohlpaintner has held various management positions in leading international companies. He joins from Clariant International Ltd. where he was Member of the Executive Committee. Christian Kohlpaintner will succeed the current CEO, Steven Holland, who will leave the company at the same time.

Stefan Zuschke, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Brenntag AG, commented on the appointment: "With Christian Kohlpaintner we have been able to place as our new CEO an internationally experienced business leader with a proven track record. He has demonstrated impressively that he can lead and develop major business divisions and companies successfully. It will be his mission to lead Brenntag to sustainable growth and expand the market leadership further. It will also be about breaking new ground while at the same time preserving the core of the successful business model."

The future CEO, Christian Kohlpaintner, commented on his appointment: "I am looking forward to my new role at Brenntag and the opportunity of working with my colleagues on the Management Board and the whole Brenntag team. Brenntag is a very healthy company which is ideally positioned in the chemical value chain."

The appointment of Christian Kohlpaintner also marks the end of Steven Holland's almost 14 years tenure with Brenntag, more than 8 years as its CEO. Stefan Zuschke: "The Supervisory Board would like to thank Steven Holland. Steven's vision and leadership have driven the company's growth and success in a dynamic and challenging environment. We sincerely thank Steven for his contributions and for developing the company into the leading position that Brenntag holds in the market today. The Supervisory Board wishes him all the best for the future."

Christian Kohlpaintner (55) has more than 20 years of management experience in an international environment. The Ph.D. chemist began his professional career at Hoechst, where he held various positions in Germany and the USA. Afterwards he moved to Celanese, where he worked amongst others as Marketing Director and as Vice President for Innovations. Between 2003 and 2009, Christian Kohlpaintner worked for Chemische Fabrik Budenheim, where his last position was CEO. In 2009, Christian Kohlpaintner joined Clariant in Switzerland, where he had been a member of the Executive Committee since then. Most recently he was based in China and amongst others responsible for the growth-oriented business areas of Clariant and the whole region Asia.

Website: www.brenntag.com

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Honeywell helps transform the operations of Mexican Petrochemical Leader

9/11/2019

 
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Braskem Idesa is using Honeywell's Intelligent Wearables at the company's Veracruz, Mexico plant.

Intelligent Wearables solution will help improve compliance and productivity at Braskem Idesa's Veracruz plant.

Honeywell has announced that Braskem Idesa has adopted a hands-free, wearable connected technology solution at its plant in Veracruz, Mexico. Honeywell's Intelligent Wearables will allow Braskem Idesa to improve productivity and compliance with process procedures, capture the expertise of experienced workers and provide critical insights and information effectively to trainees and support workers in the field.

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Honeywell is delivering a complete outcome-based solution that tracks specific key performance indicators and integrates hardware, software and services, and a full Wi-Fi infrastructure to support use of the solution across the plant. The wearable technology will also accelerate training and ensure safety for field operators at the Braskem Idesa facility.

"With this solution, Braskem Idesa is embracing the digital transformation that will enable us to retain our leadership in the petrochemicals industry," said Roberto Velasco Gutiérrez, industrial director, Braskem Idesa. "Capturing all the relevant expertise and data within the organization and getting it to workers wherever and whenever needed, will help get trainees safely into the field faster and ensure that every worker operates to Braskem Idesa's best standards."

A comprehensive range of applications from Honeywell will boost the speed, safety and reliability of field workers thanks to the following services:
  • Expert on Call: Provides field workers with live, real-time access to experts in the central control room or elsewhere for troubleshooting, support and advice
  • Video support: Enables users to view videos demonstrating key tasks
  • Paperless rounds: Provides step-by-step instructions for common and complex tasks

"Braskem Idesa has not only taken an important step toward Industry 4.0 but has now also replaced paper-based and manual operations with a sophisticated solution that's both digital and wireless," said Vincent Higgins, director of technology and innovation, Honeywell Connected Enterprise, Industrial. "Wearable, voice-controlled computer headsets and software eliminate the need for clipboards, pens, and flashlights. Our offering will help Braskem Idesa capture expertise and document critical tasks to ensure operational compliance."

Honeywell's solution for field worker competency and productivity enables Braskem Idesa to tie its plant performance directly to the performance of its workers, critical to the success of any industrial enterprise. By connecting field workers with remote advice, Honeywell Intelligent Wearables also reduce the need for site visits from experts, empower workers to continue learning, become their best and effectively share their knowledge with peers.

The Braskem Idesa petrochemical complex has a production capacity of 1.05 million tons of ethylene and polyethylene. It is one of the largest petrochemical production sites in the Americas.

To learn more, please visit Honeywell's smart solutions for field worker competency and productivity.

Honeywell is a Fortune 100 technology company that delivers industry specific solutions that include aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings and industry; and performance materials globally. Our technologies help everything from aircraft, buildings, manufacturing plants, supply chains, and workers become more connected to make our world smarter, safer, and more sustainable.

Website: www.honeywell.com

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Mexichem Unveils Human-Centered Business Transformation, Changing Name To Orbia

9/5/2019

 
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​Innovative, first-of-its-kind ImpactMark to take place of traditional logo, reflecting ever-changing, dynamic representation of actual impact on people, planet, and profit.


Mexichem, S.A.B. de C.V. a global leader in specialty products and innovative solutions, has reached the next milestone in its human-centered transformation, unveiling its new corporate name, Orbia, and its commitment to purpose: to advance life around the world. Alongside the new purpose-driven approach, Orbia introduces an innovative new logo concept, the ImpactMark. This reflects a year-long process to transform the company into a future-fit, human-centered organization, while elevating the work its five global business groups are doing to address the challenges that define how people live and thrive today and in the future.

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Orbia's new name and long-term business strategy position the company to respond to global opportunities to ensure food security, reduce water scarcity, reinvent the future of cities and homes, connect communities around the world to global data infrastructure, and expand access to health and wellness with advanced materials through innovation and customer-centricity, elevating the company's ongoing commitment to improving quality of life for people and communities around the world. Chemicals, mining, and manufacturing will continue to be important parts of Orbia's overall business, but the name change reflects a broader, more inclusive expression of the company's global impact.
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Orbia is also creating the ImpactMark - an ever-changing measure of the company's adherence to long-term financial health, environmental sustainability, and social progress. Plotted on a circular grid, the ImpactMark measures progress against six factors related to people, planet, and profit. It will be updated each year to reflect the latest data, demonstrating progress toward the company's ambitious goals over time.

"Orbia is taking a long-term approach to expressing the growth of our company against our impact on people, planet, and profit," said Daniel Martínez-Valle, CEO of Orbia. "Our strategy focuses on organic growth, driven by a strong customer focus, and maximizing ROIC. We believe that as we continue to evolve our company, we will create incredible value for our investors, our customers, and the communities around us while inspiring others to do the same."

Orbia's decades-long history began as a leading producer of commodities, and through investment and strategic growth has become a global leader in polymers, materials, and infrastructure. Today, Orbia is a global company operating in more than 40 countries, selling in more than 110 countries, and employing more than 22,000 people worldwide. The company's multiple headquarters – in Mexico City, Boston, Amsterdam, and Tel Aviv – reflect the global nature of the customers it serves and challenges it addresses.

This transition, which incorporates a new name, website, visual brand, and dynamic ImpactMark in lieu of a static logo is effective immediately and will be implemented across the company's products and services throughout the 2019 calendar year. Among select business groups, certain commercial brands will be updating as well. For more information, please visit www.orbia.com

About Orbia:
Orbia is a community of companies bound together by a shared purpose: to advance life around the world. Orbia's business groups have a collective focus on insuring food security, reducing water scarcity, reinventing the future of cities and homes, connecting communities to data infrastructure, and expanding access to health and wellness with advanced materials. The business groups include Precision Agriculture, Building and Infrastructure, Fluor, Polymer Solutions, and Data Communications, which collectively pursue human centric solutions to global challenges. A global leader in specialty products and innovative solutions across multiple sectors of industry and commerce, from agriculture and infrastructure to telecommunications, healthcare and more, Orbia has commercial activities in more than 100 countries and operations in 41, with global headquarters in Mexico City, Boston, Amsterdam, and Tel Aviv.

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CHEMICAL CONCERN INEOS INVESTS 3 BILLION EUROS IN PORT OF ANTWERP

3/28/2019

 
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​Largest investment in the European chemical industry in 20 years


​INEOS, one of the largest chemical concerns in the world, has chosen the port of Antwerp as the location for a megainvestment of 3 billion euros representing 400 new jobs.
 
The capital outlay is the largest in the European chemical industry in the past two decades. With the securing of this large-scale investment project Antwerp further reinforces its role as the largest chemical cluster in Europe.

INEOS plans to build a brand-new propane dehydrogenisation (PDH) plant and an ethane cracker unit in Antwerp. These will respectively convert propane into propylene and ethylene as the raw materials for chemical products. These products find their way into many industries including car manufacturing, building construction, clothing, cosmetics and personal grooming products, pharmaceuticals, electronics and packaging materials.

The investment by INEOS confirms and strengthens the competitiveness of Antwerp’s chemical cluster in Europe.

Antwerp as a most attractive location Earlier last year INEOS announced that it planned a large-scale investment for further expansion of its chemical production facilities. Various European locations were considered, but ultimately the British chemical group opted for Antwerp.
 
INEOS CEO and chairman Jim Ratcliffe: “There are three reasons why we have chosen for Antwerp. We started here in 1998. We know the people here and have nine plants in Belgium and 2,500 employees, and Antwerp is highly competitive regarding connectivity with the European chemical cluster”. Of crucial importance is the fact that INEOS’ products will be destined for the many companies in the Antwerp chemical cluster. 
 
Port of Antwerp: Most competitive chemical cluster in Europe The investment by INEOS confirms and strengthens the competitiveness of Antwerp’s chemical cluster in Europe. Earlier in 2018 also the Austrian chemical concern Borealis announced it would invest 1 billion euros in the port of Antwerp.
 
Jacques Vandermeiren, CEO of Antwerp Port Authority comments: “It is naturally very good news that INEOS has selected our port for this major new investment. It once more demonstrates that we as the largest integrated chemical cluster in Europe are very attractive to international investors.  This mega-investment brings the total amount of new capital expenditure that we have attracted to Antwerp over the past year to more than 5 billion euros. This will undoubtedly help to secure the presence of industry here in Antwerp.”
 
New plants operational by 2024 The new production plants of INEOS are expected to be operational by 2024. Once the plants are up and running they will provide 400 full-time jobs directly and five times that number indirectly. Some 3,000 people will be employed during the construction phase.
 
For more information about the investment by INEOS visit: www.ineos.com | www.portofantwerp.com
For more information about Antwerp’s chemical cluster visit: www.businessinantwerp.eu​

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