Clariant and Neste join forces to develop sustainable industrial solutions

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Clariant, a world leader in specialty chemicals, has signed an agreement for a new partnership with Neste, the world’s leading provider of sustainable renewable diesel and an expert in delivering drop-in renewable chemical solutions, as per Hydrocarbonprocessing.

By using Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons in its product development, Clariant increases the number of products in its portfolio that are derived from renewable raw materials. As a result, sustainable solutions become more accessible to a variety of industries, including adhesives, plastics and coatings.

Christian Kohlpaintner, Member of Clariant’s Executive Committee, comments: "Sustainability is one of Clariant’s five strategic pillars. This new partnership with Neste is a significant milestone in providing a sustainable future for Clariant and its customers. It is an exemplary cooperation because it provides a competitive advantage for our customers while making a sustainable impact across the value chain."

Clariant’s Licocene performance polymers and waxes are already highly-valued by the adhesives, plastics and coatings industry for their ability to offer superior sustainability and performance in use. Through the partnership with Neste, Clariant can offer sustainable polyolefin solutions derived from renewable hydrocarbons.

Peter Vanacker, President & CEO, Neste, comments: "Combining Clariant’s in-depth knowhow in the varying applications of adhesives, plastics and coatings, and Neste’s extensive knowledge and experience in working with bio-based materials to produce a variety of drop-in renewable solutions, enables both companies to develop their sustainable material offering to provide maximum added value not only to sustainable brands in varying industries, but also to their customers."

Gloria Glang, Vice President, Head of Global Advanced Surface Solutions Business, Clariant, continues: "For the society, our environment, and future generations, it is our responsibility to improve sustainability performance and reduce our carbon footprint and dependency on crude oil. As a result of Clariant’s partnership with Neste, we can progress our goal to become a true sustainable solution provider in the additive market, offering our customers products and solutions that can make a positive contribution towards their targets and enhance end applications."

The raw materials, C2/C3 monomers, are derived from Neste’s renewable hydrocarbons produced from 100% renewable feedstock that originates from waste and residue raw materials, such as used cooking oil, and renewable vegetable oils. These C2 and C3 monomers provide drop-in replacements for those currently used by Clariant to create advanced polyolefin solutions for a wide range of applications.

As MRC reported earlier, in March 2017, Clariant was awarded a contract by Dongguan Grand Resource Science & Technology Co. Ltd. to develop a new propane dehydrogenation unit in cooperation with CB&I. The project includes the license and engineering design of the unit, which is to be built in Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, China. The Dongguan plant will be one of the largest single-train dehydrogenation units in the world. Clariant's technology partner CB&I will base the plant's design on its Catofin catalytic dehydrogenation technology, which uses Clariant's tailor-made Catofin catalyst and Heat Generating Material (HGM).

Clariant AG is a Swiss chemical company and a world leader in the production of specialty chemicals for the textile, printing, mining and metallurgical industries. It is engaged in processing crude oil products in pigments, plastics and paints. Clariant India has local masterbatch production activities at Rania, Kalol and Nandesari (Gujarat) and Vashere (Maharashtra) sites in India.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- SABIC, a global leader in the chemical industry, is reaffirming, through a multi-faceted exhibition here at Formnext 2018, its determination to further the evolution of additive manufacturing technology and promote application innovation, said the producer.

By leveraging its unique, high-performance resin technologies and process capabilities to develop differentiated material solutions for various additive manufacturing processes, SABIC is creating significant value for customers and the industry as a whole.

Among its exhibit highlights, SABIC is featuring its newest filaments for fused deposition modeling, including a tough filament made from its high impact EXL resin. Addressing industry needs for greater choice, SABIC is also demonstrating the use of its filaments in open architecture printers from a range of equipment manufacturers. Another focus area at the show is large format additive manufacturing (LFAM): SABIC is highlighting various tooling applications, as well as parts printed from its LNP™ THERMOCOMP™ AM portfolio of specialty compounds. The company is also highlighting recent breakthroughs in the use of its amorphous resins with standard selective laser sintering (SLS) equipment to provide a range of sinterable materials that extends beyond currently available semi-crystalline powders.

Differentiated resin capabilities, a broad portfolio and deep expertise empower SABIC to offer material solutions such as high heat ULTEM™ resins, specialty copolymers and reinforced compounds to customers throughout the additive manufacturing value chain. Additionally, SABIC is able to provide materials in printable form when this brings value to the industry.

SABIC’s portfolio of THERMOCOMP™ AM reinforced compounds, which includes materials based on ULTEM™ resin, is helping to encourage the use of LFAM for specialized applications, such as high-temperature autoclave tooling for the aerospace industry, reusable tooling for the cast concrete industry and a wide range of lower-temperature large part thermoforming tooling. Printed tools can help to reduce cost, construction time, inventory and weight vs. traditional steel tools. SABIC is featuring a thermoforming tool for an aircraft interior panel printed on a Thermwood LSAM® machine using THERMOCOMP™ AM EC004XXAR1 compound, a SABIC material based on ULTEM™ resin with 20 percent carbon fiber reinforcement.

In addition to its development of tooling applications, SABIC is working closely with LM Industries Group Inc., parent company of Local Motors, to validate various large format materials for printing finished components of its next iteration of Olli, the world’s first co-created, self-driving electric shuttle. On display in the stand is a fender from Olli, printed on a BAAM® machine from Cincinnati Inc. using one of SABIC’s THERMOCOMP™ AM compounds.

To expand the scope of SLS, SABIC is developing innovative technology to help overcome some of the traditional drawbacks of amorphous resins in this process – including incomplete layer consolidation and parts with lower density, dimensional inconsistencies and sub-optimal physical properties. Using SABIC’s proprietary technologies, the company has demonstrated the ability to produce fully amorphous parts with part densities above 96 percent, good dimensional stability and low refresh rates.

SABIC representatives are available at Formnext to elaborate on the technical aspects of the company’s recently announced materials and those still in development.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- It’s ten years since AkzoNobel and McLaren first roared off the grid with their ground-breaking partnership, said the producer.

An exciting decade steered by a shared passion for pushing boundaries and levels of performance. The close relationship first shifted into gear in 2008, when AkzoNobel became the official supplier of paint solutions for McLaren Racing. McLaren has used the company’s premium Sikkens brand for its F1 cars ever since.

The collaboration isn’t limited to the F1 team, however. AkzoNobel has also been a technology partner to McLaren Automotive since 2012, with all McLaren road cars being fully painted in the company’s products.

"Working with partners like McLaren is a perfect example of our commitment to delivering cutting-edge innovation," said Keith Malik, Key Account Director of AkzoNobel’s Automotive and Specialty Coatings business. “We’re proud to have partnered with them for ten years and demonstrate our shared passion for high performance technologies and performance."

Added Simon Roberts, Chief Operating Officer of McLaren Racing: "Our decade-long relationship with AkzoNobel has led us to new innovations, scientific and sustainable advancements and quality finishes. Their longevity in the marketplace, coupled with the technology we’ve developed together, has helped us in our ongoing pursuit of high performance, and we’re thrilled to call AkzoNobel our partner."

The livery for this season’s MCL33 F1 car has made a particular impact. The Papaya Spark color scheme resulted in McLaren winning a BBC poll earlier this year for best-looking car.

The successful partnership is being celebrated this week at the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) automotive show. Being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, in the US until November 2, the event is a major gathering for the aftermarket industry. AkzoNobel is well represented and will shine a spotlight on the company’s leadership in color.

MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) -- Pucheng Clean Energy has restarted a polypropylene (PP) plant following an unplanned maintenance, as per Apic-online.

A Polymerupdate source in China informed that the company has resumed operations at the plant on November 12, 2018. The plant was shut on October 21, 2018.

Located at Shaanxi province in China, the plant has a PP production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.

As MRC reported earlier, on May 28, 2018, Pucheng Clean Energy restarted its PP plant following an unplanned shutdown. The plant remaind off-line for around one week owing to technical issues. Located at Shaanxi province in China, the plant has a PP production capacity of 400,000 mt/year.
MRC

MOSCOW (MRC) - China's private chemical group Hengli Petrochemical said it has entered an annual crude purchase deal with Saudi Aramco for 2019 supplies of 130,000 barrels per day, which marks the top OPEC producer's second major marketing alliance with a private Chinese refiner, said Reuters.

The deal was signed this week at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai and is worth USD3.6 billion based on current market price, according to a Hengli release seen by Reuters on Saturday and confirmed by a Hengli spokesman.

This is Aramco's second major crude supply pact with a private Chinese refiner. Aramco earlier agreed to supply Zhejiang Rongsheng Group 170,000 bpd of crude oil under a term agreement with an intent also to take a stake in the Rongsheng refinery in east China.

Hengli Petrochemical is expected to test run its greenfield 400,000 bpd refinery in northeastern port city Dalian around end of November.
MRC