Exploring Digital Transformation’s Impact on Chemical Research with DOW

Exploring Digital Transformation’s Impact on Chemical Research with DOW. CIEX 2024 Speaker Interview with Rui Vogt Alves da Cruz, VP of Core R&D, Dow

Rui Vogt Alves da Cruz, VP Core R&D, Dow

Today, we interviewed Rui Vogt Alves da Cruz from Dow to discuss key insights ahead of his upcoming session at CIEX in Indianapolis this October.

Rui Cruz, vice president for Dow Core R&D, a global Research and Development organization which drives the long-term R&D vision for Dow. Prior to this role, Rui was the senior regional R&D director for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa region and Core R&D director for Europe. He joined Dow in Brazil in 2001, having worked in Human Resources, Customer Services, Technical Services, and Research and Development for several different businesses and technologies.

Read the short interview below to learn more about Rui’s session “Impact of Digital Transformation on Research and Development”.


CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Rui: How the digital transformation is impacting and accelerating chemical and material science research.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Rui: The ability to meet and discuss industry challenges with other great leaders in the field. I had a great time participating in CIEX in Europe in my previous role.

CIEX: With deglobalization, circularity and the energy transition as key trends currently shaping the chemical industry, what are the challenges to overcome and opportunities to harness?

Rui: The industry can have a great impact to the overall sustainability challenges, both in terms of improving our own footprint and also providing our customers with products and technologies that will support decarbonization and circularity journeys.

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you recently, and why? 

Rui: Our overall decarbonize and growth strategy, and specifically our Path2Zero project with a carbon-neutral cracker and derivatives plant in Alberta, Canada is extremely exciting and demonstrates how technology addresses our sustainability challenges, meets customer and market needs and generates great business.

CIEX: Thank you so much, Rui! We look forward to seeing you at CIEX 2024!


The 10th Annual Chemical Innovation Exchange Summit (CIEX) is created for C-level R&DInnovation and Sustainability experts from the consumer, industrial and speciality chemical sectors.  This intimate event is about creating value – bringing the right people together, creating synergies, and actively connecting with potential partners. CIEX will take place in Indianapolis on October 23-24.  Companies presenting include Dow, Ashland, Cargill, Huntsman, Monument Chemical, US DOE, BASF, The Heritage Group, and many more.

Secure your spot at the CIEX Summit and register today!

Exploring Digital Transformation's Impact on Chemical Research with DOW.

Circular Economy: How Specialty Polymers Can Enable Sustainable Solutions – Insights from CIEX 2024 Speaker

Circular Economy: How Specialty Polymers Can Enable Sustainable Solutions – Insights from CIEX 2024

Speaker interview with David Thomas, Global R&I Director, Specialty Polymers, Syensqo

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

David: During the panel session my core message will focus on how specialty polymers can be a key enabler of the circular economy, but there are still some important challenges to overcome. I aim to emphasise how Syensqo is leading the way in developing advanced materials that not only replace traditional ones but also contribute significantly to sustainability efforts. I want delegates to remember that the chemical industry holds a pivotal role in this transition, and by innovating responsibly, we can create materials that support a more sustainable and circular future.

David Thomas, Global R&I Director, Specialty Polymers, Syensqo

 

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

David: I am motivated to join CIEX this year by the opportunity to engage with other thought leaders and innovators in the chemical industry. CIEX offers a unique platform for exchanging ideas, exploring emerging trends, and forging strategic partnerships. The focus on innovation, sustainability, and R&D aligns perfectly with Syensqo’s mission to push the boundaries of what’s possible with specialty polymers. Additionally, I am eager to contribute to and learn from discussions on how we can collectively navigate and shape the future of our industry.

CIEX: With deglobalization, circularity and the energy transition as key trends currently shaping the chemical industry, what are the challenges to overcome and opportunities to harness?

David: The challenges we face include the need to rethink supply chains to ensure resilience and adaptability in a deglobalizing world, developing technologies that enable true circularity, and accelerating the transition to renewable energy sources. In the public sphere, the regulatory landscape needs to be updated to better enable the new circular economy.  However, these challenges also present significant opportunities. By embracing circularity, we can drive innovation in recycling and waste management, creating new business models and revenue streams. The energy transition offers a chance to develop cutting-edge materials for clean energy technologies, positioning the chemical industry as a key player in the fight against climate change.

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you recently, and why?

David: One inspiring chemical industry project that has recently gained attention is the ChemCycling initiative by BASF. Launched in 2018, this initiative focuses on the chemical recycling of plastic waste that cannot be effectively recycled through mechanical means. The process involves converting mixed plastic waste and end-of-life tires into pyrolysis oil, which is then used as a feedstock in BASF‘s production, effectively replacing fossil resources.

This project is inspiring because it showcases how innovative thinking in chemistry can provide solutions to complex environmental challenges while also addressing the real challenge of reverse logistics. It demonstrates the potential for the chemical industry to be a leader in sustainability and circular economy principles, rather than being seen solely as part of the problem.

CIEX: If the future of the chemical industry is high-tech, low carbon – what are 3 essential elements needed today, to realize this?

David:

  1. Investment in R&D: Continuous investment in research and development is critical to discover and commercialise new materials and technologies that are both high-performing and environmentally friendly. This includes advancements in recycling technologies and the development of biodegradable or bio-based polymers.
  2. Collaboration and Partnerships: Building strong collaborations across the value chain from raw material suppliers to end users is essential. By working together, we can accelerate innovation, share best practices, and develop integrated solutions that address the complex challenges of sustainability.
  3. Regulatory Support and Incentives: Governments and regulatory bodies play a crucial role in shaping the industry’s future. Supportive policies, incentives for green innovations, and stringent regulations on carbon emissions and waste management can drive the industry towards a more sustainable path. These elements create an environment where sustainable practices are not only encouraged but also economically viable.

CIEX: Thank you so much, David! We look forward to seeing you at CIEX 2024!


The 10th Annual Chemical Innovation Exchange Summit (CIEX) is created for C-level R&DInnovation and Sustainability experts from the consumer, industrial and speciality chemical sectors.  This intimate event is about creating value – bringing the right people together, creating synergies, and actively connecting with potential partners. CIEX will take place in Indianapolis on October 23-24.  Companies presenting include Dow, Ashland, Cargill, Huntsman, Monument Chemical, Evonik, Celanese, US DOE, BASF, ACS, AdvanSix, The Heritage Group, and many more.

Secure your spot at the CIEX Summit and register today!

How Specialty Polymers Can Enable the Circular Economy: Insights from CIEX 2024.

Pioneering Sustainable Innovation: Ashland’s Strategy for a High-Tech, Low-Carbon Future

Pioneering Sustainable Innovation: Ashland’s Strategy for a High-Tech, Low-Carbon Future. Interview with CIEX NA speaker- Osama M. Musa, senior vice president and chief technology officer, Ashland

CIEX: Osama, thank you for joining the speaker panel for CIEX 2024! Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Ashland (NYSE: ASH) is a global, consumer market-focused additives and speciality ingredients company that is responsibly solving for a better world. Through science and a conscious and proactive mindset for sustainability, we invented “new to the world” technology for customers in pharmaceutical, personal care, architectural coatings, construction, energy, food and beverage.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Osama M. Musa, SVP & CTO, Ashland

Ashland has launched exciting, new technology platforms aligned to our core that extend to secondary markets with new and differentiated capabilities to unlock organic growth for us and for our customers worldwide. We believe our platform solutions are applicable to CIEX because they bring “new to the world”, sustainable innovations, offering choice to customers, prospects and consumers in personal care, pharma, coatings and more. These technology platforms enable users to reshape global megatrends and respond to various regulatory landscapes. If CIEX C-level R&D, Innovation, and Sustainability experts aren’t familiar with them, or the capabilities they can bring, they should contact us to meet and learn more. 

CIEX: With deglobalization, circularity and the energy transition as key trends currently shaping the chemical industry, what are the challenges to overcome and opportunities to harness?

At Ashland, we are passionate, tenacious scientists who thrive on answering the most complex challenges. We view deglobalization, circularity and energy transition as opportunities and we consider environmental, social and governance (ESG) as part of our strategic business and operating plans. 

Product design and lifecycle management – Ashland takes a holistic innovations approach with environmentally responsible, cradle to grave consideration, incorporating upcycling and circularity models that proactively help customers manage the lifecycle of their products. This includes inception through the engineering, design, and manufacture, through service and disposal, reuse, or biodegradability in the environment. We understand the desire that every product must be accounted for at every stage of its life. 

Innovation and technology – Ashland is at the forefront of the design, synthesis and production of additives and specialty ingredients essential to everyday life and we take an innovative approach to answering our customers most complex challenges. This includes waste and hazardous materials management. As a responsible care company, we strive to mitigate and continuously reduce our manufacturing risk and we have robust management systems to help ensure we are operating responsibly and transparently. 

Ashland is managing our environmental footprint by tracking and working towards science based targets to reduce our manufacturing footprint through renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Our R&D, commercial and manufacturing teams are identifying creative solutions that drive towards lean manufacturing and continuous improvement.   

CIEX: If the future of the chemical industry is high-tech, low carbon – what are 3 essential elements needed today, to realize this?

First, regarding climate change risks and management, Ashland has set near term science-based targets to help continue to reduce our emissions as a part of the broader global initiative to limit global warming to 1.5C. We are both assessing and responding to climate risk in our operations and supply chain because this is an important part of our long-term business continuity. As a global company with sites in many countries around the globe, moving to low-carbon manufacturing is complex yet essential to realizing our goals in the manufacture and delivery of safe products and solutions for customers and the environment.

This includes employing Good Manufacturing Practice principles in personal care and life sciences; minimizing quality risk through robust risk assessment and mitigation; increasing natural, nature derived, biodegradable and sustainable in use product solutions and eliminating or reducing hazardous chemicals through innovative processing and manufacturing of products. 

The long-term success for Ashland as well as our customers also must include operating transparently. Credibility over time builds trust. And that trust only comes from clear transparency in everything we do. Therefore, as we solve, we take a steadfast adherence to core values to avoid conflicts of interest and consistently track and hone accounting practices. Our board of director members, committees and ESG work groups focus on ESG transparent management systems.  

Second, Ashland’s business model resilience includes responsibly innovating which means high engagement with customers and industry ecosystems to customize, invest and explore new growth initiatives so we deliver consistent and reliable value for stakeholders. Ashland has a strong innovation culture and capabilities, and we have aligned our technology portfolio where environmental, social and governance (ESG) is a growth and innovation opportunity.  

And third, ethical corporate behavior and safety is at the foundation of everything we do. We strive to be transparent and ethical in all that we do and have a robust system of ethics and compliance controls that ensure we operate in a legal and fully ethical manner. 

Ashland has an effective and active governance structure and mechanisms where ESG is integrated into our board and senior leadership activities and oversight. Our employee and leadership compensation are tied to our sustainability performance to drive ownership, accountability, and continued success in our initiatives.


The 10th Annual Chemical Innovation Exchange Summit (CIEX) is created for C-level R&DInnovation and Sustainability experts from the consumer, industrial and speciality chemical sectors.  This intimate event is about creating value – bringing the right people together, creating synergies, and actively connecting with potential partners. CIEX will take place in Indianapolis on October 23-24.  Companies presenting include Dow, Ashland, Cargill, Huntsman, Monument Chemical, Evonik, Celanese, US DOE, BASF, ACS, AdvanSix, The Heritage Group, and many more.

Secure your spot at the CIEX Summit and register today!

Enhancing Domestic Supply Chains and Recycling Critical Battery Materials 

Enhancing Domestic Supply Chains and Recycling Critical Battery Materials with Cirba Solutions

Interview with CIEX NA 2024 speaker -David Klanecky, CEO, Cirba Solutions

 

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

David Klanecky CEO Cirba Solutions

David Klanecky
CEO
Cirba Solutions

David: During my session at this year’s CIEX NA, I want attendees to understand the critical need for enhancing our domestic supply chain, ultimately becoming less reliant on foreign entities for critical materials and ensuring we work toward something that is sustainable for all parties in the supply chain.

To do this effectively, we need to shift the paradigm on how we source raw materials domestically and create a closed-loop approach supply of critical battery materials. By sourcing domestically, and specifically recycling and reusing, we can have a significant impact on cost and reduce the carbon footprint. 

The demand for critical, battery-grade materials is rapidly outpacing supply, especially due to the rapid growth of electric vehicles. With EV adoption projections over the next 10 years, recycling is a crucial component to meeting the supply and demand. These materials can be used over and over again, they are infinitely recyclable. And that is where recycling comes in. The largest mine we have today is on our own roads and in our homes – in our junk drawers, the tools in our garage, and even our electric/hybrid cars. 

 

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

David: As chemical engineers and business leaders, we must play an active role in the evolving multitude of transformational changes we are undergoing in society today, including electrification of how we move goods and the creation of sustainable supply chains. These are difficult problems to solve and cannot be accomplished in a vacuum. By joining CIEX this year, those of us in the chemical manufacturing fields can collaborate and share ideas to help in providing solutions for these societal issues. 

 

CIEX: With deglobalization, circularity and the energy transition as key trends currently shaping the chemical industry, what are the challenges to overcome and opportunities to harness?

David: Today, North America produces the 3rd largest volume of end-of-life batteries in the world, and only about 5% are recycled. Batteries that are not recycled often end up in landfills or are shipped to other countries. This improper disposal poses a serious threat to the environment. Landfilled batteries can leak toxic chemicals, polluting our soil and water sources. Additionally, they can cause thermal events.

Approximately 95% of the critical minerals in an end-of-life battery can be extracted and repurposed. These recovered materials can be reused in the production of new batteries, reducing reliance on virgin resources.

If they are shipped to another country, then we lose the opportunity to recover and reuse them, rendering our supply chains vulnerable.

Even as the recycling industry heats up, we are playing a game of catch-up. As new battery chemistry and pack/module designs emerge, recyclers must adapt by the time those cars reach their end-of-life, which could be 8-10 years down the line. Recyclers need to stay ahead of the innovation curve and build foundational recycling processes that can easily adapt to and integrate with the evolving needs of the market and partners. This ensures efficient, sustainable resource recovery that ultimately benefits American consumers. 

 

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you recently, and why? 

David:  Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which is a requirement that some states are adopting to ensure that more batteries are recycled at their end of life. It ensures that there is a longer-term outcome required for each battery (at end-of-life), and companies like Cirba Solutions can become the ‘preferred’ battery recycler to ensure these batteries are recycled and the critical materials are recovered. 

 

CIEX: If the future of the chemical industry is high-tech, low carbon – what are 3 essential elements needed today, to realize this?

David: Sourcing Domestically: It is estimated that in some cases, critical battery metals for cathode active materials travel over 50,000 miles before they reach a lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility. If we change our approach to how we source critical materials, we can reduce nearly 96% of logistical movement and the CO2 associated with it by sourcing critical minerals domestically. 

Recycled content in EVs: By using premium upgraded recycled metals, we will make an additional impact on CO2 emissions. With recycled materials, we see:

  • A 40% reduction of CO2 per ton of Lithium produced when using recycled materials compared to mining.
  • 10% reduction of CO2 per ton of Nickel produced when using recycled materials compared to mining.
  • 8% reduction of CO2 per ton of Cobalt produced when using recycled materials compared to mining

Continued legislation like the Inflation Reduction Act: With legislation, we can promote the development of a domestic, circular battery supply chain, which will be critical in pushing forward EV and battery manufacturing growth.

  • Initiatives like this which aim to address climate challenges by providing tax credits and grants are a critical component in pushing forward a transition and securing our domestic lithium supply chain.
  • This is significant because responsible and sustainable domestic sourcing and processing of the critical materials used to make lithium-ion batteries will strengthen American supply chains, accelerate battery production to meet increased demand and secure the nation’s economic competitiveness, energy independence, and national security.

 

CIEX: Thank you so much, David! We look forward to hearing more from you at CIEX 2024!


The 10th Annual Chemical Innovation Exchange Summit (CIEX) is created for C-level R&DInnovation and Sustainability experts from the consumer, industrial and speciality chemical sectors.  This intimate event is about creating value – bringing the right people together, creating synergies, and actively connecting with potential partners. CIEX will take place in Indianapolis on October 23-24.  Companies presenting include: Dow, Ashland, Cargill, Huntsman, Monument Chemical, Evonik, Celanese, US DOE, BASF, ACS, AdvanSix, The Heritage Group, and many more.

Secure your spot at the CIEX Summit and register today!

CIEX NA 2024

Driving Sustainable Chemistry: Overcoming Challenges and Harnessing Opportunities in the Chemical Industry

Driving Sustainable Chemistry: Overcoming Challenges and Harnessing Opportunities in the Chemical Industry

Speaker Interview with Joel Tickner from Change Chemistry

 

Joel Tickner, Executive Director, Change Chemistry

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Joel: Commercialization and adoption of sustainable chemistry are challenging given the incumbency of existing chemicals that are integrated into global supply chains, capitalized and whose uses have been optimized over decades. Add to this the fact that R&D and manufacturing CAPEX costs are high and value chains are reluctant to absorb the higher cost of more sustainable options.  Notwithstanding this, manufacturing value chains MUST transition to safer and sustainable chemistry – our very future depends on this.  We will discuss the investments, incentives, coordination, and collaboration needed to incentivize this transition and accelerate the market uptake of safer and sustainable chemistry.

 

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX this year?

Joel: There is a seismic shift happening in the chemicals sector right now driven by global environmental challenges such as climate change, chemical and plastics pollution and resource depletion as well as supply chain and feedstock disruptions post-pandemic.  These present unique opportunities to reshape the trajectory of this industry and the sectors that depend on it.  Progress against every dimension of sustainability – GHG reduction, circularity, plastics pollution, biodiversity protection, elimination of toxic substances and environmental justice – depends on the availability of safer and sustainable alternative chemistries that perform, are available at scale and are cost-competitive. Understanding the challenges the industry faces to reshape itself in the next decades as well as key levers and enablers for change will provide critical insights into the types of programs, incentives, and collaborations necessary for this transformation.

 

CIEX: With deglobalization, circularity and the energy transition as key trends currently shaping the chemical industry, what are the challenges to overcome and opportunities to harness?

Joel: Circularity is certainly a key trend shaping the future of the chemical industry.  Importantly, this industry’s ambitious and necessary circularity goals will require unprecedented levels of R&D spending to fuel innovation and public and private sector investment to build out novel manufacturing capabilities.  However, this can be at odds with this industry’s relatively low levels of R&D spending and investment when compared to the pharma and high-tech sectors.  For progress to be made, governments and the finance sector will need to be willing to take risks and invest in new safer, more sustainable chemical processes and products available at scale.  It is also important that we move forward on our efforts to de-fossilize this industry and address the toxicity of many incumbent chemistries, the vast majority of which were designed for cost and performance, not health and safety.  This is a critical issue, particularly in the US where environmental justice is an increasingly important Administration priority.

Circularity, deglobalization, de-fossilization and toxics reduction will require new frameworks to increase value chain collaboration, new funding programs to enhance innovation,  public-private sector partnerships to deploy risk capital along the various stages of technology commercialization and incentivizing policy frameworks that facilitate market entry of safer and sustainable chemistry technologies.

 

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you recently, and why?

Joel: The US EPA Safer Choice program is a critical driver in the development and incorporation of safer chemicals into consumer goods.  I see this program as an opportunity for everyone from chemical manufacturers to formulators and brand owners to be recognized for their commitment to sustainable innovation and to benefit from their Safer Choice-branded products being distinguished within their competitive peer group.  Safer Choice imparts economic value to sustainability. In parallel, the SCIL list provides a clear recognition of safer chemistries for specific functional uses.

Sector-wide efforts, such as the Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) and Clean Electronics Production Network (CEPN), are demonstrating that downstream sectors are willing to collaborate to create unified demand signals that change chemistry.  These closer-to-consumer and brand-conscious companies can create the demand or pull that engages the chemicals sector more effectively in developing solutions.  As those solutions often require significant investment, organizations like Change Chemistry can help to understand the barriers at a sectoral and systems level and drive the investments and collaborations necessary to effect change.

 

CIEX: If the future of the chemical industry is high-tech, low carbon – what are 3 essential elements needed today, to realize this?

Joel: The future of the chemical industry is not just high-tech and low-carbon, it also has to be low toxicity.  Three essential elements needed today include:

  • Investment in demonstration, deployment and adoption of safer, more sustainable chemistries – reducing the “green premium” for these products.  Chemical suppliers can make safer, more sustainable chemistries but if they aren’t purchased and there is no market, then they can’t grow.  We have seen in certain sectors – consumer products for example, that there is an appetite for sustainable chemistry and consumers are willing to pay more to protect their families and communities.
  • Greater government coordination and public-private collaboration to drive growth in sustainable chemistry. Change Chemistry built a coalition to advance the passage of the US Sustainable Chemistry R&D Act that established an interagency strategy team and requires the development of a strategic roadmap to coordinate sustainable chemistry R&D and investments across the federal government.  The soon-to-be-released strategic roadmap needs to create clear directions for future coordination and investment.
  • Greater supply chain coordination to advance sustainable chemistry.  We have found through 18 years of Change Chemistry that there is often a disconnect between actors in the value chain and collaboration is key to accelerating innovation and addressing barriers.  Change Chemistry’s first-of-its-kind Collaborative Innovation Challenge for Safe and Effective Preservatives in Consumer Products, which engaged 11 brands, 2 retailers and 6 chemical suppliers demonstrated the value of “collaborative innovation” to drive solutions in a pre-competitive space. The effort not only reshaped R&D in preservatives, it also accelerated the development of more sustainable solutions. 

CIEX: Thank you so much, Joel!


The 10th Annual Chemical Innovation Exchange Summit (CIEX) is created for C-level R&D, Innovation and Sustainability experts from the consumer, industrial and speciality chemical sectors.  This intimate event is about creating value – bringing the right people together, creating synergies, and actively connecting with potential partners.  CIEX will take place in Indianapolis on October 23-24. Among attending companies: Hexion, Lubrizol, Monument Chemical, Celanese, US DOE, BASF, ACS, Advansix, The Heritage Group, and many more.

Secure your spot at the CIEX Summit! Connect with industry leaders and innovate together. Register today!

Driving Sustainable Chemistry: Overcoming Challenges and Harnessing Opportunities in the Chemical Industry

The Green Energy Transition in the Chemical Industry

From Green Electricity to Chemical Resources

 

The Green Energy Transition in the Chemical IndustryDr. Andreas Kicherer is Vice President Sustainability at Brenntag Group. An award winning executive leader in sustainability management, corporate sustainability strategy development and implementation by developing and using quantitative assessment tools. More than 25 years of experience leveraging in-depth chemical industry expertise and exceptional insights to support and implement corporate vision of risk mitigation, greenhouse gas as well as plastic recycling strategy. Proven ability to successfully consult internal and external top-level executives and evaluate businesses to determine areas to improve and generate additional sales with sustainability. Demonstrated track record of leading international collaboration across multiple sectors and businesses to promote wide-spread cooperation on sustainability initiatives. Renowned public speaker and presenter with multiple published papers and books on various industry principles and sustainability methods. Consistently seeking areas for business enhancement.

The Green Energy Transition in the Chemical IndustryMarianne Lyngsaae has been a Chemical Engineer at Brenntag for 26 years. Chemicals, safety and legislation have been key words all the way. Since 2017 I have been highly involved in eco-innovation projects on chemicals in a circular economy and the potentials to save resources, prevent waste and reduce CO2 emission via collaboration across supply chains for a more sustainable future. Chairman for Fecc’s (The European Association of Chemical Distributors) Committee for circular Economy. Located in Denmark.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Dr. Andreas & Marianne: A value chain ecosystem is jointly finding innovative circular solutions to save chemical resources at their highest possible value and reduce CO2 emission – this is a good way to move forward in the green transition process. Options exist to obtain grants from funds to support the process and projects. Chemical distribution connects 100 thousand customers with 10 thousand producers of chemicals. Therefore, we are gaining insights into the sustainability needs of various industries and can build ecosystems to offer more sustainable solutions.

CIEX: What motivates you to join the Chemical Innovation Conference – CIEX Europe this year?

Dr. Andreas & Marianne: A vision to inspire – and get inspired. It motivates me to share information from a successful eco-innovation project completed this summer. Chemical innovation based on new business models is very exciting.

CIEX: How do you envision the future of the chemical industry? What are the key challenges to overcome and the opportunities to harness?

Dr. Andreas & Marianne: Interdependencies between companies in the industry will increase, supportive legislative framework and further digitalization play some vital roles. Circular business models, where chemical resources are re-utilized, are crucial to ensure a competitive and sustainable industry and society. Decarbonization and reduction of dependencies from fossil raw materials

CIEX: When looking to other regional markets, what lessons can the European chemical industry learn, adapt or perhaps even use to differentiate itself?

Dr. Andreas & Marianne: Collaborating closely throughout the value chain is an important key to developing a more circular business.

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you, and why?

Dr. Andreas & Marianne: A company in another sector was looking for a buy-and-take back solution. Investigation of the human brain and social behavior shows that when realizing others have got a good idea, humans are eager to copy it. This is in fact one of the keys to our success as a species. Electricity companies started some decades ago to offer green electricity via a mass balance approach. That is also applicable to chemicals.

Join 20+ senior chemical executives including CxOs from Braskem, Levaco, Dude Chem, SCI, Solvay, Domo Chemicals, BASF. Limited Seats Available! CIEX is taking place on 25 & 26 Oct – secure your ticket now!CIEX Chemical Innovation Conference 2023 EU

 

 

 

From Challenge to Change: The Sustainability Journey of the Chemical Sector

A Sustainable Future in Sight? Overcoming Barriers in the European Chemical Landscape

CIEX Chemical Innovation Conference 2023Pierre Joris is an Engineer in Physics, holding a M.Sc. from the University of Stanford, and an Advanced Executive degree from Kellogg’s School of Management, Chicago. Pierre has 36 years of international experience in the Chemical Industry. He built his career for 29 years at Solvay, where he held different leadership positions in R&D, Corporate and Global Business Management. He completed his career as Chief Innovation Officer for the group and was then recruited as Senior Executive Advisor to the Chemical division of Daikin for more than 6 years. Pierre holds now non-executive roles as Senior Partner at JF Chemical Associates, an M&A boutique house, Senior Advisor to the Boston Consulting Group, and is independent board member at various companies in the field of materials and chemicals, including Prayon and Domo Chemicals. It is in this last tenure that he was elected chairman of A.SPIRE in March 2019.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Pierre Joris: The sustainability challenges that the Chemical Industry is, and will be facing in Europe are enormous. Bringing our Industry to climate neutrality and in a circular economy, means huge transformation investments, revision of our business models and reskilling of our workforce.

It is clear that to succeed, development and scaling-up of very disruptive innovations has to continue and accelerate and the right environment needs to be maintained to foster the same.

But this is not enough since time is running, and deployment plans have to be initiated. Development of infrastructure for, and access to, massive quantities of green electricity, green hydrogen and  CO2 has therefore to be planned and executed on time. In addition, appropriate framework conditions and incentives to create market opportunities and de risk the massive deployment investments needed will have to be elaborated and clarified.

All this requires an urgent dialogue based on trust between all the stakeholders, certainly the Industry, the European Commission and Member States, Funding agencies, regulatory authorities, and social partners, but also within the Industrial world, between the actors that will have to increase their producer-user inter-dependencies and efficiencies.

CIEX: What motivates you to join the Chemical Innovation Conference – CIEX Europe this year?

Pierre Joris: Our association, A.SPIRE represents the Process Industry (of which Chemical Industry is a very large and leading representative) towards the European Commission. Our main mission is to partner with the European Commission to support the development of the critical innovations needed by our industries to succeed in the climate and circular transition.

We launched A.SPIRE in 2014 and then Processes4Planet Partnership in 2021 to provide a framework for the right innovations to be supported and developed, to contribute our share to Europe’s goals. In the current context, it is even more important to sum up industrial voices for the dialogue with the European Commission and the Parliament, to overcome our industries’ innovation hurdles and boost the development of disruptive innovation.

Although we have already several prestigious members of the chemical industry in our association, including CEFIC itself, it is therefore important for me as President to keep reaching out to as many companies as possible in the field, making sure our work and directions are known, but also listen to their main preoccupations.

CIEX, with its dedicated orientation towards innovation and sustainability and the specific audience that it is gathering in this regard, makes it an ideal place for such purpose.

CIEX: How do you envision the future of the chemical industry? What are the key challenges to overcome and the opportunities to harness?

CIEX Chemical Innovation Conference 2023Pierre Joris: As indicated above, the transition to a climate neutral and circular economy is a formidable challenge in itself. And it is not only about complying with regulations and targets that always become more stringent, but also going into the directions that our customers and our employees are more and more requiring. So in a summary, there is not much choice.

It means disruptive innovation, huge investments, changing business models including cooperative models, reviewing portfolios, reskilling workforces, ensuring access to the renewable energy and carbon etc… And all this in a global competitive environment that doesn’t always play along the same rules.

But it doesn’t stop there as, unfortunately what is specific to the chemical industry in Europe, is that at the same time, it has to face another substantial challenge through the increasing number of regulatory initiatives and legislation towards the Net Zero Pollution ( Chemical Sustainability Strategy, REACH revision, Safe-&-Sustainable-by-Design framework etc….), which doesn’t make life easier.  And all this in a local environment where Energy prices are substantially higher than in other regions.

So frankly, in my opinion, the future of the chemical industry as we know it today, will be very difficult on this continent and we cannot exclude that some segments would disappear especially in areas where the global competitive environment will bring the reality check, or simply in areas not properly connected.

But for those who can lead the game in the transition, be fast and smart and eventually claim a competitive advantage through the sustainability of their products where the market supports it, I think there are formidable opportunities to grasp in their own markets or in proliferating their IP. I see also great opportunities for those chemical players taking the lead in developing the key innovative materials or products that will be needed to enable these sustainable technologies, not only for our own Process Industry, but for the rest of the society, be it in mobility, energy, or agriculture.

CIEX: When looking to other regional markets, what lessons can the European chemical industry learn, adapt, or perhaps even use to differentiate itself?

Pierre Joris: Honestly, if we think in terms of sustainability, I think that the European chemical industry should not be shy of its competences and know-how in the field. And, whether we like it or not, the European market is also probably one of the most advanced when it comes to the requirement in terms of sustainability or more largely, environmental impact.

What is missing however or at least less pronounced that in other regions, is a fast, pragmatic, and efficient incentive environment to encourage the large-scale investment needed in our industry to succeed in the transition, especially considering the other hurdles that we have to face in Europe as indicated in the previous section?

The European Union has programmes to support innovation. We have seen the European Commission has tried to build complementary programmes to innovation towards market. These efforts need to continue and be strengthen towards impact.

But the funding and incentives schemes available for large industrial investment, including risky first-of-a-kind plants, are scattered among Member states and EU, come with a few conditions and questions that can discourage more than one, and generally take too much time to be developed.

We see initiatives such as the IRA in the US that go much more to the point and succeed in attracting significant investment outside of Europe.  It would be wise for Europe and Member States to implement more flexible mechanisms, unified approach, and embrace supporting risky projects at different TRL levels which, if successful, will have de risked disruptive innovation bringing more investments and keeping jobs in Europe. But as resources are limited, all this probably require first a deliberate selection of the value chains that the EU wants to keep on its soil.

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you, and why?

Pierre Joris: There are a lot of very courageous and inspiring initiatives in the Chemical Sector, from electrical crackers to large scale recycling plants, through power-to-methanol plants etc…. But in order not to make any jealous within your readers and in the chemical industry at large, the one that I would like to mention will be within another Industrial Sector.

I would like to highlight the decision by ThyssenKrupp Steel to invest in the first large scale direct reduction plant to produce clean steel in Germany. This is inspiring because we are talking of a bold step, more than 2 bn EUR investment and significant contribution to the transformation of the European steel industry with a 2.5 million metric tons plants. This is risky but is susceptible of putting this company at the forefront of green steel production, a key enabler for other downstream segments of the society

Of course German subsidies are available to support this initiative and have been agreed by the European Commission, but this is part of the game and of “building trust and dialogue between the stakeholders” and this, also in itself, is a feature that should inspire other initiatives.

 

Join 20+ senior chemical executives including CxOs from Braskem, Levaco, Dude Chem, SCI, Solvay, Domo Chemicals, BASF. Limited Seats Available! CIEX is taking place on 25 & 26 Oct – secure your ticket now!

Redefining the Chemical Landscape: From Tradition to Sustainable Transformation

Transitioning to Sustainability: Insights from Walmir Soller at CIEX Europe 2023

 

Walmir Soller is CEO of Braskem Netherlands BV, International Holding and Trading for Braskem SA, and VP Olefins/Polyolefins Europe and Asia, having under his responsibility the international trading of Feedstock, Chemicals and Polymers, Global Chartering, production sites in Germany (Polypropylene) and Netherlands (Recycling) and the Green Polyethylene Global business. Walmir Soller is a Chemical Engineer by the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro with MBA by the University of Michigan and has been working in the petrochemical industry for 32 years, being the last 22 years with Braskem in several leadership positions and businesses.

CIEX: Without giving too much away – what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Walmir Soller: The chemical industry is going through an unprecedented transition to become more sustainable and that will demand innovation not only in technology but also in business models to combine competences and assets to accelerate the process and minimize costs and investments.

CIEX: What motivates you to join the Chemical Innovation Conference – CIEX Europe this year?

Walmir Soller: This is my third time participating in CIEX, and I believe it’s an excellent opportunity to exchange views with relevant stakeholders in the chemical industry and get an overview of the latest trends in innovation.

CIEX: How do you envision the future of the chemical industry? What are the key challenges to overcome and the opportunities to harness?

Walmir Soller: The chemical industry will remain pivotal in providing materials and solutions to meet society’s current and future demands. However, the prevailing model, which relies on fossil feedstock, faces challenges. Industry players must seek ways to enhance the circularity and sustainability of products and feedstocks. The task ahead involves reconfiguring the current setup and re-engineering the entire industry. Such a complex transition necessitates robust public policies to back the essential investments.

CIEX: When looking to other regional markets, what lessons can the European chemical industry learn, adapt or perhaps even use to differentiate itself?

Walmir Soller: I believe the European Chemical Industry can seize the opportunity to become more flexible and nimble, accelerating its transition to a carbon-neutral circular economy. This shift will require either new competencies or a combination of existing ones, along with reconfigured assets. Traditional setups and business models will need reevaluation. With its vast and diverse asset base, a comprehensive technology portfolio, and a leading role in the global sustainability agenda in recent years, Europe is well-positioned. Thus, the region’s successful model should leverage these strengths, bolstered by a clear regulatory framework to mitigate risks during the transition.

CIEX: What is one project or initiative in the industry, outside of your own company and associations that really inspired you, and why?

Walmir Soller: Natura & Co, the Brazilian cosmetic giant (Avon, Natura, The Body Shop e Aesop), has a program to develop alternatives that are economically viable in the Amazon region based on social and environmental principles. The program focus on preventing deforestation and promoting the well-being of the local communities.

 

Limited Seats Available! CIEX is taking place on 25 & 26 Oct – secure your ticket now!Chemical Innovation Exchange Conference

Clean Energy – Evonik’s transition from fossil fuel

Evonik: Transitioning from fossil fuel to clean energy – presentation Highlight from CIEX 2022

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Transitioning from fossil fuel to clean energy as a consequence of the current crisis

  • Becoming more energy independent and less vulnerable to commodity price shocks driven by supply and demand with renewable energy
  • Reducing the use of fossil fuels and boosting innovation towards alternative sources of energy: The step by step pathway
  • Rebuilding a more innovative industry based on renewable and circular feedstocks: Developing new supplies and accelerating green chemistry

Dr. Steffen Hasenzahl, Senior Vice President, Head of Creavis, EVONIK

 

Watch all CIEX 2023 presentations for free in our Video Archive.

 

 

Full abstract below. (Note: This is an AI generated summary, it may contain inaccuracies)

The presentation discusses the need to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and highlights the environmental challenges we face. The speaker emphasizes the importance of reducing our environmental footprint and taking action to address global warming and other challenges. They provide examples of how Evonik, a leading manufacturer of special chemicals, is making progress in reducing emissions and transitioning to clean energy. They also discuss the cost involved in transitioning to clean energy and highlight the potential of photovoltaic energy. Overall, the video promotes the importance of sustainability and the need for companies to focus on their carbon footprint and strive for a positive impact.

  • 00:00:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the need to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy and highlights the environmental challenges we face. They mention the increasing frequency of floods and the impact of expensive electricity in Europe due to the energy crisis. They also discuss the historical development of the chemical industry and the significant changes it has undergone. Overall, the speaker emphasizes the importance of reducing our environmental footprint and taking action to address global warming and other challenges.
  • 00:05:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the global energy and emissions problem caused by the extensive use of fossil fuels. They highlight that approximately 13 billion tons of fossil fuels are used annually, with the majority being used for energy production and only a small fraction for chemical production. The emissions from the chemical industry alone account for 0.16 billion tons, and when considering all greenhouse gases, the total emissions amount to 58 billion tons. The lack of significant progress in reducing emissions in the past 17 years is also highlighted. The speaker emphasizes the need for six technical avenues, including the use of renewables, bio mass, and energy efficiency, in order to effectively reduce emissions.
  • 00:10:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, using Evonik as an example. Evonik is a leading manufacturer of special chemicals and has organized its business into four divisions—Smart Materials, Specialty Additives, Nutrition & Care, and Performance Materials. They have a strong focus on sustainability and aim to make a real contribution to making the world a better place. The speaker mentions that it is important for companies to focus on their carbon footprint and also strive to have a positive handprint, meaning making a positive impact in their operations. The speaker highlights that Evonik has made progress in reducing its emissions, but there is still work to be done, particularly in the upstream supply chain.
  • 00:15:00 In this section, the speaker discusses Evonik’s transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. They focus on one specific site, Rheinfelden, which produces various products for industries such as batteries, coatings, paper, and solar cells. The site’s energy balance reveals that 80% of its primary energy consumption comes from natural gas, while 20% is derived from hydro power. The speaker emphasizes the need for green electricity to meet their energy demands and highlights the significant carbon footprint associated with the production of certain materials, such as silicon metal. Scope 3 upstream emissions, including the production of materials like sand, also contribute to Evonik’s overall carbon footprint.
  • 00:20:00 In this section, the speaker discusses the cost of transitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy. They explain that there is a significant amount of money involved in reducing CO2 emissions and implementing clean energy solutions. They mention various expenses, such as heat pumps, green electricity usage, and the capture and utilization of bio-gas. The chemical industry is also reluctant to make the move to clean energy. Additionally, the speaker highlights the forecasted energy costs and the potential for generating electricity through photovoltaics. They note that with ample sunshine in southern Germany, photovoltaic energy could meet a significant portion of the energy needs.
  • 00:25:00 In this section, Evonik discusses their transition from fossil fuels to clean energy. They mention their efforts to reduce emissions and their focus on green technologies. One example they provide is the production of green hydrogen using electrolyzers and water. They highlight the benefits of this process, such as not requiring precious metals and expensive materials. Another example they mention is the use of carefully selected bacteria in fermentation to produce special chemicals. They are currently running these processes in pilot plants and aim to scale up production in the future.

 

Join us at CIEX 2023 for cutting edge stratgies on innovation, sustainablity and product development. Limited seats available at https://ciex-eu.org/.

Hear more clean energy strategies at CIEX 2023

Creating a sustainable future for personal care products

This year the CIEX conference will be held in Frankfurt, Germany on the 5 & 6 October. Leading up to the event, we speak to Coralie Alonso, Ashland R&D Leader for Hair Care and Home Care to give you a glimpse of what to expect from her session: The challenge of balancing performance and sustainability in personal care products.

“The future is exciting, bringing new challenges, new puzzles to solve. No one can do it alone therefore industry leaders need to be collaborative and open minded.”

 

CIEX: Without giving too much away –what is the core message of your talk and what would you like delegates to remember?

Coralie Alonso: The chemical industry has a major role to play to enable the change in consumer habits for a sustainable future in personal care. With increasingly greater emphases going forward on cleaner, safer technologies including the use of biotechnologies for example, the future innovations increasingly require multidisciplinary skills / diverse teams from the outset. Lots of scope for innovation/ideas in the coming together of such skills/varied backgrounds. We as an industry have to (collectively/collaboratively) play a leading part in addressing the challenges of climate change.

Coralie - Ashland - Sustainable future of personal care products
CIEX: Why did you choose the topic of your talk?

Coralie Alonso: Every change brings opportunities. I strongly believe this is an amazing time to work in the industry. The chemical industry is undergoing a fundamental change, having to address new demands on sustainable approaches. To be successful we need to be creative, innovative and collaborate more than ever. I think this is very motivating.

CIEX: What motivates you to join CIEX 2022 and what are your expectations?

Coralie Alonso: The personal care industry needs new solutions, I hope to get inspired by innovative ideas from other parts of the chemistry world, and exchange ideas. Our CTO at Ashland recommended CIEX to me as a great platform for networking.

CIEX: The need for innovation has been a continued topic for the chemical industry –how would you sum up the current state of the industry, specifically with a focus on its innovation efforts?

Coralie Alonso: From my vantage point of view in personal care, it looks like the industry in on the verge of a revolution or a re-invention at least. We need to bring new solutions, sometimes to problems that have already been solved. That requires new ways of thinking, and this is difficult, but we are getting there. And with the help of in silico tools, we will get there faster than anticipated. The innovations reaching the market now are more and more creative. The future looks bright.

CIEX: What must (chemical) industry leaders do to remain competitive and prepare for the future?

Coralie Alonso: The future is exciting, bringing new challenges, new puzzles to solve. No one can do it alone therefore industry leaders need, in my opinion, to be collaborative and open minded. Good ideas can come from anywhere, we need to stay connected. We need to keep investing in Innovation – it is key.  The chemical industry needs to continues to embrace the advances in clean technologies including biotechnology, and work collaboratively to make them work on industrially relevant scales. The adaption of biotechnology driven advances offers new areas of opportunity or exploration for new chemical products and/or for cleaner ways to make them, or to make existing products.

 

Join us at CIEX 2022 on the 5 & 6 October to hear more from Coralie Alonso and other industry experts from Solvay, Clariant, Nobian, Evonik, GFBiochemicals, Pryme, Dow discuss game-changing innovation through collaboration. Tickets are available at ciex-eu.org.

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