North American chem rail traffic rises for seventh week

North American chemical railcar traffic rose for a seventh straight week, according to data for the week ended 26 March from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

For the first 12 weeks of 2022 ended 26 March, North American chemical railcar traffic was up 5.2% year on year to 562,331 railcar loadings.

With the exception of chemicals, coal and nonmetallic minerals, railcar shipments in all other commodity categories fell for the first 12 weeks.

In the US, chemical railcar loadings represent about 20% of chemical transportation by tonnage, with trucks, barges and pipelines carrying the rest. In Canada, producers rely on rail to ship more than 70% of their products, with some exclusively using rail.

We remind, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 19, 2022. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 499,362 carloads and intermodal units, down 2.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 19 were 232,770 carloads, up 1.1 percent compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 266,592 containers and trailers, down 5.7 percent compared to 2021.

Also, the Association of American Railroads (AAR) reported U.S. rail traffic for the week ending March 12, 2022. For this week, total U.S. weekly rail traffic was 496,134 carloads and intermodal units, down 4.7 percent compared with the same week last year. Total carloads for the week ending March 12 were 232,388 carloads, up 0.9 percent compared with the same week in 2021, while U.S. weekly intermodal volume was 263,746 containers and trailers, down 9.1 percent compared to 2021.
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Omya enters an agreement to acquire Hall Technologies, Inc., a specialty chemical distributor headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, with sales reach throughout the Midwest and Southern United States, according to SpecialChem.

The acquisition will enhance Omya’s distribution network in North America, further bolstering its position amongst the top-ranked global specialty distributors. Omya will be positioned to better serve both its customers and principals throughout the United States and beyond.

Hall Technologies, led by a strong sales and management team, is a highly regarded company with a well-established reputation for excellence in the specialty chemical market. Together, Omya and Hall will continue to reinforce and expand their customer and principal relationships.

Rainer Siedler, CEO Americas at Omya, noted, “We are very excited to welcome Hall Technologies to the Omya Group. Under Jeff Laurent’s leadership, Hall has built a leading position in the Midwest specialty chemical distribution market.”

The closing of the transaction is expected to take place within the next four weeks.

As MRC reported earlier, Songwon Industrial Co., Ltd., has announced that it has entered an exclusive partnership for Latin America with Omya. As part of the agreement, effective January 2022, Omya will provide marketing and sales, customer service as well as distribution and logistics for SONGWON’s complete range of polyvinyl chlorie (PVC) additives to customers across the Latin American region.

According to MRC's ScanPlast report, Russia's overall production of unmixed PVC did not exceed 169,700 tonnes in the first two months of 2022, which virtually corresponds to the last year's figure. At the same time, three producers reduced slightly their output.
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Clariant, a focused, sustainable and innovative specialty chemical company, has announced that it has joined the Renewable Carbon Initiative (RCI), as per the company's press release.

The aim of the RCI is to support and accelerate the transition from the use of fossil carbon to the use of renewable carbon in the chemical industry. Switching to renewable carbon sources prevents additional fossil carbon entering the atmosphere and thus addresses a core problem of climate change.

“I am convinced that the chemical industry plays a central role in tackling climate challenge and in shaping progress toward a more circular and bio-based economy. This journey can only be achieved through strong commitment to sustainability-driven innovation, ambitious goals, and a close collaboration with partners along the value chain,” said Conrad Keijzer, Chief Executive Officer of Clariant.

Clariant offers a range of bio-based solutions. Its recently launched Vita range of bio-based surfactants offer a 100% Renewable Carbon Index score coming from a fully segregated supply chain, providing a viable alternative to their fossil-based counterparts.

Another example are Glucamides- these surfactants are readily biodegradable and have a Renewable Carbon Index score of up to 96%. The company’s Licocare RBW Vita range, used in plastics and coatings applications, are derived from a natural, non-food competing by-product of the rice oil production and are based on at least 98% Renewable Carbon Index content.

Another innovative solution that Clariant offers is the sunliquid® technology, which enables the valorization of agricultural residues for the production of cellulosic ethanol, an advanced biofuel that can be used as a drop-in solution for fuel blending and offers further downstream application opportunities into bio-based chemicals and sustainable aviation fuel. The bioethanol produced by the sunliquid technology process helps decarbonize the transport sector by providing up to 96% CO2 savings compared to fossil fuel, and by as much as 120% if carbon sequestration is considered and used as part of the production process.

The membership in the RCI allows Clariant to expand on its own solutions in the field of renewable carbon as well as collaborate more closely with partners, suppliers and the industry at large in driving this matter forward. The RCI was launched in September 2020 and is led by the nova-Institute.

As MRC wrote previously, Clariant has recently announced that its StyroMax UL3 catalyst is demonstrating successful results at Risun’s new styrene monomer (MS) plant located in Tangshan, China.

We remind that in October 2020, Clariant announced the construction of a new state-of-the-art catalyst production site in China. This project represents a significant investment which further strengthens Clariant’s position in China and enhances its ability to support its customers in the country’s thriving petrochemicals industry.

The new facility will be primarily responsible for producing the Catofin catalyst for propane dehydrogenation, which is used in the production of olefins such as propylene. Thanks to its excellent reliability and productivity, Catofin delivers superior annual production output compared to alternative technologies, resulting in increased overall profitability for propylene producers, says the company. Construction at the Dushan Port Economic Development Zone in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province was scheduled to commence in Q3 2020, and Clariant expects to be at full production capacity by 2022.

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.
MRC

Brenntag, a global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution, has opened a new Innovation Center at its site in Duisburg, according to Coatings World.

It is the first application center for the Coatings, Adhesives and Construction industries in Germany and the seventh in Brenntag's entire EMEA region.

The new Innovation Center will be used jointly by Brenntag and BCD Chemie, a Brenntag Group company, for projects in Coatings, Adhesives and Construction applications.

Customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland can now benefit from formulation of new products and evaluation of new materials in a wide range of applications.

As MRC informed before, earlier this month, Brenntag expanded its distribution agreement with UK-based Elementis Specialties in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. This distribution agreement will be effective starting 1 April, 2022. Brenntag will distribute Elementis Specialties’ specialty chemicals and additives for the coatings, adhesive and sealant industries.

BCD Chemie, a Brenntag Group company, is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. It focuses on the pan-European marketing of industrial and performance chemicals. As a link between manufacturers of high-quality chemical raw materials and users from many industries, BCD Chemie provides B2B sales solutions for a wide range of industries and applications. Profound market knowledge, competent product and application consulting as well as comprehensive expertise in chemical-technical and market-analytical contexts form the basis of its philosophy of modern chemical distribution.
MRC

Sasol has agreed a partnership with UK company Holiferm to develop new biosurfactants, said the company.

Under the partnership, Sasol will purchase the majority of sophorolipids produced at a new Holiferm manufacturing facility that is due to start up in early 2023 in the UK. Sophorolipids are biosurfactants made through fermentation, using yeast to convert vegetable oils and glucose.

"The Holiferm expertise in the area of fermentation technology and production is a perfect fit with Sasol’s position as a global leader in the supply of surfactants and surfactant intermediates into the fabric and home care, personal care as well as industrial and institutional cleaning markets,” Silke Hoppe, vice president, Essential Care Chemicals, at Sasol Chemicals, said in a statement.

Financial or other terms were not disclosed. Holiferm is described as a developer of fermentation technology to make biosurfactants.

It has research and development facilities in Manchester and a commercial plant and a pilot project in the Liverpool area, according to information on its website.

As it was written before, Sasol invites all interested parties to participate in a biogas utilisation Request for Information (RFI) process. The purpose of this RFI process is to provide those who are interested in, or involved in biogas handling technologies, an opportunity to partner with Sasol on biogas beneficiation. Safety, sustainability and compliance is of the utmost importance to Sasol as a company. Therefore, interested parties will be required to demonstrate a high level of expertise and experience in biogas utilisation technologies.

We remind, Sasol Limited (Sasol) today announced its updated strategy that commits it to be at net zero emissions by 2050. This is in line with Sasol’s commitment to accelerate its transition to a low carbon world in support of the objectives of the Paris Agreement. In aligning with its 2050 ambition, Sasol has stepped up its 2030 scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction target, from an initial 10% for its South African operations, announced last year, to 30% for its Energy and Chemicals businesses, off a 2017 baseline. The company is also introducing a scope 3 reduction target, for its Energy Business, off a 2019 baseline. This is consistent with what its peers have committed to.

Sasol is a global chemicals and energy company. We harness our knowledge and expertise to integrate sophisticated technologies and processes into world-scale operating facilities.
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