BASF in partnership project to recycle polyurethane fridge insultation into polyol

BASF in partnership project to recycle polyurethane fridge insultation into polyol

BASF is working in a partnership project to develop a new process for the recycling of polyurethane insulation materials from old fridges, said the company.

The depolymerisation chemical recycling process will enable the material to be turned into a polyol, which in turn can be used in the production of new polyurethane materials.

Currently, rigid foam insulating material from fridges ends up as ‘regrind’ which is used for energy generation.

Initial trials on the new process have produced positive results, BASF said in a statement.

“This innovative process is particularly challenging because it has to be very robust in order to reliably convert post-consumer waste with high levels of foreign substances into a high-quality recycled polyol. The progress made by the four partners is promising.”

The project’s goal is to develop an industrial process that delivers high-quality recycled polyols comparable to those obtained from primary fossil raw materials, the German chemicals producer added.

BASF is collaborating with REMONDIS Electrorecycling, RAMPF Eco Solutions, and machine and systems manufacturer KraussMaffei.

We remind, Fluor Corporation announced that the company was awarded two reimbursable engineering, procurement and construction management contracts by BASF for the ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol and infrastructure, offsites and utilities packages as part of the company’s new Verbund program in Zhanjiang, Guangdong province, Chin.
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Sika CEO sees long list of potential buyers for MBCC assets

Sika CEO sees long list of potential buyers for MBCC assets

Swiss construction chemicals major Sika has begun the process of looking for “a competent buyer” for part of the MBCC admixture business it is acquiring, said Reuters.

Closing of the MBCC acquisition has been delayed until H1 2023 to allow for an in-depth examination by UK regulator, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) which is concerned about its impact on the UK's chemical admixtures market. Chemical admixtures are an essential input for concrete and cement used in the construction industry.

MBCC Group is the construction chemicals business carved out of BASF. In 2020, it was acquired for €3.17bn by private equity firm Lone Star, which agreed to sell it to Sika a year later. MBCC which has a staff of about 7,500 people worldwide, has sales of around €3bn.

Sika has obtained unconditional approval for the deal from authorities in most jurisdictions, including Japan, China, Brazil, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Thailand. Meanwhile, Sika raised its full-year 2022 sales guidance and now expects sales in local currencies to rise by more than 15% from 2021, compared with an earlier guidance of 10% growth.

As per MRC, Sika is still waiting for regulators to approve its planned acquisition of Germany-based MBCC Group. Sika agreed to acquire MBCC in November 2021. Sika keeps co-operating closely with authorities and currently hopes to complete the deal by the end of 2022, it said.
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Spolchemie plans options for hydrogen by-product

Spolchemie plans options for hydrogen by-product

Czech chemicals company Spolchemie is looking at alternatives for the use of the hydrogen it generates as a by-product of chlorine production, said the company.

The by-product is currently used to drive steam-turbine generators. A feasibility study carried out for Spolchemie by German engineer Bilifinger looked at options to use the hydrogen in applications in mobility: buses, trains, and cars.

The hydrogen by-product can be cleaned, cooled and compressed for onwards transportation by road, rail or pipeline. Considering a capacity of up to 2,000 tonnes/year of hydrogen, the feasibility study analyzed ways to transport these large amounts to Prague and Bratislava, using composite vessels, with a first project expected to be realised in 2025.

“As our many innovations, investments and efficiency improvements show, we take our environmental responsibility seriously and this includes using our by-products to increase for example sustainable mobility,” said Daniel Tamchyna, CEO of Spolchemie.

We remind, AOC, Kaprain and Spolchemie announce they have reached agreement on AOC acquiring the Unsaturated Polyester Resin (UPR) manufacturing operations located at the Spolchemie site in Usti nad Labem (Czech Republic).

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IPACKCHEM acquires majority stake in TPG Plastics

French plastic packaging products company IPACKCHEM has acquired a majority stake in TPG Plastics, said the company.

With the deal, IPACKCHEM plans to produce its in-mould fluorination barrier packaging products at TPG's plant in Murray, Kentucky. “This transaction is an important step for IPACKCHEM to deliver on our promise to serve our international customers from a truly global manufacturing footprint,” said JP Morvan, the company's founder and CEO.

“We plan to supply the North American crop protection market as of the 2023-2024 season, while continuing to expand TPG’s existing customer base,” the CEO said. Financial details were not disclosed.

We remind, SK Capital Partners, LP, a private investment firm focused on the specialty materials, chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors, has completed its previously announced acquisition of Ipackchem Group SAS, a leader in sustainability-oriented barrier packaging.

IPACKCHEM is a global supplier of specialised barrier packaging solutions that service the crop protection and specialty chemicals end markets.

The company, which last year was acquired by US private equity firm SK Capital, has plants in Europe, the UK, China, India, Brazil, and South Africa.

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ExxonMobil shuts Fos-Sur-Mer refinery in France due to strike

ExxonMobil shuts Fos-Sur-Mer refinery in France due to strike

ExxonMobil is gradually shutting down its 235,000 barrel per day (bpd) Fos-Sur-Mer refinery in France as a result of ongoing strike action, the company said in an emailed statement, as per Reuters.

Walkouts caused the gradual shut down of Exxon's 240,000 bpd Port Jerome-Gravenchon oil refinery and Notre Dame de Gravenchon (NDG) petrochemical site in France on Sept. 20 before spreading to Fos-Sur-Mer 24 hours later.

French unions CGT and Force Ouvriere called for a strike on Tuesday following wage negotiations with Exxon Mobil related to rising inflation in Europe.

"We are gradually shutting down the Gravenchon refinery and petrochemical plant and we have started preparations to gradually shut down the Fos refinery," an Exxon Mobil spokesperson said in the statement.

"This unfortunate situation may impact our customers, contractors, suppliers, and employees, and affects the international reputation of Exxon Mobil activities in France," the statement said.

We remind, PETRONAS Chemicals Group Berhad (PCG), the petrochemical arm of PETRONAS, and ExxonMobil have signed a memorandum of understanding to assess the potential for large-scale implementation of advanced plastic recycling technology to help create a circular economy for plastics in Malaysia.

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