SK Chemicals launches recycled fiber fabrics

SK Chemicals launches recycled fiber fabrics

South Korea's SK Chemicals has launched recycled fiber fabrics developed jointly with Art Impact and Project 1907, eco-friendly social enterprises, through its plastic circulation ecosystem platform "Ieum.", said Kedglobal.

The fabrics are made of recycled materials such as chemically recycled polyethylene terephthalate (CR-PET) supplied by SK Chemicals as raw materials and are commercialized by Art Impact and Project 1907. The fabrics are made of 100% polyester and spandex blend.

Chemical recycling is a process of breaking down waste plastics into molecular units to make them into raw materials again, which can reduce the use of new plastics made from petroleum. SK Chemicals led this collaboration through Ieum and plans to build a business-to-business-to-consumer (B2B2C) sales network that connects the chemical recycling fiber supply chain with consumers.

The company is also expanding its cooperation structure with various textile fashion companies that handle clothing, daily necessities, camping goods, packaging materials, etc.

According to a strategy for nurturing the eco-friendly and recycled textile fashion industry published by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics & Trade (KIET), the global recycled polyester fiber market is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 4.9% and reach about USD3.7 billion in 2026.

On March 6, SK Chemicals decided to purchase the CR-PET unit of Shuye, a Chinese green materials specialist that had supplied raw materials to SK Chemicals, for about 130 billion won (USD100.1 million).

"Through the acquisition of Shuye's factory, we have secured a stable supply of chemically recycled PET with an annual capacity of 50,000 tons," said Kim Hyun-seok, head of business development at SK Chemicals. "We will strive to gain a foothold in the global recycled textile market, which is expanding not only in sustainable fashion-centered textile markets but also for industrial purposes."

We remind, Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced an integrated technology award from SP Chemicals and its subsidiary SP Olefins. SP Chemicals will license Lummus' CATOFIN technology for a new 800 KTA propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit, and SP Olefins will license Lummus' Novolen technology for a new 400 KTA polypropylene (PP) unit. Both units will be located at SP Chemicals' complex in Jiangsu Province, China.

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Clariant opens new PDH catalyst plant in China

Clariant opens new PDH catalyst plant in China

Clariant announced on Wednesday the grand opening of its new production facility of CATOFIN, a catalyst for propane dehydrogenation (PDH), in Jiaxing of China’s Zhejiang province, said the company.

CATOFIN delivers good productivity and reliability, raising overall profitability for propylene producers, the company said.

“This investment is part of our strategy to strengthen our regional footprint and increase the share of local production in China with leading catalysts technology in a strongly growing segment", said Jens Cuntze, President of Clariant Catalysts & Asia Pacific.

The Swiss franc (CHF) 80m (USD89m) project started operation in July 2022 with advanced digitalization and automation technologies.

We remind, Clariant Catalysts has collaborated with Evonik and thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions (tkIS) for a propylene oxide (PO) project in China. Qixiang Tengda will depend on Evonik-tkIS HPPO technology to transform propylene into PO, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. The new plant will have a capacity of 300,000 tonnes/y.

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LG Chem breaks ground on supercritical pyrolysis plant

LG Chem breaks ground on supercritical pyrolysis plant

LG Chem Ltd. has broke ground on a plant for pyrolysis and aerogel, a material for next-generation insulation in Seongmun National Industrial Complex in Dangjin, 150 kilometers southwest of Seoul, said Kedglobal.

The South Korean company is slated to inject 310 billion won (USD238.6 million) in the plant on the 240,000 square-meter site in the complex, boosting its plastic recycling businesses. It will mark the first supercritical pyrolysis factory in Korea.

Supercritical pyrolysis is a technology to decompose plastic with steam at temperature and pressure beyond the critical point of water. Global consumption of pyrolysis oil, a liquid substance generated from the process and subsequent cooling, is used for combustion in boilers and fuel in engines.

According to the petrochemical industry, the pyrolysis oil chemical recycling market is forecast to grow at an average annual rate of 17% to reach 3.3 million tons in 2030.

LG Chem will manufacture aerogel with its in-house technology. More than 95% of the material is composed of gas, making it ultralight and resistant to water and fire.

It is used as an insulation material to minimize heat loss when storing and transporting eco-friendly energy, such as liquid hydrogen. The company aims to begin the operation of the facility in 2024.

We remind, LG Chem will team up with Innerbottle and CJ Logistics to accelerate the construction of an eco-platform that will include plastic production, collection after use, and recycling. LG Chem announced on the 30th at the Yeouido LG Twin Towers that it signed the ‘2022 Resource Cycle Platform Construction MOU’ together with the innovative domestic startup Innerbottle and CJ Logistics. Department Leader of Sustainability1 Min-jong(Joseph) Lee from LG Chem, CEO Steve Seil Oh of Innerbottle, and Management Leader Heo Shin Yeol of CJ Logistics attended this event.

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Britain's Harbour Energy, bp to develop Viking CCS project

Britain's Harbour Energy, bp to develop Viking CCS project

Harbour Energy, Britain's largest oil and gas producer, said on Tuesday it has entered into an agreement with bp to develop the Viking CCS transportation and storage project, said Reuters.

Harbour will continue as operator of Viking CCS with a 60% interest, with bp acquiring a 40% non-operated share, the company said in a statement.

The announcement follows the UK's recent decision to launch the "Track 2" cluster sequencing process for carbon capture and storage (CCS), a technology that removes carbon dioxide emissions from the atmosphere and stores it underground.

Efforts to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and put it in underground storage have gained steam across Europe over the past few years as industries and governments seek to reduce emissions to meet their climate goals.

Harbour said the government recognizes Viking CCS as one of the leading transport and storage system contenders for this process, and that a final investment decision on the project is expected in 2024, subject to the outcome of the Track 2 CCS.

We remind, two Chinese polyester fiber makers are seeking Beijing's approval to build a $10-B refinery and petrochemical complex in Indonesia. The move comes as China ramps up talks on mega investments in Southeast Asia as part of President Xi Jinping's Belt and Road Initiative, and as Beijing limits approvals for new domestic refineries to cut carbon emissions and a fuel supply overhang.

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Clariant additives add up to a better future for plastic

Clariant additives add up to a better future for plastic

Clariant will present how its versatile additive solutions are adding extra values and new dimensions for the future of the plastic industry, said the company.

Highlighted in the Clariant booth will be the new AddWorks PKG 158 that offers huge performance enhancement on packaging, in addition to the AddWorks PKG 906 Circle and AddWorks AGC 970 G stabilizers that are valuable in plastic film recycling and extending its service life. Also in the spotlight will be the highly functional Exolit OP 1400 flame retardant that facilitates mechanical recycling. The high-performing wax additives of Licocare Vita / Licocene Terra, and the sustainability-focused Licocare RBW Vita are the other highlights in the show.

Clariant’s wide range of additives boast a broad spectrum of functionality and safety features that add values to plastics in multiple ways for many different industries such as packaging, electronics, agriculture and E-Mobility. As consumer demands from within China and overseas continue to rise after the pandemic, Clariant’s additive solutions will help these segments tap into the new opportunities more quickly and effectively.

“Versatility and safety hold the key for success in plastic as a key material in the fast-expanding E-Mobility and electronics industries where the industry requirements get more sophisticated by the day. Our wide range of AddWorks additives and Exolit flame retardants are therefore indispensable in helping our customers satisfy the new demands in our value chain,” says Jochen Ahrens, Global Vice President, E-Mobility & Electronics, Clariant BU Adsorbents & Additives. “With our new state-of-the-art facilities for Exolit OP halogen-free flame retardants in Daya Bay of China coming into operation later this year, I’m confident that our strong local manufacturing facilities, and the development capabilities at our One Clariant Campus laboratories in Shanghai will help us respond faster to customers’ needs, as we work more closely together.”

Clariant’s patent-protected Exolit OP 1400 flame retardant’s high effectiveness and strong mode of action makes it the preferred choice of flame retardant in the field of E-Mobility. In a low dosage of as little as 0.4mm of 16-20% in most polyamides, the industry’s leading fire standard of class UL94 V-0 can already be fulfilled.

We remind, Clariant, a focused, sustainable, and innovative specialty chemical company, today announced the completion of the divestment of its North American Land Oil business to Dorf Ketal, a specialty chemicals manufacturer and service provider headquartered in India, for USD 14.5 million on 31 March 2023.

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