Sika to expand capacity for concrete admixtures at US site

Sika is expanding production capacity for its ViscoCrete-brand superplasticizing concrete admixtures at its Sealy site, in Texas, US, the Swiss construction and specialty chemicals company said.

With the expansion, Sika will be able to meet rising demand in the US and Canada amid reshoring efforts and the trend towards sustainable construction, it said.

Reshoring to relocate manufacturing to the US, as well as initiatives such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) support the construction of new factories and infrastructure, Sika said.

ViscoCrete is a high-performance superplasticizer for concrete manufacturing. It allows producers to optimise their concrete mix designs to reduce concrete’s carbon footprint while maintaining the desired performance, the company said.

Financial or capacity details, or timelines for the expansion’s completion were not disclosed.

We remind, Sika has acquired a 30% stake in Concria Oy, a Finnish startup company specialised in innovative concrete floors. Concria has developed a technology that is a novel approach to concrete floor installation and polishing, Sika said. The technology includes special dry shake hardeners as well as a unique procedure and tools for grinding and polishing concrete floors.

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The compounding group HEXPOL TPE has added to its credentials: The International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC PLUS) was awarded to their site in Lichtenfels, Germany, in October, said the company.

ISCC PLUS is a global certification scheme providing traceability along the supply chain and guarantees correct and transparent use of the mass balance approach. All companies along the supply chain undergo the ISCC PLUS audit process, meaning when HEXPOL TPE purchases ISCC PLUS-certified raw materials, all upstream entities will have been verified. Sustainability declarations create a chain of custody from origin through to the brand owner.

Mass balance allows for a gradual increase of the non-virgin fossil share of polymer compounds with the target to reduce the use of fossil raw materials step by step. The certification allows HEXPOL TPE to produce ISCC PLUS certified bio, circular and/or bio circular attributed TPE materials via the mass balance approach.

We remind, HEXPOL has entered the US thermoplastics elastomer (TPE) compounding market with the acquisition of Star Thermoplastic Alloys and Rubbers for $26.5m. Star, with 30 employees at operations near Chicago and annual sales of about $20m, supplies customers in a number of segments, including automotive, building and construction, medical, industrial, electronics and consumer.

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Topsoe, a global leader in carbon emission reduction technologies, has signed licensing and engineering agreements with Santa Maria to develop a project, focusing on the production of renewable fuels from various renewable feedstocks, said Hydrocarbonprocessing.

The proposed project, located in East Texas, plans to produce a combination of renewable diesel and SAF at a production capacity of 3,000 bbl/d. The project will contribute to reduce emissions in the long-distance transportation and aviation sectors.

The need for a rapid scale up of SAF production is important. Aviation, according to World Energy Outlook 2023, accounts for over 2% of all energy-related emissions, and today SAF constitutes less than 0.01% of fuel used for aviation.

Topsoe will provide its HydroFlex process layout integrated with the company’s H2bridge technology to further reduce the carbon intensity of the renewable jet and diesel produced from the plant.

Henrik Rasmussen, Managing Director, The Americas, Topsoe, said: “We are thrilled to be partnering with Santa Maria on this project. Our shared commitment to support the renewable fuels market makes this collaboration a natural fit, and we look forward to seeing the positive impacts this project will bring.”

Pat Sanchez, Founder and CEO, Santa Maria Renewable Resources LLC, said: “Topsoe offers the optimal package of technical services for us to develop our renewable fuels project. The Topsoe team understands our value proposition and was very responsive towards deploying their proven technology in our integrated circular economy project.”

Renewable fuels are low-carbon fuels that are chemically identical to regular petroleum diesel or jet fuel but made from renewable sources. These renewable fuels produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions while performing the same as conventional petroleum diesel or jet fuel. They can be used as a drop-in fuel without modification to engines or fueling infrastructure. Renewable fuels are made from waste oils, animal fats, virgin oils or liquefied solid waste.

We remind, Topsoe, a global leader in developing solutions for a decarbonized world, has been selected by PT KPI as a technology licensor to provide its HydroFlex technology for the production of renewable fuels at the Cilacap Refinery Complex in Central Java, Indonesia. Once complete, the grassroot unit will use Topsoe’s technology to convert bio-feedstock into SAF and renewable diesel, with plans to produce 6,000 bpsd.

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Sika acquires a stake of 30% in Concria Oy, a Finnish startup company specializing in highly innovative concrete floors, said the company.

Concria has developed a new technology for concrete flooring, offering a wide range of advantages to contractors, architects, and property owners. Sika’s global network and complementary product portfolio will provide an attractive growth platform.

Concria has developed an excellent technology that represents a novel approach to concrete floor installation and polishing. It includes special dry shake hardeners as well as a unique procedure and tools for grinding and polishing concrete floors. This innovative technology enables a fast and efficient installment of highly decorative polished concrete floors featuring superior quality and durability properties.

Sika did not disclose how much it paid for the 30% stake.

We remind, Sika continues to invest in its polymer production at its Sealy site in the US state of Texas, Sika’s latest move marks its second polymer investment in the state of Texas in just five years. Polymers are chemical building blocks needed to manufacture Sika® ViscoCrete®, Sika’s high-performance, resource-saving concrete admixture. The company has initiated this expansion due to the rising demand for its concrete admixture in the USA and Canada.

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Adani Total Gas Ltd. (ATGL), a leading energy and city gas distribution company, co-promoted by the Adani Group and TotalEnergies, announces the initiation of a pioneering 'Green Hydrogen Blending Pilot Project', said the company.

As part of the project, ATGL will employ the latest technologies to blend Green Hydrogen (GH2) with natural gas for over 4,000 residential and commercial customers at Ahmedabad, Gujarat. GH2 is produced using electrolysis of water with electricity generated by renewable energy. Hydrogen blending is less carbon intensive than burning gas but has the same heating capabilities.

The project is expected to be commissioned by Q1 FY24-25 and the percentage of green hydrogen will be gradually increased in the blend to upto 8% or more, depending on regulatory approvals. After successfully completing the pilot, hydrogen blended fuel will be supplied stepwise to larger parts of the city and other license areas of AGTL. As per studies, an upto 8% hydrogen blend can reduce emission by upto 4%.

With this pilot, ATGL would like to partner with various stakeholders including regulatory authorities to share its firsthand learning and develop ecosystem about hydrogen blending in city gas distribution in India. This will also help in gaining and sharing knowledge on the operational aspects and the compatibility of blended fuel on existing infrastructure.

We remind, TotalEnergies has reported net income of $6.67bn (€6.33bn) in the third quarter of 2023, a marginal 1% increase compared with $6.62bn in the same period a year ago, said the company. In the July–September quarter of 2023, the French oil and gas company reported $54.41bn in revenue from sales, a 16% decline from $64.92bn in Q3 2022.

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