Displaying items by tag: solenis
Solenis and PhaBuilder cooperate to develop PHA-based materials for sustainable paper-based packaging market
Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, has signed an agreement with Beijing PhaBuilder Biotechnology Co., Ltd., (hereinafter referred to as PhaBuilder), an innovative synthetic biology enterprise, to collaborate on further developing key PHA-based (Polyhydroxyalkanoate) technology for the paper packaging market.
“The global agreement between Solenis and PhaBuilder will enable unique technology to the paper packaging market to meet the growing need for more sustainable solutions in the packaging industry,” said William (Bill) Kuecker, Senior Director, Global Strategic Marketing, at Solenis.
“This strategic cooperation will help enhance the application of PHA-based materials,” said Ms. Sherry Xu, President, PhaBuilder. “The newly developed technology will ultimately reduce the impact on the environment, bringing a greener and more sustainable future.”
“I’m delighted to witness the strategic agreement signage between Solenis and PhaBuilder,” said Ed Connors, Chief Business Officer, Americas, and Global Business President, Consumer Solutions, at Solenis. “Solenis has been committed to improving our sustainability — and the sustainability of our customers. This agreement is a new milestone in our dedication to the sustainable strategic vision.”
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including consumer, industrial, institutional, food and beverage, and pool and spa water markets. Owned by Platinum Equity, the company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives, and cleaners and disinfectants, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact, and create cleaner and safer environments. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 69 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 16,100 professionals in 130 countries across six continents. Solenis is a 2024 Best Managed Company Gold Standard honoree, recognized four years in a row.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media.
About PhaBuilder
PhaBuilder is a company with leading synthetic biotechnology, focusing on the transformation and engineering of halophilic microorganisms. Established in February 2021 by Professor Guoqiang Chen, director of the Center for Synthesis and Systems Biology at Tsinghua University, PhaBuilder mainly uses the cutting-edge “Next Generation Industrial Biotechnology (NGIB)” to develop and produce a variety of high-value-added products such as PHA, a biodegradable material, ectoine, a pharmaceutical intermediate, and cadaverine, a Nylon 56 precursor.
In the future, PhaBuilder will constantly promote synthetic biotechnology to deeply integrate with people’s lives and upgrade the intelligent biological manufacturing industry, in order to achieve PhaBuilder’s core mission of “using microbes to change the world and build a green future.”
Solenis To Acquire Paper Process Chemicals Business of KLK Kolb Group
Acquisition will expand Solenis’ product offering and provide long-term supply agreement for process chemistries.
Solenis and Kolb Distribution Ltd. (“Kolb”), a unit of KLK Kolb Group, have announced that Solenis has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire the latter’s paper process chemicals business. The deal includes a long-term supply agreement, in which the KLK Kolb Group will manufacture paper process chemicals exclusively for Solenis.
KLK Kolb Group offers a broad portfolio of paper process chemicals, including deposit control, cleaning and foam control agents primarily for the EMEA pulp and paper markets. Its wide range of manufacturing process technologies, including alkoxylation, esterification and dispersion, enables KLK Kolb Group to offer a broad range of products, as well as offer customized solutions for its customers.
The transaction is expected to be completed before the end of Q1 2023, subject to regulatory approval and customary closing conditions.
Solenis and KLK Kolb Group will continue to operate as independent companies until the transaction is complete.
“Kolb’s outstanding reputation is built on their customer-centric and high-quality service business model. We are excited to welcome the Kolb team and their excellent product portfolio as we continue to strive toward being the best-in-class provider of paper process chemicals,” said John Panichella, CEO, Solenis.
“Establishing a long-term supply agreement will provide customers throughout EMEA assurance of supply for cost-effective and high-quality products,” said Jonas Boström, vice president and general manager, EMEA Consumer Solutions, Solenis. “The added range of process technologies and product flexibility ensures that we can meet even more application-specific product needs.”
“KLK Kolb Group has a reputation of providing our customers with extensive application know-how and expertise to provide the best solutions to tackle complex challenges,” said Florian Krückl, managing director, KLK Kolb Group. “I am confident that by combining our paper process chemicals portfolio with Solenis’ channel to market, we will drive value through an enhanced customer experience.”
The Kolb transaction marks the fourth add-on acquisition since Platinum Equity acquired Solenis last year.
“Solenis is proving to be an outstanding platform for growth, both organically and through strategic M&A,” said Platinum Equity Partner, Jacob Kotzubei. “We will continue working with John and the management team to find more opportunities to help the company expand.”
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. Owned by Platinum Equity, the company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 49 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,400 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2022 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com or follow us on social media.
About Kolb
KLK Kolb Group manufactures surfactants and other chemical specialties. Our main products are fatty alcohol and acid ethoxylates, fatty amine ethoxylates, phosphate esters, alcohol sulphates and sulphonates, ester quats, triglyceride ethoxylates, sorbitan esters and other chemistries that are used for wetting, emulsifying, low foaming, solubilizing, viscosity modifying and viscosity stabilizing. The company processes natural and synthetic raw materials into high-quality products at three production sites in Switzerland and the Netherlands employing around 500 people.
KLK Kolb Group is a unit of KLK Oleo, a global oleochemical producer with integrated complexes located strategically in Malaysia, Indonesia, China, and Europe. KLK OLEO offers an array of high-quality, innovative and sustainable products and solutions. It is the manufacturing division of Kuala Lumpur Kepong Berhad, a leading international plantations group, listed on Bursa Malaysia, with a market capitalization of approximately USD5.2 billion at the end of September 2021.
For more information, please visit www.kolb.ch and www.klkoleo.com
Solenis Releases 2021 Sustainability Report
Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals used in water-intensive industries, has released its 2021 Sustainability Report summarizing the company’s environmental stewardship, social responsibility and governance (ESG) initiatives for the previous fiscal year. The report is available for download at www.solenis.com/en/sustainabilityreport. It’s considered a progress update on company initiatives and baseline data that were first reported from 2020.
“Our goal with the Solenis Sustainability Report is to continue providing transparency about our organization while setting targets and tracking the initiatives that keep us accountable along our sustainability journey,” said CEO John Panichella.
The 2021 report is based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standards and has been externally validated by an independent certification agency. Important highlights include:
- Revisions and prioritization of U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address gender equality, clean water and sanitation, decent work and economic growth, responsible consumption and production, climate action and partnerships for the goals, such as working with employees to address community needs where Solenis operates.
- Recognition as a Platinum-rated company by EcoVadis, a leading rating agency in corporate social responsibility and sustainable procurement. The Platinum status indicates that Solenis scored in the Top 1% of chemical companies that were evaluated for sustainability management.
- Key measures in the category of Well-being, Health and Safety of Our People showed 820 new hires. Globally, female employees make up 24% of the 5,300-employee workforce and 21% of executive leadership positions are held by women. In the U.S., racial/ethnic diversity makes up 37%. These measures are positive indicators that Solenis is focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and is empowering employees to participate in change and growth.
- Health and safety metrics showed 30 work sites having lasted at least one year without a recordable injury, 11 sites were injury free for at least 5 years and 4 sites for at least 10 years.
- Solenis launched several key Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives in the past year, including a diverse pipeline and scholarship program and a women’s leadership sponsorship program. Others included an expansion of employee network groups and a celebration of International Women’s Day, Juneteenth and an International PRIDE event. An Allyship program was also introduced to support an inclusive work environment.
- Solenis reported on targets and key performance indicators of its sustainability goals that include customer relationships, R&D innovation and digitalization. Each of these goals works as part of a broader initiative to address global issues such as water scarcity, deforestation and climate change.
“We’re proud to continue showing progress across all of our sustainability efforts and also grateful to learn where we need further emphasis,” said Panichella. “With some of our strongest gains in the area of social performance, along with 820 new hires and a more diverse and more engaged workforce, we are confident we will make further strides toward our goals.”
To read the 2021 Solenis Sustainability Report and to learn more about the company’s roadmap for sustainability, visit www.solenis.com/en/sustainability/sustainability-roadmap.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2022 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit solenis.com
Solenis Recognizes Contact Energy as Winner of a 2021 Sustainability Award for Project That Significantly Offset Carbon Dioxide Emissions
Solenis LLC, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is proud to announce that Contact Energy Limited is a winner of a 2021 Solenis Sustainability Award. Contact Energy’s Wairakei geothermal power plant in Taupō, New Zealand, has received recognition for a project that offset carbon dioxide emissions by around 57,000 tons of CO2 equivalent (tCO2e, which includes methane) over one year, compared to coal.
Contact Energy’s project was focused on returning an 8-megawatt geothermal well to full production capacity. Buildup of minerals, mostly in the channels through the rocks underground near the well (formation scale), reduced the flow of steam so severely that the well could no longer contribute to the electricity output of the plant.
Any shortfall in low-carbon geothermal electricity generation in New Zealand is made up by fossil fuels, increasing the country’s carbon footprint. Abandoning the well and drilling a new one would cost up to $10 million, which was not a satisfactory option. Cleaning the well with harsh chemicals, such as hydrofluoric acid, was also unattractive because of its cost, aggressive nature, risks to operators and short-term effectiveness, especially on the silica formation scale seen at Wairakei.
Contact Energy needed a solution and partnered with Solenis field professionals and technical specialists to work on the problem. Solenis recommended a new method of cleaning the rock formation that combined advanced concepts from reservoir engineering, geology and pumping dynamics. The solution used low concentrations of chemicals, high pressure, high flow rates and carefully controlled flow to allow cleaning chemicals to penetrate the fissures in the rock formation and dissolve the scale buildup.
Trials showed it was so effective that a well’s output capabilities could not only be recovered but expanded. The expansion is attributed to stimulation of the formation near the wellbore by dissolution of rock minerals, creating slightly larger pathways for flow. In addition to the method’s effectiveness, the chemical portfolio developed by the Solenis team performed exceptionally well in geothermal conditions, had a significantly improved safety profile and was far more cost-effective than conventional methods.
The solution developed by Contact Energy and Solenis produced outstanding results. With the wellbore cleaned of scale, output peaked at 130 percent of the well’s expected recoverable capacity, which translated to an increased power generation of around 50,000 megawatt-hours over the year following the clean.
Because this geothermal energy source is very low carbon, it has a positive effect on carbon emissions. Estimated emissions from this geothermal generation over that one year are 1,080 tCO2e, significantly less than fossil fuel alternatives. Generating the same power from coal would produce around 58,600 tCO2e, or 23,900 tCO2e from combined-cycle gas.
Contact Energy was very pleased with the outcome of the project. John Clark, Chief Generation Officer at Contact Energy, said, “Our company strategy is to lead New Zealand’s decarbonization journey, and our renewable generation capacity has a critical role to play. To be able to take our existing operations and continuously improve and deliver better outcomes for the whole of New Zealand is incredibly exciting. We will continue to invest our time and resources to build a better New Zealand for future generations.”
Solenis was equally pleased by the partnership. Andrew Dine, the New Zealand commercial lead at Solenis, said, “Our company values collaboration. We try to be present with advice for our customers in their water-intensive tasks or long-term strategies. Wherever these goals and sustainability intersect, we’ll be there.”
The Solenis Sustainability Awards program reviews customer projects completed over the previous 12 months and chooses those delivering high value and high impact. The awards recognize projects in five sustainability categories, including reduced water use, reduced energy use, improved carbon footprint, reduced waste and optimized raw material utilization. To learn more about Solenis and sustainability, visit the Solenis website at: www.solenis.com/en/sustainability/strategic-vision
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2022 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit solenis.com
About Contact Energy
Contact Energy is one of New Zealand’s largest energy retailers and generators. The company generated 8.4 terawatt hours of electricity from hydro, geothermal and gas last year and managed more than 550,000 customer connections. Contact Energy’s vision is to build a better New Zealand and play a leading role in the decarbonization of the energy sector and wider economy.
Solenis Recognized as a US Best Managed Company
Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals used in water-intensive industries, is proud to announce it has been selected as a 2022 US Best Managed Company. Sponsored by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal, the program recognizes outstanding U.S. private companies and the achievements of their management teams.
The 2022 designees are U.S. private companies that have demonstrated excellence in strategic planning and execution, a commitment to their people and fostering a dynamic, resilient culture, as well as strong financials. This year’s designees continued to propel their businesses forward by prioritizing purpose, investing in their workforces and demonstrating their commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“It is an honor to receive this award in consecutive years. Our key focus continues to be the growth and delivery of sustainable solutions to our customers around the world. Throughout Solenis, our leaders are dedicated to enhancing employee experiences, supporting customers in their sustainability journeys and creating value across all stakeholder groups. I am proud of our team for achieving these ambitious goals while completing a major acquisition and adjusting to new ownership,” said Philip M. Patterson Jr., Solenis senior vice president and chief financial officer.
Applicants are evaluated and selected by a panel of external judges focused on assessing hallmarks of excellence in four key areas: strategy, ability to execute, corporate culture and governance/financial performance. They join a global ecosystem of honorees from more than 40 countries recognized by the Best Managed Companies program.
About the Best Managed Companies Program
The Best Managed Companies program is a mark of excellence for private companies. U.S. designees have revenues of at least $250 million. Hundreds of private companies around the world have competed for this designation in their respective countries through a rigorous and independent process that evaluates four key criteria in their management skills and practices — strategy, execution, culture and governance/financials. U.S. program sponsors are Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. For more information, visit www.usbestmanagedcompanies.com.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2022 US Best Managed Company.
Solenis Names International Paper a 2021 Sustainability Award Winner for a Water-Saving Project at Its Pine Hill Mill
Solenis LLC, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is pleased to recognize International Paper’s Pine Hill, Ala., Containerboard Mill as a winner of the 2021 Solenis Sustainability Award. The installation of an ultrasonic bed depth monitor and chemical automation on the plant’s raw water clarifier resulted in water savings of 1,300,000 gallons annually.
The Solenis Sustainability Award recognizes specific and verifiable customer projects that have delivered meaningful, measurable results against one of five sustainability indicators — reduced water use, reduced energy use, improved carbon footprint, reduced waste and optimized raw material use. The Pine Hill project earned high marks against more than one of these indicators. Installing the new monitor helped the facility save water, but it also decreased consumption of polymer flocculant, cutting chemical transportation costs and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 2,000 tons per year.
“It’s very gratifying to be involved with projects that protect both a customer’s bottom line and the planet we all inhabit,” said Brent Taylor, the account owner at Solenis. “It was our focus on innovation and automation that enabled us to partner with Pine Hill to come up with a solution that addressed their unique challenge.”
The design of Pine Hill’s raw water clarifier requires operators to monitor the height of the sludge bed in the bottom and keep it from getting too high or too low by adjusting blowdown or polymer flocculant. At least two to three times a month, especially in dark or rainy conditions, operators were unable to see the sludge bed adequately, leading them to increase blowdown frequency and/or consume more polymer. Solenis recommended installing an ultrasonic bed depth monitor to report the height of the sludge bed to the control room. This allowed operators to know the height of the sludge bed regardless of external conditions and to receive alerts when the bed height fell out of range. Polymer dosing was also tied to this measurement for automatic adjustments via Solenis’ OnGuard monitoring and control platform.
After installing the monitor, Pine Hill was able to eliminate one to two mill water upsets per month and to eliminate polymer over- and under-dose issues. By the numbers, the savings linked to the project are summarized below:
- Sulfuric acid (lb active): 105,000
- Caustic (lb active): 96,000
- Pretreated water (gallon): 1,300,000
- Natural gas (ft3): 3,200,000
- Black liquor (solid lb): 440,000
- CO2 emissions (tons/year): 2,000
“Our collaboration with Solenis has enabled our facility to implement a small change that has led to enormous impact,” said Vern Gomonit, an area process manager at International Paper. “We often talk about the IP Way — doing the right things, in the right ways, for the right reasons, all of the time. This award demonstrates our commitment to the IP Way and how, working together, we can meet our sustainability goals.”
To learn more about the Sustainability Award program at Solenis, please visit the website.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit solenis.com or follow us on social media.
About International Paper
International Paper (NYSE: IP) is a leading global supplier of renewable fiber-based products. We produce corrugated packaging products that protect and promote goods, and enable worldwide commerce, and pulp for diapers, tissue and other personal care products that promote health and wellness. Headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., we employ approximately 38,000 colleagues globally. We serve customers worldwide, with manufacturing operations in North America, Latin America, North Africa and Europe. Net sales for 2021 were $19.4 billion. Additional information can be found by visiting www.InternationalPaper.com
Zume and Solenis Double Down on Existing Partnership to Accelerate the Adoption of Sustainable Packaging in the Global Food Industry
Zume, the sustainability solutions company creating economically viable substitutes for single-use plastics, have just announced it is furthering its partnership with Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals. Together, the companies are launching a comprehensive line of PFAS-free packaging to replace plastic and styrofoam with a sustainable alternative for food service applications.
- The companies are introducing a comprehensive line of 100% PFAS-free molded fiber packaging, including hot cup lids, bowls, egg cartons, protein trays and more
- 40% of manufactured plastics is for packaging; most of it is discarded within minutes of opening and about 8M tons of plastic waste ends up in oceans from coastal nations
- Zume and Solenis aim to help global food brands replace plastic and styrofoam packaging with a sustainable and cost-effective solution
Popular for their grease- and water-resistant properties, PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are widely used chemicals commonly found in food packaging. While molded fiber packaging can be composted, PFAS do not degrade naturally and can leach from containers and move through soils, contaminating drinking water sources and significantly damaging the sustainability and circularity profile of molded fibers.
The joint partnership furthers efforts from Zume and Solenis to expand PFAS-free molded fiber solutions to replace entire categories of single-use plastic without harmful chemicals. Zume will provide its advanced molded fiber manufacturing capabilities and professional services, and Solenis will supply its unparalleled expertise in functional additives and surface coatings which increase the strength and functionality of Zume’s fiber recipes.
“Development of an economically viable solution for brands to transition from plastic and foam packaging is the goal of the collaboration,” said Zume CEO and Chairman Alex Garden. “Our patented molded fiber manufacturing equipment system and technology enable us to offer sustainable packaging at the same price or less than plastic. This partnership with Solenis advances efforts to eliminate single-use plastic and enables brands to keep commitments to stop using PFAS.”
“Our partnership with Zume showcases the deep expertise of both of our companies in packaging production and design,” said Solenis CEO John Panichella. “Bringing together our technical talents, we can create truly sustainable food packaging without sacrificing the quality and performance of packaging containing PFAS.”
The companies have outlined a technology roadmap of solutions they will collaborate on, including hot cup lids, bowls, plates, premium egg cartons, coffee cup lids, protein trays, and yogurt cups. Zume and Solenis aim to help global food brands replace their plastic and foam packaging with a sustainable and cost-effective alternative.
Today’s announcement builds on other breakthrough work from Zume and Solenis, which brought the packaging community together to accelerate the removal of PFAS with the world’s first open-source guide to PFAS-free packaging for global food manufacturers and CPG brands.
To learn more about how Zume and Solenis are helping brands replace plastic and styrofoam packaging with a sustainable PFAS-free solution, visit: zume.com/zume-x-solenis.
About Zume
Founded in 2015 and HQ in Camarillo, California, Zume is actively reducing the world’s plastic waste with economically viable substitutes for plastic packaging. As creators of the world’s most advanced molded-fiber manufacturing system, Zume is a global provider of sustainability solutions and offers a growing range of sustainable manufactured solutions and services across the food, beverage, healthcare, and CPG categories. For more information visit www.zume.com.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.
Solenis Is Creating New Packaging Centers of Excellence To Serve Global Consumer Paper Packaging Market
New facility in Germany, along with new virtual collaboration portal, reinforces company’s commitment to helping customers develop sustainable packaging
Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, is developing two new international centers of excellence for advancing sustainable solutions in the consumer paper packaging industry.
Currently under construction in Mönchengladbach, Germany, one center of excellence is expected to be finished in late 2022. The other center, a new Solenis virtual collaboration portal, will also launch before the end of the year. The virtual portal will allow customers to participate in live, real-time lab trials and watch videos on experiments and testing capabilities in the areas of strength, digital print, barrier coatings and colorants.
The center in Mönchengladbach will be integrated with customer application labs in a new facility totaling nearly 2,200 square meters. It will feature a variety of capabilities and several new pieces of equipment, including hot air sealing devices and a pilot scale coater used for development, screening and customer support, mainly in the area of barrier coatings.
These new centers of excellence join the existing facility already available in Wilmington, Delaware. Solenis is reviewing plans to upgrade and expand this facility in the near future. The company is also assessing options to open a packaging center of excellence in Shanghai, China, to support customers and meet the growth of sustainable packaging in the Asia Pacific region.
The growing demand for environmentally sustainable packaging led by consumers, brands and regulators is creating unique opportunities for the paper packaging industry to deliver alternatives to single-use plastics. Solenis is at the forefront in developing PFAS-free barrier coatings to help replace plastics used in fast-food packaging, corrugated board, single-use cups and other food and beverage packaging elements. The company also provides other key products, such as strength additives for paper and board packaging.
With a sole focus on addressing the latest paper packaging challenges, the new centers of excellence add to the company’s global network of R&D capabilities. Paper manufacturers, converters and consumer brand owners will be able to use the centers to collaborate with Solenis scientists on R&D efforts to solve their packaging issues. Customers and partners will have access to expert support and the latest solutions from the company’s broad portfolio of both functional chemistries and sustainable barrier coatings.
“The goal of both Solenis centers is to foster collaborative partnerships and alliances across the entire supply chain to accelerate innovation and bring novel sustainable products to market faster,” said Christoph Adami, Vice President, Global Marketing and Technology, Consumer Solutions. “Not only are we expanding our technical capabilities but also our offerings to collaborate physically and virtually with customers and partners. The new centers represent Solenis’ ongoing investment in developing paper packaging solutions.”
“As a full-service provider of a complete range of chemistry solutions essential to paper packaging performance, Solenis is uniquely positioned to work across the entire value chain and offer new-to-the-world solutions that meet the sustainability challenges facing the industry today,” said Richard Brooks, Global Marketing Director, Food Packaging. “We’re proud to drive the industry to a more sustainable future, and we hope to foster critical partnerships around a common goal.”
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com
Solenis Joins as New Partner in PulPac’s Expanding Dry Molded Fiber Network
Global leader in specialty chemicals for paper packaging to provide sustainable barrier coating solutions
In a world desperate for alternatives to plastics, the market-pull for dry molded fiber is enormous. To support converters in the transition to the new technology, PulPac continuously expands its network of preferred partners and suppliers. Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions, has joined this global network of leaders supporting the dry molded fiber community.
“We are excited to be a force for sustainable change in the packaging industry by contributing to this groundbreaking technology. Solenis has a prominent culture of innovation, consistently delivering new-to-the-world products and next-generation technologies to meet the ever-changing market needs and challenges our industrial customers face. I believe we are uniquely positioned to provide safe and sustainable barrier solutions designed for circularity to the dry molded fiber converters that lead the way and set new standards for fiber-based packaging,” says Daniel Palrén, Business Development Manager at Solenis. “Fiber-based products coated with these barrier coatings typically are repulpable, recyclable, compostable and biodegradable, thereby offering packaging producers a way to improve their sustainability credentials with brand owners, retailers and consumers.”
Dry Molded Fiber, invented and patented by PulPac, is a fiber-forming technology available to converters, brand owners and partners to help create a new and competitive standard in sustainable packaging. The pioneering technology is designed for the circular economy and uses affordable, globally available, renewable cellulose fibers to produce high-performance, fiber-based packaging and single-use products with highly competitive unit economics. Saving significant amounts of valuable water resources and energy, a dry molded fiber product can have up to 80% lower CO2 footprint compared to alternatives.
“Collaboration is key to putting an end to plastic pollution. By working together with leaders such as Solenis, we expand capabilities, expertise and capacity and speed up the on-going global transition to fiber, away from single-use plastics. The collaboration already shows very good results and together with Solenis’ reach, know-how and platform as a leading global chemistry supplier in fiber, we can work wonders on barrier technology,” says Linus Larsson, Chief Executive Officer at PulPac.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com
About PulPac
PulPac provides the packaging industry with a groundbreaking manufacturing technology for low-cost, high-performance fiber-based packaging and single-use products. By pioneering the technology of cellulose molding PulPac enables their customers to replace single-use plastics with a sustainable and cost competitive alternative globally.
For additional information about PulPac, please visit www.pulpac.com
Solenis Renames ESG Program to ESG+C™ to Highlight Customer Focus
New trademark reflects Solenis’ long-standing commitment to driving measurable value for customers through sustainability solutions
Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals for water-intensive industries, has trademarked the name for its environmental, social and governance (ESG) program. Now known as ESG+C™, the updated name formalizes the company’s long-standing commitment to delivering measurable value to its customers.
The U.S. Patent and Trade office granted Solenis final trademark approval for ESG+C™ in December 2021.
The addition of the “+C” represents the Solenis customer and accentuates the company’s focus on delivering strategic initiatives, metrics, benchmarking and quantifiable results to help customers stay competitive and meet their sustainability goals.
“While the demand for sustainability has been evolving for some time, the last 12 to 18 months have seen an acceleration in consumer awareness,” said Solenis CEO, John Panichella. “Solenis has a long history of providing ESG advisory, consultation and auditing services that emphasize the customer just as much as the other aspects of ESG.”
For example, the Solenis ValueAdvantageSM program identifies, documents and measures the value Solenis contributes to customers’ businesses with chemistry, support, service and expertise. Solenis promises to deliver a documented, quantified 5% return on each customer’s investment. Customers can leverage the findings of ValueAdvantageSM in their own sustainability report to demonstrate progress to their stakeholders, such as investors, partners and employees.
To recognize these partnerships in driving sustainability, Solenis introduced a structured sustainability award program in 2020. This program recognizes specific and verifiable customer projects that have delivered meaningful, measurable results against one of five sustainability indicators: reduced water use, reduced energy use, improved carbon footprint, reduced waste and optimized raw material utilization.
Through these ESG+C™ initiatives, Solenis is helping customers measurably reduce their environmental footprint. ESG+C™ successes include:
- Solenis helped one U.S. customer make changes to boiler water treatment, saving 23,131 kilowatts of energy, keeping 4,950 tons of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and conserving nearly 2 million gallons of water — the equivalent of 47,619 full bathtubs.
- A customer in Europe implemented a Solenis dewatering solution to save 185 million gallons of water and cut 1,413 tons of carbon dioxide emissions — equal to 1,077 cars driven for an entire year.
- An online cleaning program for heat exchangers at an Asian geothermal plant reduced downtime and lowered energy use by 210,000 kilowatts.
- A South American biorefining operation worked with Solenis experts to create efficiencies through advanced flocculants, saving nearly 8 million gallons of water a year.
Solenis maintains details on all of its sustainability partner projects, providing customers with a valuable resource for identifying additional opportunities to positively impact their sustainability efforts.
For information about the company’s commitment to sustainability, visit www.solenis.com/en/sustainability/strategic-vision.
About Solenis
Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power, municipal, and pool and spa markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids and functional additives, as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets, minimize environmental impact and maintain healthy water. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 47 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of over 6,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.
For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com