Page 149 - CW E-Magazine (24-9-2024)

News from Abroad News from Abroad

CHEMICAL INTERMEDIATES after a period of signifi cant slowdown, strengths, and transform the structure its Ehime Works in Japan in December
BASF opens new alkyl ethanolamines plant in Antwerp the signifi cant future capacity additions of this business into one that is stable 2022, and is currently working on tech-
in Asia would make it diffi cult for the and resilient to changes in market nology validation and marketing activi-
company to secure stable sales volumes conditions. ties to implement the chemical recycling
BASF has inaugurated a new pigments and resins in the coatings and margins in the medium to long term, technology as soon as possible. In May
world-scale production plant for alkyl industry. Other applications include especially in the area of general-purpose Recycling pivot 2024, the company also signed a colla-
ethanolamines at its Verbund site in fabric softeners, additives for metal- grades of the products. In addition to accelerating the trans- boration agreement with Lummus Tech-
Antwerp, Belgium. This new invest- working fl uids and polyurethanes. formation of its existing product port- nology, a major US technology licensor,
ment will increase the company’s Following these capacity reduc- folio and production systems, Sumitomo for the licensing and commercialisation
global annual production capacity for With approximately 300 different tions, Sumitomo Chemical said it will Chemical is making a major pivot in its of chemical recycling technology. Going
alkyl ethanolamines, including di- amines, BASF has the world’s most focus on speciality and high-value- petrochemicals business. For PMMA, forward, the company will further step
methyl ethanolamine (DMEOA) and diverse portfolio of this type of chemi- added PMMA products, in which the company completed a pilot facility up its efforts to provide MMA-related
methyl diethanolamine (MDEOA), by cal intermediates. Along with alkyl-, it can leverage its technological for chemical recycling of the plastic at solutions.
nearly 30 percent to over 140,000 tons alkanol-and alkoxyalkylamines, the
per year. company offers heterocyclic and POOLING RESOURCES
aromatic as well as specialty amines.
“With this new investment, we are BASF’s portfolio also includes an Lygos and CJ Bio partner on commercial-scale
expanding our global production net- expanding range of chiral amines,
work,” said Mr. Ketan Joshi, President known for their high optical and chemi- biorefi nery complex in US
of BASF’s operating division Inter- cal purity. The versatile products are
mediates. The new plant is an important used mainly to manufacture process Lygos, a US-based speciality chemi- facility,” said Mr. Eric Steen, Founder
part of the BASF production network chemicals, pharmaceuticals and crop cal company, and South Korean bio- and CEO of Lygos.
for this portfolio at the company’s Alkyl ethanolamines are mainly protection products, as well as cos- tech fi rm, CJ Bio, have signed a MoU
sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Ant- used as precursors for gas treatment metic products and detergents. They to develop a commercial-scale bio- Initially, the biorefi nery will sup-
werp, Belgium; Geismar, Louisiana; chemicals, for fl occulants applied in also serve to produce coatings, special refi nery complex in Fort Dodge, Iowa port the broad commercialisation of
and Nanjing, China. water treatment and as binders between plastics, composites and special fi bres. (USA), combining CJ Bio’s expertise Lygos’ fl agship products, producing
in fermentation and biotechnology with up to 40,000 mt/year of Soltellus bio-
PRODUCTION RESTRUCTURING Lygos’ advanced biology, chemistry degradable polymers and Ecoteria bio-
Sumitomo Chemical reduces methacrylates capacity and application development techno- based malonates with the potential to
expand to 100,000-mt/year. The partner-
logies for high-performing, sustainable
at Singapore site solutions. has recently formed a precision fermen- ship also contemplates an expansion
tation CDMO (Contract Development & to produce biobased aspartic acid and
The biorefi nery complex, a series of Manufacturing Organisation) business the launch of new biobased and bio-
Sumitomo Chemical Reduces MMA Sumitomo Chemical’s MMA/PMMA capacity facilities that use sustainable feedstock to bring more bio-based solutions to degradable materials.
Production Capacity at Singapore, (Unit: tons/year; fi gures in parentheses represent capacity before the reductions) to create high value chemicals and market,” said Mr. Lance Choi, CEO
Accelerating Business Restructuring MMA monomer PMMA materials, will utilise infrastructure and of CJ Bio America. “Scaling up our “The biorefi nery complex, in com-
as Part of Short-Term Intensive Perfor- Singapore* 53,000 (223,000) 50,000 (150,000) capabilities from CJ’s existing site, and existing CDMO partnership with Lygos bination with the recently announced
mance Improvement Measures. Lygos will develop additional facilities to manufacture commercial quantities Sustainable Solutions Centre in the San
Japan** 90,000 – and downstream operations for the pro- of their products will help us serve Francisco Bay Area, provides an inte-
Japan’s Sumitomo Chemical has Saudi Arabia*** 90,000 50,000 duction of its products. CJ’s existing our mission to deliver innovative and grated commercialisation platform across
decided to close two of the three pro- Total 233,000 (403,000) 100,000 (200,000) site is next to Cargill’s Fort Dodge corn sustainable products to large markets,” the entire value chain, enabling Lygos to
duction lines for methyl methacrylate *Sumitomo Chemical Asia; **includes Nihon Methacryl Monomer Co. Ltd.; ***Petro Rabigh, in mill, which will provide utilities and he added. control the product development process
(MMA) monomer and polymethyl which Sumitomo Chemical holds a 37.5% equity stake access to plant-derived sugar, a biobased from lab-scale to pilot-scale, to commer-
methacrylate (PMMA) at its Singa- 70% reduction in PMMA production water tanks in aquariums, and optical feedstock that can be fermented into the “We have identifi ed clear, higher cial production. This allows Lygos to
pore-based subsidiary, Sumitomo capacity at the location. components of liquid crystal displays. key intermediates for Lygos’ products. performance value propositions with seamlessly partner with customers to cost
Chemical Asia Pte. Ltd., by the end of MMA monomer is used as a raw material our customers, launched those products effectively develop and scale high-per-
September 2024. PMMA is a plastic that possesses in both PMMA and coating materials. CJ Bio is a business unit of CJ to the market, and are now pleased to be formance products, accelerating the path
outstanding transparency and weather CheilJedang, a subsidiary of Korea’ expanding our partnership with CJ to to market,” Lygos informed.
This will result in an approximately resistance, as well as a beautiful gloss. It Sumitomo Chemical noted that even CJ Group that operates in the fi elds of develop a biorefi nery complex in Fort
80% reduction in MMA monomer pro- is used in a wide range of applications, as the market conditions for MMA and food, bio & pharma, entertainment & Dodge to commercially manufacture Lygos anticipates an 18-24 month
duction capacity and an approximately such as automotive taillights, signage, PMMA are showing signs of recovery media, and retail & logistics. “CJ Bio our products at a readily expandable construction period after groundbreaking.

148 Chemical Weekly September 24, 2024 Chemical Weekly September 24, 2024 149

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