Chemical Additives in Food Packaging Materials

This article will provide food processors relevant information related to the safety of food contact substances (FCSs) present in food packaging, including plastics, glass, and metal containers. For clarity, the following are terms and definitions directly extracted from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).[1] This terminology is critically important, not only to the manufacturer of FCSs but also to food processors to better understand the methodology applied to ensure compliance with the right standards.   Food Additive: A food additive is defined in Section 201(s) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 (FD&C Act) as any substance the intended use of which results or may reasonably be expected to result, directly or indirectly, in its becoming a component or otherwise affecting the characteristic of any food (including any substance intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing, processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food; and including any source of radiation intended for any such use); if such substance is not GRAS or sanctioned prior to 1958 or otherwise excluded from the definition of food additives.

Spotlight

Synthos S.A.

We create innovative company with a significant position in the global market, which allows to obtain and maintain the position of one of the leaders in innovation in the chemical industry. At the same time we try to be close to our customers to meet their needs and deliver a product that fully meets their requirements. We constantly make profound changes in the sphere of production and work organization. In this way we were able to develop a coherent, integrated management system that made us one of the most modern and environmentally safe chemical companies in Europe.

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Chemical Management

Key Trends in the Digital Transformation of the Chemical Industry

Article | July 22, 2021

The chemical business is intricate, with numerous sub-sectors dealing with various challenges. Thus, there are some differences in the sector's main areas of digitalization. For instance, while specialty chemicals with smaller batches but larger profit margins are concerned with improving quality, large factories are concentrated on accelerating throughput speed. To be able to react to quick and repeated changes in demand, supply, and working circumstances, however, every plant must optimize output, reduce waste, improve safety and sustainability, and become more nimble. Therefore, the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and cloud computing are expected to be the three most popular applications for digital transformation during the coming two years. Key Trends Production Optimization The first and most valuable use cases of digitalization in chemical plants center on production optimization through improved equipment performance, process automation, remote and predictive monitoring, and simplified maintenance. Chemical factories, which often provide basic chemicals for use as end products in other sectors, have a special responsibility to maintain consistently high product quality. However, doing so can be challenging given the significant variations in raw material supply and quality. In addition, as process engineers can change the mix on the fly in reaction to fluctuations in quality, feedstock, or ambient temperatures, better data and analytics enable finer and more frequent adjustments. Lowering Waste The main advantage of digitally transformed plants so far has been cost reduction. The price volatility of raw materials is a problem for the chemical production sector because customers naturally want constant low prices. Minimizing waste is critical since facilities must contend with rising energy costs. Analytics tools that monitor fluctuating raw material prices aid factories in negotiating the best deals with suppliers and preparing in advance for price spikes. The risk of oversupply is reduced since plants can prepare the proper quantities of various products thanks to more precise demand predictions. Sustainability, Compliance, and Safety The chemical industry is heavily regulated as a result of the quantity of hazardous chemicals and the number of end-use industries that rely on it. Businesses are adopting digital transformation to boost safety awareness, reduce emissions and dangerous flare incidents, and guarantee a transparent and accurate audit trail. Plants that quickly adopt digital solutions for remote monitoring, supply chain visibility, waste reduction, production optimization, raising their safety profile, and opening up new opportunities will profit from higher profits and increased revenue, whereas those that hesitate for too long risk failing in the long run.

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Chemical Technology

Closing the loop: Real-time measurement of oil in water for process facilities

Article | July 20, 2022

When an oilfield’s reservoir pressure is depleted during primary recovery, additional oil can be recovered by recycling the produced water and injecting it back into the reservoir. Water management is critical for such water and water-alternating-gas (WAG) floods. In its Permian basin operations, Occidental recovers, recycles, and re-injects large volumes of water for its enhanced oil recovery (EOR) operations. With real-time monitoring of oil in water (OiW) delivering reliable and continuous data, Occidental identified a way to optimize the recovery process and is working with NOV to expand the use of OiW monitoring equipment.

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Chemical Management

Future-Proofing the Chemical Industry with Digitalization

Article | July 14, 2022

Over the next five to seven years, the chemical sector will place a greater emphasis on sustainability, and digitization will play a significant part in this. Reducing resource use, pollution, energy consumption, and waste are some of its main applications. Additionally, it will increase demand for a circular economy supported by IoT, AI, and other digital technologies. Some of the systems now in place or being used in the sector include autonomous solutions that enable lower energy usage, dispatching systems for effective logistics and strategies for sustainable power and fuel consumption. Chemical players making the switch to digital platforms have a chance to triumph if they move swiftly and update their operational models in accordance with a few common success characteristics. In fact, according to our study, making the correct decisions can increase total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization by 3 percent or more (EBITDA). The Next Step of Operational Excellence The same level of transformation is available with digital technology for optimal performance, together with success-enabling measures. The same level of corporate participation and realignment will also be necessary for the effective implementation of digital technology. Finance and telecoms were early leaders in adopting digital technology faster than the chemical sector, which has just recently started to move in more significant numbers toward digitalization. A circular economy in the sector is also being enabled by the use and evaluation of digital technology. The "Right to Fix" movement is being driven by governments and legislators in Europe and the US, and small and medium-sized businesses in the industry are expected to invest in technology that makes it easier to repair electronic items with the least amount of waste. On a side note, by enabling the re-use of resources and products throughout the supply chain, digitalization with lean manufacturing (LM) would enable businesses to improve operational excellence and create value, thereby supporting the circular economy goal. Conclusion Given its extensive safety and regulatory requirements, the chemical sector has evolved slowly. However, as the global economy changes, some skills will become obsolete and others essential. The interconnectedness of people, processes, and technology, as well as the requirement for real-time insight at the levels closest to the action, are among the basic principles of Industry 4.0. These values have existed for some time and are an extension of our teams' current operational excellence initiatives. Digital transformation is not a technology endpoint but rather the following stage in the process and business evolution as the chemicals industry advances continuously.

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Chemical Management

Pandemic’s third wave seems unlikely to damage global petrochemicals demand

Article | July 22, 2021

Petrochemical stocks plunged worldwide on 19 July ahead of the Q2 earnings season. The declines were consistent with those in economically sensitive sectors such as steel, copper, automotive and housing,” wrote my ICIS colleague, Joseph Chang, in this Insight article.

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Spotlight

Synthos S.A.

We create innovative company with a significant position in the global market, which allows to obtain and maintain the position of one of the leaders in innovation in the chemical industry. At the same time we try to be close to our customers to meet their needs and deliver a product that fully meets their requirements. We constantly make profound changes in the sphere of production and work organization. In this way we were able to develop a coherent, integrated management system that made us one of the most modern and environmentally safe chemical companies in Europe.

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Chemical Technology

Collaboration is “the name of the game” to build resilience, say speakers at 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference

Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association | June 04, 2021

The virtual conference was held on 26-27 May, attracting over 1300 attendees from 450 companies in 62 countries Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 May 2021 – The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of the last 15 months has demonstrated the acute importance of collaboration to build more agile, resilient, and responsive supply chains, said industry leaders at the 12th Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Supply Chain Conference held virtually on 26-27 May. Senior executives from across the chemical and petrochemical value chain, logistics service providers and shipping operators urged industry leaders to capitalize on the lessons learned during the pandemic and act upon them in the future – from collaborating more closely with the regulators, their customers, and strategic partners, to driving better supply chain visibility, investing in digitalization, building their workforce capabilities, and focusing on supply chain sustainability. In his keynote address, Hamad Alterkait, Chairman of the Kuwait based company, PIC, encouraged chemical leaders to engage in supply chain collaboration even with their competitors and keep their inventory in close customer proximity to improve their reliability and better serve their end markets. He told attendees at the virtual event: “Regional chemical producers must diversify their supply base even if it means incurring higher costs in order to cushion the impact from any future crisis. Companies must also explore out of the box supply chain solutions, using different scenarios, which may aid in addressing important challenges at a critical time.” Echoing Alterkait’s remarks on the importance of collaboration were Hosam Al-Zamil, VP, Global Supply Chain, SABIC; Ahmed Abdulla Al-Salahi, CCO, Q-Chem; and Ahmed Al-Katheeri, SVP - Supply Chain Management, Borouge, in the conference’s inaugural panel on the future of chemical supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic was a test to chemical supply chains’ resilience, as it demonstrated that the world is one global community, panelists said. “The future will not be the moving of our products; it will be the moving of data which will help enable responsiveness and agility and drive customer centricity to stay competitive. However, we cannot achieve this by working in silos. The chemical industry is just one part of the supply chain and we must work together to build a more resilient future,” Al-Katheeri added. A recent GPCA survey confirms the insights shared by speakers. It found that chemical supply chain and operations have been the single most impacted business function within downstream organizations in the GCC in the past 15 months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the path to recovery, chemical companies must focus on supply chain digitalization, sustainability, trade facilitation and regulatory engagement. Within these trends, carbon neutrality, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will be the key segments to focus on and drive the highest impact on businesses’ supply chains today, the survey found. Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented, “I was pleased to welcome the regional and global chemical industry to the virtual edition of the 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference last week and gain first-hand insight into the challenges associated with the pandemic on their chemical supply chain and operations. The audience was left with a message of positivity on what’s to come next and provided with a range of practical tips on how to address the uncertainty and any new crisis in the future. I hope delegates enjoyed attending the event and thank all our sponsors and partners for making this edition possible.” The 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference was held under the theme ‘Powering a resilient, responsive and agile supply chain’, attracting over 1300 attendees from 450 companies in 62 countries. To learn more, visit www.gpcasupplychain.com About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) was established in 2006 to represent the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the GCC. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing over USD 108 billion worth of products every year. GPCA supports the petrochemical and chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue, and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry. Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six working committees – Plastics, Supply Chain, Fertilizers, International Trade, Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care – and organizes six world-class events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and various other industry reports. For more information, visit www.gpca.org.ae. Contact: Slavka Atanasova Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association P. O. Box 123055, Dubai, United Arab Emirates T: + 44 7561 525126 E: slavka@gpca.org.ae or Hector Aquino hector@gpca.org.ae

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Chemical Technology

Enowa Partners with SAP to bring Perspective to the SAP Chemical Community

Enowa | February 19, 2021

Enowa, LLC is pleased to announce the partnership with SAP in the second edition of 2021 Partner Stage to bring viewpoint to the SAP Chemical Community. Enowa is active in the Chemical Industry, notably driving numerous business and S/4HANA changes and utilizing measure mining devices to help their S/4HANA excursion. In the new interview with Rick Place, Partner at Enowa and SAP's Solution Specialist for the Chemical Industry Business Unit, Matthew Reymann, Rick answered how Enowa effectively drives changes and features the significance of the SAP accomplice environment for the achievement of the Chemical Industry. Rick Place expresses the first concerns for the Chemical Industry is the requirement for speed in real data at real time, or near it. Further, Rick shares how coming from the beginning phases of monetary vulnerability and how that affects Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures – to largely extent driven by Enowa's Private Equity network. To achieve success, Enowa specialists are driving outcomes on these topics, a subset of our full competencies: About Enowa Enowa is a global, mid-sized SAP Gold Services partner established in nearly 20 years ago with a dedicated focus on business process and SAP consulting. About SAP A top cloud company with 200 million users worldwide, SAP helps businesses of all sizes and in all industries to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and achieve their purpose.

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Chemical Management

Huntsman Completes the Acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products, Further Expanding its Specialty Chemicals Portfolio

Huntsman | January 20, 2021

Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced it completed the acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products (Gabriel), a North American specialty chemical manufacturer of specialty additives and epoxy curing agents for the coatings, adhesives, sealants and composite end-markets, from Audax Private Equity. Huntsman paid $250 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, in an all-cash transaction funded from available liquidity. Gabriel had 2019 revenues of approximately $106 million with three manufacturing facilities located in Ashtabula, Ohio, Harrison City, Pennsylvania and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Based on calendar year 2019, the purchase price represents an adjusted EBITDA multiple of approximately 11 times, or approximately 8 times pro forma for synergies. Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2019 revenues of approximately $7 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. Certain information in this release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, ability to achieve projected synergies, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.

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Chemical Technology

Collaboration is “the name of the game” to build resilience, say speakers at 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference

Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association | June 04, 2021

The virtual conference was held on 26-27 May, attracting over 1300 attendees from 450 companies in 62 countries Dubai, United Arab Emirates, 31 May 2021 – The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic of the last 15 months has demonstrated the acute importance of collaboration to build more agile, resilient, and responsive supply chains, said industry leaders at the 12th Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) Supply Chain Conference held virtually on 26-27 May. Senior executives from across the chemical and petrochemical value chain, logistics service providers and shipping operators urged industry leaders to capitalize on the lessons learned during the pandemic and act upon them in the future – from collaborating more closely with the regulators, their customers, and strategic partners, to driving better supply chain visibility, investing in digitalization, building their workforce capabilities, and focusing on supply chain sustainability. In his keynote address, Hamad Alterkait, Chairman of the Kuwait based company, PIC, encouraged chemical leaders to engage in supply chain collaboration even with their competitors and keep their inventory in close customer proximity to improve their reliability and better serve their end markets. He told attendees at the virtual event: “Regional chemical producers must diversify their supply base even if it means incurring higher costs in order to cushion the impact from any future crisis. Companies must also explore out of the box supply chain solutions, using different scenarios, which may aid in addressing important challenges at a critical time.” Echoing Alterkait’s remarks on the importance of collaboration were Hosam Al-Zamil, VP, Global Supply Chain, SABIC; Ahmed Abdulla Al-Salahi, CCO, Q-Chem; and Ahmed Al-Katheeri, SVP - Supply Chain Management, Borouge, in the conference’s inaugural panel on the future of chemical supply chains. The COVID-19 pandemic was a test to chemical supply chains’ resilience, as it demonstrated that the world is one global community, panelists said. “The future will not be the moving of our products; it will be the moving of data which will help enable responsiveness and agility and drive customer centricity to stay competitive. However, we cannot achieve this by working in silos. The chemical industry is just one part of the supply chain and we must work together to build a more resilient future,” Al-Katheeri added. A recent GPCA survey confirms the insights shared by speakers. It found that chemical supply chain and operations have been the single most impacted business function within downstream organizations in the GCC in the past 15 months as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the path to recovery, chemical companies must focus on supply chain digitalization, sustainability, trade facilitation and regulatory engagement. Within these trends, carbon neutrality, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) will be the key segments to focus on and drive the highest impact on businesses’ supply chains today, the survey found. Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Sadoun, Secretary General, GPCA, commented, “I was pleased to welcome the regional and global chemical industry to the virtual edition of the 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference last week and gain first-hand insight into the challenges associated with the pandemic on their chemical supply chain and operations. The audience was left with a message of positivity on what’s to come next and provided with a range of practical tips on how to address the uncertainty and any new crisis in the future. I hope delegates enjoyed attending the event and thank all our sponsors and partners for making this edition possible.” The 12th GPCA Supply Chain Conference was held under the theme ‘Powering a resilient, responsive and agile supply chain’, attracting over 1300 attendees from 450 companies in 62 countries. To learn more, visit www.gpcasupplychain.com About the Gulf Petrochemicals & Chemicals Association The Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association (GPCA) was established in 2006 to represent the downstream hydrocarbon industry in the Arabian Gulf. Today, the association voices the common interests of more than 250 member companies from the chemical and allied industries, accounting for over 95 percent of chemical output in the GCC. The industry makes up the second largest manufacturing sector in the region, producing over USD 108 billion worth of products every year. GPCA supports the petrochemical and chemical industry in the Arabian Gulf through advocacy, networking and thought leadership initiatives aimed at helping member companies to connect, share and advance knowledge, contribute to international dialogue, and become prime influencers in shaping the future of the global petrochemicals industry. Committed to providing a regional platform for stakeholders from around the world, GPCA manages six working committees – Plastics, Supply Chain, Fertilizers, International Trade, Research and Innovation, and Responsible Care – and organizes six world-class events each year. The association also publishes an annual report, regular newsletters and various other industry reports. For more information, visit www.gpca.org.ae. Contact: Slavka Atanasova Gulf Petrochemicals and Chemicals Association P. O. Box 123055, Dubai, United Arab Emirates T: + 44 7561 525126 E: slavka@gpca.org.ae or Hector Aquino hector@gpca.org.ae

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Chemical Technology

Enowa Partners with SAP to bring Perspective to the SAP Chemical Community

Enowa | February 19, 2021

Enowa, LLC is pleased to announce the partnership with SAP in the second edition of 2021 Partner Stage to bring viewpoint to the SAP Chemical Community. Enowa is active in the Chemical Industry, notably driving numerous business and S/4HANA changes and utilizing measure mining devices to help their S/4HANA excursion. In the new interview with Rick Place, Partner at Enowa and SAP's Solution Specialist for the Chemical Industry Business Unit, Matthew Reymann, Rick answered how Enowa effectively drives changes and features the significance of the SAP accomplice environment for the achievement of the Chemical Industry. Rick Place expresses the first concerns for the Chemical Industry is the requirement for speed in real data at real time, or near it. Further, Rick shares how coming from the beginning phases of monetary vulnerability and how that affects Mergers, Acquisitions and Divestitures – to largely extent driven by Enowa's Private Equity network. To achieve success, Enowa specialists are driving outcomes on these topics, a subset of our full competencies: About Enowa Enowa is a global, mid-sized SAP Gold Services partner established in nearly 20 years ago with a dedicated focus on business process and SAP consulting. About SAP A top cloud company with 200 million users worldwide, SAP helps businesses of all sizes and in all industries to operate profitably, adapt continuously, and achieve their purpose.

Read More

Chemical Management

Huntsman Completes the Acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products, Further Expanding its Specialty Chemicals Portfolio

Huntsman | January 20, 2021

Huntsman Corporation (NYSE: HUN) today announced it completed the acquisition of Gabriel Performance Products (Gabriel), a North American specialty chemical manufacturer of specialty additives and epoxy curing agents for the coatings, adhesives, sealants and composite end-markets, from Audax Private Equity. Huntsman paid $250 million, subject to customary closing adjustments, in an all-cash transaction funded from available liquidity. Gabriel had 2019 revenues of approximately $106 million with three manufacturing facilities located in Ashtabula, Ohio, Harrison City, Pennsylvania and Rock Hill, South Carolina. Based on calendar year 2019, the purchase price represents an adjusted EBITDA multiple of approximately 11 times, or approximately 8 times pro forma for synergies. Huntsman Corporation is a publicly traded global manufacturer and marketer of differentiated and specialty chemicals with 2019 revenues of approximately $7 billion. Our chemical products number in the thousands and are sold worldwide to manufacturers serving a broad and diverse range of consumer and industrial end markets. We operate more than 70 manufacturing, R&D and operations facilities in approximately 30 countries and employ approximately 9,000 associates within our four distinct business divisions. Certain information in this release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current beliefs and expectations. The forward-looking statements in this release are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances and involve risks and uncertainties that may affect the company's operations, markets, products, services, prices and other factors as discussed under the caption "Risk Factors" in the Huntsman companies' filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Significant risks and uncertainties may relate to, but are not limited to, volatile global economic conditions, cyclical and volatile product markets, disruptions in production at manufacturing facilities, reorganization or restructuring of Huntsman's operations, including any delay of, or other negative developments affecting the ability to implement cost reductions, timing of proposed transactions, and manufacturing optimization improvements in Huntsman businesses and realize anticipated cost savings, ability to achieve projected synergies, and other financial, economic, competitive, environmental, political, legal, regulatory and technological factors. The company assumes no obligation to provide revisions to any forward-looking statements should circumstances change, except as otherwise required by applicable laws.

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