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Hazardous Chemicals: engaging risk assessment professionals and safety auditors

Keeping your workplace safe and compliant is an ongoing responsibility for business owners and operators, and a chemical risk assessment is an important tool for understanding the way hazardous chemicals can impact safety on the job site. This blog highlights three areas where independent consultants or safety auditors can assist you in the risk assessment process. Experienced field auditors and consultants bring specialist industry knowledge and often have access to inaccessible research materials and industry guidelines.

Spotlight

Arclin

Arclin is a leading provider of innovative bonding and surface solutions for the building and construction, engineered materials, agricultural and natural resources markets. The company provides bonding solutions for a number of applications, including wood-based panels, engineered wood, non-wovens and paper impregnation. As a world leader in paper overlay technology, Arclin provides high value surfacing solutions for decorative panels, building products and industrial specialty applications for North American and export markets.

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Chemical Technology

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

Article | July 20, 2022

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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Chemical Technology

Organic Catalyst Boasts Big Benefits

Article | June 6, 2022

An enzyme-mimicking catalyst opens a new route to important organic molecules such as glycolic acid and amino acids from pyruvate, report researchers in Japan. Moreover, the new catalyst is cheaper, more stable, safer and more environmentally friendly than conventional metal catalysts used in industry, they note, adding that it also displays the high enantioselectivity required by the pharmaceutical industry. “On top of these advantages, our newly developed organic catalyst system also promotes reactions using pyruvate that aren’t easily achievable using metal catalysts,” says Santanu Mondal, a PhD candidate in the chemistry and chemical bioengineering unit at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan, and lead author of a study recently published in Organic Letters. “Organic catalysts, in particular, are set to revolutionize the industry and make chemistry more sustainable,” he stresses. The researchers use an acid and an amine mixture to force the pyruvate to act as an electron donor rather than its usual role as an electron receiver (Figure 1). Effectively mimicking how enzymes work, the amine binds to the pyruvate to make an intermediate molecule. The organic acid then covers up part of the intermediate molecule while leaving another part that can donate electrons free to react to form a new product. Currently, the organic catalyst system only works when reacting pyruvate with a specific class of organic molecule called cyclic imines. So, the researchers now are looking to develop a more-universal catalyst, i.e., one that can speed up reactions between pyruvate and a broad range of organic molecules. The challenge here is to try to make the electron-donating intermediate stage of pyruvate react with other functional groups such as aldehydes and ketones. However, different catalysts create different intermediates, all with different properties. For example, the enamine intermediate created by the researchers’ new reaction only reacts with cyclic imines. Their hypothesis, currently being investigated, is that creation of other intermediates such as an enolate, if possible, would achieve a broader pyruvate reactivity. In terms of cost, the researchers note that a palladium catalyst used in similar reactions is 25 times more expensive than their organic acid — which also is made from eco-friendly quinine. In addition, they believe scale-up of the process for industrial use definitely is possible. However, the researchers caution that the current amine-to-acid-catalyst loading ratio of 1:2 probably would need to be optimized for better results at a larger scale.

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Chemical Technology

Global polyethylene demand boom likely, increasing the sustainability challenge

Article | July 14, 2022

IT FEELS LIKE several lifetimes ago. If you recall, way back in November-December 2019 Asian variable cost integrated naphtha-based polyethylene (PE) margins turned negative because of the increase in US capacity. Then in January the following year, deep Asian and Middle East operating rate cuts returned some order to the market. Then, bang, as we all know, the pandemic arrived and turned everything on its head. The pandemic has, in my view, accentuated trends that were already well underway. I believe this means that the supply-driven downturn that started in late 2019 will not return.Long before coronavirus upended everyone’s lives, PE demand was becoming increasingly divorced from GDP growth because of the shifting nature of end-use demand. Booming internet sales was, I believe, a major factor behind the split between the growth of the overall economies in the developed world plus China and PE demand.The average product bought online is dropped 17 times because of the large number of people involved in the logistics chain, according to Forbes. This had led to a surge in demand for protective packaging made not from PE and other polymers such as polypropylene, expandable polystyrene and PET films (I will look at their demand growth prospects in later posts).Despite sustainability pressures, the scale of demand for stuff bought online translated to a lot more consumption of virgin polymers.

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Chemical Management

The Future of Supply Chain Management for Chemical Companies

Article | July 8, 2022

Individual consumers expect tailored products and services. Color, size, quantity, payment method, and delivery channel options abound. The chemical sector is also now following this suit of action. The global chemicals supply chain has grown steadily for three decades. Chemical businesses are improving their supply chain capabilities to handle complexity and meet client demands. This includes implementing advanced data-driven and cloud-based technologies that enable faster, more flexible, and tailored customer interactions. Areas of innovation for chemical companies Living Segmentation Living segmentation can help chemical businesses better serve clients and satisfy their expectations. This entails adapting supply chain capabilities to each customer's needs. Asset-light Network An asset-light network involves developing an ecosystem of partners to add capabilities and value to your supply chain beyond standard co-manufacturing, co-packing, and third-party or last-mile logistics providers. In addition, it should include technology partners that help chemical businesses innovate and be adaptable. Data and Applied Intelligence Improving speed, agility, and efficiency in global supply chains demands comprehensive visibility and the correct information. Data provides visibility and insights. The key to providing excellent customer service is gathering the appropriate data and using it strategically to get important insight. The industry generates a ton of data, which is excellent news. In response to last year's supply chain delays, corporations are building supply chains with geographically spread shipping/supplier choices. Real-time visibility and enhanced analytics can be used to track delays by providing revised ETAs and analyzing downstream implications. Data-driven insights can alert organizations of a delay almost immediately and help them acquire raw materials from another supplier to reduce the domino impact downstream. Chemical businesses must rethink their supply chains to implement living segmentation, asset-light networks, data, and AI.

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Chemical Technology

Ways Your Chemical Company Can Benefit From Digitization

Article | July 20, 2022

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.

Read More
Chemical Technology

Organic Catalyst Boasts Big Benefits

Article | June 6, 2022

An enzyme-mimicking catalyst opens a new route to important organic molecules such as glycolic acid and amino acids from pyruvate, report researchers in Japan. Moreover, the new catalyst is cheaper, more stable, safer and more environmentally friendly than conventional metal catalysts used in industry, they note, adding that it also displays the high enantioselectivity required by the pharmaceutical industry. “On top of these advantages, our newly developed organic catalyst system also promotes reactions using pyruvate that aren’t easily achievable using metal catalysts,” says Santanu Mondal, a PhD candidate in the chemistry and chemical bioengineering unit at Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan, and lead author of a study recently published in Organic Letters. “Organic catalysts, in particular, are set to revolutionize the industry and make chemistry more sustainable,” he stresses. The researchers use an acid and an amine mixture to force the pyruvate to act as an electron donor rather than its usual role as an electron receiver (Figure 1). Effectively mimicking how enzymes work, the amine binds to the pyruvate to make an intermediate molecule. The organic acid then covers up part of the intermediate molecule while leaving another part that can donate electrons free to react to form a new product. Currently, the organic catalyst system only works when reacting pyruvate with a specific class of organic molecule called cyclic imines. So, the researchers now are looking to develop a more-universal catalyst, i.e., one that can speed up reactions between pyruvate and a broad range of organic molecules. The challenge here is to try to make the electron-donating intermediate stage of pyruvate react with other functional groups such as aldehydes and ketones. However, different catalysts create different intermediates, all with different properties. For example, the enamine intermediate created by the researchers’ new reaction only reacts with cyclic imines. Their hypothesis, currently being investigated, is that creation of other intermediates such as an enolate, if possible, would achieve a broader pyruvate reactivity. In terms of cost, the researchers note that a palladium catalyst used in similar reactions is 25 times more expensive than their organic acid — which also is made from eco-friendly quinine. In addition, they believe scale-up of the process for industrial use definitely is possible. However, the researchers caution that the current amine-to-acid-catalyst loading ratio of 1:2 probably would need to be optimized for better results at a larger scale.

Read More
Chemical Technology

Future-Proofing the Chemical Industry with Digitalization

Article | July 14, 2022

IT FEELS LIKE several lifetimes ago. If you recall, way back in November-December 2019 Asian variable cost integrated naphtha-based polyethylene (PE) margins turned negative because of the increase in US capacity. Then in January the following year, deep Asian and Middle East operating rate cuts returned some order to the market. Then, bang, as we all know, the pandemic arrived and turned everything on its head. The pandemic has, in my view, accentuated trends that were already well underway. I believe this means that the supply-driven downturn that started in late 2019 will not return.Long before coronavirus upended everyone’s lives, PE demand was becoming increasingly divorced from GDP growth because of the shifting nature of end-use demand. Booming internet sales was, I believe, a major factor behind the split between the growth of the overall economies in the developed world plus China and PE demand.The average product bought online is dropped 17 times because of the large number of people involved in the logistics chain, according to Forbes. This had led to a surge in demand for protective packaging made not from PE and other polymers such as polypropylene, expandable polystyrene and PET films (I will look at their demand growth prospects in later posts).Despite sustainability pressures, the scale of demand for stuff bought online translated to a lot more consumption of virgin polymers.

Read More
Chemical Management

The Future of Supply Chain Management for Chemical Companies

Article | July 8, 2022

Individual consumers expect tailored products and services. Color, size, quantity, payment method, and delivery channel options abound. The chemical sector is also now following this suit of action. The global chemicals supply chain has grown steadily for three decades. Chemical businesses are improving their supply chain capabilities to handle complexity and meet client demands. This includes implementing advanced data-driven and cloud-based technologies that enable faster, more flexible, and tailored customer interactions. Areas of innovation for chemical companies Living Segmentation Living segmentation can help chemical businesses better serve clients and satisfy their expectations. This entails adapting supply chain capabilities to each customer's needs. Asset-light Network An asset-light network involves developing an ecosystem of partners to add capabilities and value to your supply chain beyond standard co-manufacturing, co-packing, and third-party or last-mile logistics providers. In addition, it should include technology partners that help chemical businesses innovate and be adaptable. Data and Applied Intelligence Improving speed, agility, and efficiency in global supply chains demands comprehensive visibility and the correct information. Data provides visibility and insights. The key to providing excellent customer service is gathering the appropriate data and using it strategically to get important insight. The industry generates a ton of data, which is excellent news. In response to last year's supply chain delays, corporations are building supply chains with geographically spread shipping/supplier choices. Real-time visibility and enhanced analytics can be used to track delays by providing revised ETAs and analyzing downstream implications. Data-driven insights can alert organizations of a delay almost immediately and help them acquire raw materials from another supplier to reduce the domino impact downstream. Chemical businesses must rethink their supply chains to implement living segmentation, asset-light networks, data, and AI.

Read More
MORE ARTICLES

Spotlight

Arclin

Arclin is a leading provider of innovative bonding and surface solutions for the building and construction, engineered materials, agricultural and natural resources markets. The company provides bonding solutions for a number of applications, including wood-based panels, engineered wood, non-wovens and paper impregnation. As a world leader in paper overlay technology, Arclin provides high value surfacing solutions for decorative panels, building products and industrial specialty applications for North American and export markets.

Related News

Chemical Management

LBB Specialties Announces Principal Partnership with Viscofan

PR Newswire | October 25, 2023

LBB Specialties (LBBS), a leader in specialty chemicals and ingredients distribution in North America, announces a new partnership with Viscofan DE, a global leader in collagen manufacturing. LBB Specialties will be Viscofan's preferred partner in the United States for their portfolio of premium collagen hydrolysates, including COLLinstant® and COLLinstant LMW®. "Viscofan has over 90 years of experience in the collagen market. We are excited to bring this expertise to our customer base, as these products meet global consumer demand for highly bioavailable ingredients with a major advantage over traditional collagen formulas," said Mike DeGennaro, Senior Vice President of LBB Specialties Food & Nutrition. Viscofan DE is the center of excellence for collagen products within the Viscofan group. Viscofan applies proprietary technologies and standardized extraction methods to process collagen from bovine skin for the development and industrial-scale production of novel collagen ingredients and biometrics. "LBB Specialties' technical expertise and dedicated commercial team is uniquely positioned to expand our innovative offerings in the US nutraceutical market," said James Murray, Business Manager at Viscofan. "Their existing portfolio of high-quality ingredients for health and wellness applications is the perfect complement to our COLLinstant® product line of collagen peptide alternatives." About LBB Specialties LBB Specialties is a leader in North American specialty chemicals and ingredients. It is a diversified supplier serving end-markets including care, food & nutrition, industrial specialties, and life sciences. LBB Specialties generates approximately $500 million in revenue annually and employs more than 110 commercial team members.

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Products and Technologies

Lygos & CJ FNT Partner to Deliver High-Performing, Sustainable Materials

Business Wire | October 19, 2023

Lygos, a sustainable specialty chemical company, and CJ Food & Nutrition Tech a global fermentation and biotechnology company and business unit of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang, today announced the companies have signed an agreement to support large-scale manufacturing of amino and organic acid precursors for Lygos’ Soltellus™ & Ecoteria™ products. CJ has over 60 years in the fermentation business with expertise in microbial fermentation and infrastructure to scale and optimize production processes. The partnership enables Lygos to utilize CJ’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capacity, and access existing technology and optimization tools from their newly formed precision fermentation CDMO (Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization) business. Lygos intends to execute additional plans for near and mid-term demand for product applications of Soltellus and Ecoteria, while CJ will provide critical technical and strategic optimization for process and production to support commercialization. “CJ’s innovative approach enables efficient technology development, leverages robust production capabilities across the value chain, and is a strong complement to our current and future commercial product offerings,” said Eric Steen, CEO of Lygos. “This partnership augments our commercialization strategy of Collaborate to Accelerate by providing access to CJ’s technology and optimization capabilities for fermentation processes as well as the potential to collaborate on new products.” “Lygos represents a standout partner for us that has developed technology and commercial plans that meet our objectives for future growth,” said Lance Choi, CEO of CJ FNT. “We believe their success combined with our technical capabilities will help accrue additional partnerships to our CDMO business.” Soltellus™ polymers are sustainable, biodegradable, and water-soluble with applications in home care, agronomy, and water treatment. Ecoteria™ malonates offer safety, sustainability, performance, and supply resiliency benefits in fragrances, coatings, agriculture chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other specialty applications. About Lygos Lygos is a pioneering sustainable specialty chemicals company, leading the world’s transition toward better, cleaner, and more sustainable products. We have built a proprietary and fully integrated platform of the most advanced technologies across synthetic biology, industrial chemistry, and application development to rapidly deliver market relevant solutions to some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. With a pipeline of high-performing, innovative solutions, Lygos is paving the way for generations of new sustainable solutions for our world.

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Chemical Management

Sinopec NZRCC Selects Lummus' Polypropylene Technology for Large-Scale Plant in China

PR Newswire | October 17, 2023

Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced a contract from Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co. Ltd. (Sinopec NZRCC), a subsidiary of the Sinopec Group and its flagship refining and petrochemical company. Sinopec NZRCC will license Lummus' Novolen® technology for a new 500 kilo ton per annum polypropylene plant in Ningbo, China. "With this award, our Novolen business strengthens its position in China and globally, reinforcing it as the industry's leader and preferred process for producing high-quality polypropylene," said Romain Lemoine, Chief Business Officer of Polymers and Petrochemicals, Lummus Technology. "We look forward to supporting Sinopec NZRCC's project to build this highly competitive plant by providing timely, superior process design- and implementation services." Lummus' scope includes the technology license, basic design engineering, training and project engineering services. Today, Novolen is the industry's leading polypropylene technology and can deliver a sustainable route for polymers production, while maximizing the financial benefits of operations through lower CAPEX and OPEX. The technology is highly flexible, robust, energy efficient and allows production of a full grade slate of leading polypropylene products of all product families, including homopolymers, random copolymers, terpolymers, impact copolymers and rTPO's. About Lummus Technology Lummus Technology is the global leader in developing technology solutions that make modern life possible and focus on a more sustainable, low carbon future. We license process technologies in clean fuels, renewables, petrochemicals, polymers, gas processing and supply lifecycle services, catalysts, proprietary equipment and digitalization to customers worldwide.

Read More

Chemical Management

LBB Specialties Announces Principal Partnership with Viscofan

PR Newswire | October 25, 2023

LBB Specialties (LBBS), a leader in specialty chemicals and ingredients distribution in North America, announces a new partnership with Viscofan DE, a global leader in collagen manufacturing. LBB Specialties will be Viscofan's preferred partner in the United States for their portfolio of premium collagen hydrolysates, including COLLinstant® and COLLinstant LMW®. "Viscofan has over 90 years of experience in the collagen market. We are excited to bring this expertise to our customer base, as these products meet global consumer demand for highly bioavailable ingredients with a major advantage over traditional collagen formulas," said Mike DeGennaro, Senior Vice President of LBB Specialties Food & Nutrition. Viscofan DE is the center of excellence for collagen products within the Viscofan group. Viscofan applies proprietary technologies and standardized extraction methods to process collagen from bovine skin for the development and industrial-scale production of novel collagen ingredients and biometrics. "LBB Specialties' technical expertise and dedicated commercial team is uniquely positioned to expand our innovative offerings in the US nutraceutical market," said James Murray, Business Manager at Viscofan. "Their existing portfolio of high-quality ingredients for health and wellness applications is the perfect complement to our COLLinstant® product line of collagen peptide alternatives." About LBB Specialties LBB Specialties is a leader in North American specialty chemicals and ingredients. It is a diversified supplier serving end-markets including care, food & nutrition, industrial specialties, and life sciences. LBB Specialties generates approximately $500 million in revenue annually and employs more than 110 commercial team members.

Read More

Products and Technologies

Lygos & CJ FNT Partner to Deliver High-Performing, Sustainable Materials

Business Wire | October 19, 2023

Lygos, a sustainable specialty chemical company, and CJ Food & Nutrition Tech a global fermentation and biotechnology company and business unit of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang, today announced the companies have signed an agreement to support large-scale manufacturing of amino and organic acid precursors for Lygos’ Soltellus™ & Ecoteria™ products. CJ has over 60 years in the fermentation business with expertise in microbial fermentation and infrastructure to scale and optimize production processes. The partnership enables Lygos to utilize CJ’s state-of-the-art manufacturing capacity, and access existing technology and optimization tools from their newly formed precision fermentation CDMO (Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization) business. Lygos intends to execute additional plans for near and mid-term demand for product applications of Soltellus and Ecoteria, while CJ will provide critical technical and strategic optimization for process and production to support commercialization. “CJ’s innovative approach enables efficient technology development, leverages robust production capabilities across the value chain, and is a strong complement to our current and future commercial product offerings,” said Eric Steen, CEO of Lygos. “This partnership augments our commercialization strategy of Collaborate to Accelerate by providing access to CJ’s technology and optimization capabilities for fermentation processes as well as the potential to collaborate on new products.” “Lygos represents a standout partner for us that has developed technology and commercial plans that meet our objectives for future growth,” said Lance Choi, CEO of CJ FNT. “We believe their success combined with our technical capabilities will help accrue additional partnerships to our CDMO business.” Soltellus™ polymers are sustainable, biodegradable, and water-soluble with applications in home care, agronomy, and water treatment. Ecoteria™ malonates offer safety, sustainability, performance, and supply resiliency benefits in fragrances, coatings, agriculture chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and other specialty applications. About Lygos Lygos is a pioneering sustainable specialty chemicals company, leading the world’s transition toward better, cleaner, and more sustainable products. We have built a proprietary and fully integrated platform of the most advanced technologies across synthetic biology, industrial chemistry, and application development to rapidly deliver market relevant solutions to some of the world’s biggest sustainability challenges. With a pipeline of high-performing, innovative solutions, Lygos is paving the way for generations of new sustainable solutions for our world.

Read More

Chemical Management

Sinopec NZRCC Selects Lummus' Polypropylene Technology for Large-Scale Plant in China

PR Newswire | October 17, 2023

Lummus Technology, a global provider of process technologies and value-driven energy solutions, announced a contract from Sinopec Ningbo Zhenhai Refining & Chemical Co. Ltd. (Sinopec NZRCC), a subsidiary of the Sinopec Group and its flagship refining and petrochemical company. Sinopec NZRCC will license Lummus' Novolen® technology for a new 500 kilo ton per annum polypropylene plant in Ningbo, China. "With this award, our Novolen business strengthens its position in China and globally, reinforcing it as the industry's leader and preferred process for producing high-quality polypropylene," said Romain Lemoine, Chief Business Officer of Polymers and Petrochemicals, Lummus Technology. "We look forward to supporting Sinopec NZRCC's project to build this highly competitive plant by providing timely, superior process design- and implementation services." Lummus' scope includes the technology license, basic design engineering, training and project engineering services. Today, Novolen is the industry's leading polypropylene technology and can deliver a sustainable route for polymers production, while maximizing the financial benefits of operations through lower CAPEX and OPEX. The technology is highly flexible, robust, energy efficient and allows production of a full grade slate of leading polypropylene products of all product families, including homopolymers, random copolymers, terpolymers, impact copolymers and rTPO's. About Lummus Technology Lummus Technology is the global leader in developing technology solutions that make modern life possible and focus on a more sustainable, low carbon future. We license process technologies in clean fuels, renewables, petrochemicals, polymers, gas processing and supply lifecycle services, catalysts, proprietary equipment and digitalization to customers worldwide.

Read More

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