PPG Advances Sustainability to Protect and Beautify the World

PPG embedded additional sustainable practices into its operations, introduced new sustainably advantaged products for customers, achieved a record low in injury cases across the company, advanced its global community engagement initiatives, and further advanced its diversity and inclusion efforts.

Spotlight

ECSA Group

The ECSA Group is a fourth generation family firm. The Group includes the ECSA Chemicals, ECSA Maintenance and ECSA Energy with headquarters based in Balerna (Ticino) and Flawil (St. Gallen), the sister company ECSA Italia based in Desio (Milan) and since 2012 Porta Ticino Easy Stop SA.

OTHER ARTICLES
Chemical Management

Petrochemical buyers, after a very difficult pandemic, can gain from China-driven deflation

Article | July 8, 2022

BUYERS OF polypropylene (PP) and other polymers and petrochemicals have had an incredibly difficult pandemic. Firstly, the converters and brand owners expected doom and gloom last March. At the time it seemed logical to expect a cratering of demand as the global economy pretty much imploded. Just looking at forecasts for GDP, parallels were drawn with the Global Financial Crisis when collapses in growth led to a cratering of polymers demand. The US is a good example where PP demand declined by 12% in 2008 over 2007. Demand then fell by a further 5% in 2009 over 2008.But what we all missed was the complete dislocation of polymers and petrochemicals demand from GDP. As economies registered historic declines, consumption went up. PP demand went through the roof, firstly for food packaging and hygiene applications.Then consumption for the durable goods made from PP also smashed through the rafters as we bought white goods (PP is used to make components of washing machines), consumer electronics (PP is used to make some electronic components) and carpets (PP fibres are used here).

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Chemical Technology

The Digital Transformation of the Chemical Industry: The Key Trends

Article | July 20, 2022

From novel process technologies to sustainable plastics— the chemical industry is scaling up its digital initiatives. This has opened new doors for organizations to explore opportunities to increase efficiency and streamline the process. Admittedly, the chemical industry has been a little slower in implementing digital transformation. But COVID-19 has vastly increased the momentum of digitization among chemical plants. According to a KPMG survey, 96% of industry CEOs saw digital transformation accelerate in their organizations, with 48 percent saying it advanced by a few years. In addition, according to a recent Manufacturing Leadership Council (MLC) survey, 82% of respondents agreed that the pandemic had "created a new sense of urgency" in driving investment in new technologies and digitalization. Digital transformation solutions offer tremendous potential in the chemical sector. It can play a significant role in driving more value. So let's dig deeper and look at key technologies in bringing digital transformation to the chemical industry. Circular Economy Chemical manufacturers cannot exist within their own four walls any longer. They recognize the importance of working with their customers and other businesses and organizations to conserve resources and protect the environment. Chemical companies may source raw materials from recyclers as part of a circular economy, which necessitates fool proof solutions to confirm their quality and availability. Circular economy consortiums may advocate for reducing environmental threats such as ocean plastics or exposure to hazardous chemicals, opening up new avenues for innovation. Customers are constantly looking for new ways to reduce waste and protect their ecosystems. For example, farmers may benefit from solutions that can instantly analyze soil quality, weather, and crops to determine the best products and schedule for applying fertilizers, crop protectants, or new seeds. Using this data, they use only what they need, generate less waste, and maximize output. Error-Proof Operations Chemical firms are also embracing technology to achieve operational excellence. They've discovered the benefits of using machine learning andIoT technologies to automate standard back-end processes. Technologies such as these reduce the need for human intervention — and thus the possibility of human error. Blockchain technology can also significantly reduce counterfeit chemicals' use, which is especially important for chemical manufacturers who supply products to the pharmaceutical or agricultural industries. In addition, blockchain technology can enable track-and-trace processes that require less work and waste while protecting the enterprise's reputation. Staying Sharp in the Dynamic Market Staying agile in an uncertain M&A environment is a top priority for some businesses. For example, chemical firms must be able to quickly divest assets, adjust portfolios, and adapt operations in response to market changes. Technology can provide executives with the visibility into operations, shipments, and market conditions required to make critical decisions and remain agile. Data Analytics The chemical industry is leveraging cloud-based storage systems to store and share confidential data anytime and anywhere. Additionally, data analytics solutions can analyze all the data effectively to provide valuable insights to the industry. This will help you make meaningful decisions in real-time.

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Chemical Technology

THE BENEFITS OF CHEMICAL FOAMERS, AND HOW BEST TO USE THEM TO MAXIMISE PRODUCTION

Article | August 8, 2022

Downhole fluid build-up coupled with a drop in reservoir pressure can lead to the rapid decline of gas production rates, and can ultimately result in a well ceasing production. While there are many ways to deliquify a well to maximise production, chemical foamers can be incredibly effective and well worth considering. In this blog post, Kevin Lonie shares some of the benefits of using chemical foamers, and provides insights and advice around how best to use them… “Foamers are a much cheaper option than alternative solutions, such as mechanical lifts, and there is very little risk associated with their usage. If a foamer doesn’t work, it won’t make the well worse - so often we see clients giving them a go before opting for more expensive methods, in the hope that they produce the desired results. And we have seen their success over and over again.”

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Chemical Technology

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

Article | May 10, 2021

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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Spotlight

ECSA Group

The ECSA Group is a fourth generation family firm. The Group includes the ECSA Chemicals, ECSA Maintenance and ECSA Energy with headquarters based in Balerna (Ticino) and Flawil (St. Gallen), the sister company ECSA Italia based in Desio (Milan) and since 2012 Porta Ticino Easy Stop SA.

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Chemical Technology

PPG Earns Prestigious R&D 100 Recognition for Paint, Coatings Technologies

PPG | October 23, 2021

PPG today announced that three of its innovative coatings technologies have earned 2021 R&D® 100 Awards: PPG BFP-SE Battery Fire Protection, PPG ENVIROCRON™ Extreme Protection thermally conductive powder coatings, and PPG HI-TEMP® 1027 HD coating. "At PPG, our global science and technology team works tirelessly to provide value-added solutions to our customers, Leveraging our expertise across industries – combined with our constant pursuit to help our customers – enables our organization to be an industry-leader in innovation. We are proud to be honored with this esteemed recognition.” David Bem, PPG vice president, science and technology, and chief technology officer PPG BFP-SE Battery Fire Protection is an innovative coating that protects batteries in electric vehicles from fire and helps mitigate thermal runaway events, improving passenger safety. These solutions can be mass produced, efficiently applied and include battery fire protection suitable for various vehicle battery applications. PPG Envirocron Extreme Protection thermally conductive powder coatings combine dielectric protection and thermal conductivity in a single multifunctional coating for electric vehicle battery packs. PPG’s proprietary platform enhances cooling efficiency and provides exceptional electrical insulation, mitigating arcing and shorting events to improve battery performance and passenger safety. PPG HI-TEMP 1027 HD is the company’s next-generation ambient-cure, high-temperature corrosion under insulation (CUI) coating, which is ideal for new construction projects. It has excellent hardness and corrosion resistance, even during severe cyclic temperatures from -196 degrees Celsius (-320 degrees Fahrenheit) to 540 degrees Celsius (1000 degrees Fahrenheit). The coating’s resistance to the wear and corrosion that can occur on pipes, vessels and construction parts helps prevent damage and the resulting need for touch-up work, saving time and money. In addition, LIQUID NAILS® FUZE*IT MAX® all-purpose construction adhesive by PPG was recognized as a 2021 R&D 100 Awards finalist. This advanced adhesive uses hybrid technology to deliver both exceptional grab and long-term strength to bond nearly everything to everything in any weather condition. The R&D 100 Awards Committee and R&D World magazine honor the 100 most innovative technologies and services of the past year with the R&D 100 Awards. PPG has earned 32 R&D 100 Awards through the years. About the R&D 100 Awards Since 1963, the R&D 100 Awards program has identified revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market and celebrated the top technology products of the year. Past winners have included sophisticated testing equipment, innovative new materials, chemistry breakthroughs, biomedical products, consumer items and high-energy physics spanning industry, academia and government-sponsored research. About R&D World Magazine Since its founding in 1959 as Industrial Research, R&D World magazine (www.rdmag.com) has served research scientists, engineers and technical staff at laboratories around the world, providing timely, informative news and useful technical articles that broaden readers’ knowledge of the research and development industry and improve the quality of their work. R&D World magazine is a publication of the Advantage Business Media Science Group, with sister brands including Laboratory Equipment, Bioscience Technology, Drug Discovery & Development, Laboratory Design, Scientific Computing and Controlled Environments. PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™ At PPG we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $13.8 billion in 2020. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets.

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Chemical Technology

PPG Earns Prestigious R&D 100 Recognition for Paint, Coatings Technologies

PPG | October 23, 2021

PPG today announced that three of its innovative coatings technologies have earned 2021 R&D® 100 Awards: PPG BFP-SE Battery Fire Protection, PPG ENVIROCRON™ Extreme Protection thermally conductive powder coatings, and PPG HI-TEMP® 1027 HD coating. "At PPG, our global science and technology team works tirelessly to provide value-added solutions to our customers, Leveraging our expertise across industries – combined with our constant pursuit to help our customers – enables our organization to be an industry-leader in innovation. We are proud to be honored with this esteemed recognition.” David Bem, PPG vice president, science and technology, and chief technology officer PPG BFP-SE Battery Fire Protection is an innovative coating that protects batteries in electric vehicles from fire and helps mitigate thermal runaway events, improving passenger safety. These solutions can be mass produced, efficiently applied and include battery fire protection suitable for various vehicle battery applications. PPG Envirocron Extreme Protection thermally conductive powder coatings combine dielectric protection and thermal conductivity in a single multifunctional coating for electric vehicle battery packs. PPG’s proprietary platform enhances cooling efficiency and provides exceptional electrical insulation, mitigating arcing and shorting events to improve battery performance and passenger safety. PPG HI-TEMP 1027 HD is the company’s next-generation ambient-cure, high-temperature corrosion under insulation (CUI) coating, which is ideal for new construction projects. It has excellent hardness and corrosion resistance, even during severe cyclic temperatures from -196 degrees Celsius (-320 degrees Fahrenheit) to 540 degrees Celsius (1000 degrees Fahrenheit). The coating’s resistance to the wear and corrosion that can occur on pipes, vessels and construction parts helps prevent damage and the resulting need for touch-up work, saving time and money. In addition, LIQUID NAILS® FUZE*IT MAX® all-purpose construction adhesive by PPG was recognized as a 2021 R&D 100 Awards finalist. This advanced adhesive uses hybrid technology to deliver both exceptional grab and long-term strength to bond nearly everything to everything in any weather condition. The R&D 100 Awards Committee and R&D World magazine honor the 100 most innovative technologies and services of the past year with the R&D 100 Awards. PPG has earned 32 R&D 100 Awards through the years. About the R&D 100 Awards Since 1963, the R&D 100 Awards program has identified revolutionary technologies newly introduced to the market and celebrated the top technology products of the year. Past winners have included sophisticated testing equipment, innovative new materials, chemistry breakthroughs, biomedical products, consumer items and high-energy physics spanning industry, academia and government-sponsored research. About R&D World Magazine Since its founding in 1959 as Industrial Research, R&D World magazine (www.rdmag.com) has served research scientists, engineers and technical staff at laboratories around the world, providing timely, informative news and useful technical articles that broaden readers’ knowledge of the research and development industry and improve the quality of their work. R&D World magazine is a publication of the Advantage Business Media Science Group, with sister brands including Laboratory Equipment, Bioscience Technology, Drug Discovery & Development, Laboratory Design, Scientific Computing and Controlled Environments. PPG: WE PROTECT AND BEAUTIFY THE WORLD™ At PPG we work every day to develop and deliver the paints, coatings and materials that our customers have trusted for more than 135 years. Through dedication and creativity, we solve our customers’ biggest challenges, collaborating closely to find the right path forward. With headquarters in Pittsburgh, we operate and innovate in more than 75 countries and reported net sales of $13.8 billion in 2020. We serve customers in construction, consumer products, industrial and transportation markets and aftermarkets.

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