Will there be a UK REACH?

January 22, 2019 | 164 views

The United Kingdom is due to leave the European Union on 29 March 2019 at 23.00 hours when the period for negotiating a withdrawal agreement will end unless an extension is agreed. The broad consensus among economists is that Brexit will likely reduce the UK’s real per capita income in the medium term, and that the Brexit referendum itself will damage the whole of the UK economy in the long term. The precise impact on the UK depends on whether the process will be a hard or soft Brexit.

Spotlight

Actikem Ltd

Actikem specialises in the chemical storage, mixing, blending, and repackaging of industrial chemicals. From pigments to surfactants and lubricants to biocides, we have comprehensive facilities to meet all third party manufacturing requirements. An ISO9001:2008 certified business, Actikem provides a solution for companies that don’t have their own in-house manuracturing facilities; are looking for additional capacity; are unable to adequately handle hazardous materials; or wish to avoid health and safety issues.

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Chemical Management

Key Trends in the Digital Transformation of the Chemical Industry

Article | July 14, 2022

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

The State of Intelligent Operations in Oil and Gas

Article | July 14, 2022

Intelligent Operations can play a vital role in creating connected content environments, however, many companies – especially within oil and gas – having been slow on the uptake. Businesses that implement digital transformation initiatives often gain a competitive advantage over their rivals, as they benefit from reductions in human error, increases in productivity and further support for compliance efforts.

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Chemical Management

The multi-million dollar polymers opportunity: continued big regional price differentials

Article | July 22, 2021

POLYMER BUYERS outside northeast (NEA) and southeast Asia (SEA) have a big opportunity to save millions of dollars on procurement costs during the rest of this year through purchasing more from the two regions.The opportunity has arisen because I believe that NEA and SEA polymer prices will remain very cheap relative to most of the world until at least the end of 2021. NEA comprises China, Japan, Taiwan and South Korea. Our definition of the SEA region is Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.NEA and SEA producers can also make a lot of money by constantly monitoring and acting on strong arbitrage opportunities in other regions. As supply disruptions in the US look likely to continue, Europe and South & Central America seem particularly good opportunities for both buyers and producers.Before we discuss why I see NEA and SEA remaining cheap relative to most of the rest of the world until at least the end of the year, let us consider in more detail the size of the prize, starting with the resin buyers.

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Chemical Technology

Ways Your Chemical Company Can Benefit From Digitization

Article | July 20, 2022

The chemical industry is evolving. The marketing, purchasing, and selling of chemicals are being affected by forces in the market, with digitization unquestionably having the most significant impact. Many of the existing digitizing models have likely already been given some thought and then rejected. Chemical businesses are currently conducting pilot projects or starting to gradually scale up their digital initiatives after moving past the proof-of-concept stage. Although this past year brought many difficulties, it also provided an opportunity to revise and re-evaluate foundations moving forward. The Great Reset, as the World Economic Forum has dubbed this time period, is illuminating how the chemical industry might leverage digital technologies to advance. Whether prompted by governmental requirements or consumer desires, chemical businesses' net-zero ambitions will necessitate new expenditures throughout the whole chemical value chain. As a result, back-office costs must be as efficient as possible to free up money to pay for those investments while keeping a profit. Consumer pull The most essential requirements for the success of a new product are a solid understanding of customer needs and wants, the competitive climate, and the makeup of the market. The primary factors that influence the needs of the consumer are price, timing, and quality. Therefore, companies create ongoing procedures and plans with these three factors in mind to better serve client needs and grow their market share by regularly creating new products. Technology pushes The influence of digital technology is constantly growing. One of the foundational elements of 21st-century sources of growth is data-driven innovation. There are numerous items and procedures in the history of innovation that were the result of an accident or careful forethought. Vast volumes of data, or "big data," are being produced and used as a result of the convergence of numerous phenomena, including the growing migration of socio-economic activities on the Internet and the decline in the cost of data collecting, storage, and processing. Large data sets are becoming an essential resource for the economy, supporting the development of new markets, procedures, and goods while also generating substantial competitive advantages. For example, a billion customers can now access broadband at a reasonable price because of the digital world's supporting infrastructure. In addition, cloud computing and the enormous amount of information processing equipment it needs are developing swiftly, and low-cost connected gadgets are being introduced into every industry. Economic benefits The financial gains that can be realized through digitization are genuine. The new digital technologies and businesses have seen an influx of cash, and the public markets are rewarding early adopters with record values. The effects of digitization are spreading swiftly throughout every business. Digitization is the changing of life and work as a result of new technologies, not only their acceptance. Much like earlier technologies, modern emerging technologies like the cloud and big data quickly become part of businesses' operations. Unknown to many, this is having a much more significant impact on the industry that makes these tools as well as on customers. Digitalization that derives from and includes strategic business objectives can greatly benefit chemical firms. Cost savings of roughly 30 to 40 percent can already be made on average today. Additionally, in certain situations, digitalization aided in improving service quality and affected the bottom line by, for instance, enabling new business models. On average, platform-driven digitization projects pay off after 18 months.

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Spotlight

Actikem Ltd

Actikem specialises in the chemical storage, mixing, blending, and repackaging of industrial chemicals. From pigments to surfactants and lubricants to biocides, we have comprehensive facilities to meet all third party manufacturing requirements. An ISO9001:2008 certified business, Actikem provides a solution for companies that don’t have their own in-house manuracturing facilities; are looking for additional capacity; are unable to adequately handle hazardous materials; or wish to avoid health and safety issues.

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Chemical Management

908 Devices Enters Initial Production Phase of US Department of Defense Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector Program

businesswire | September 28, 2023

908 Devices Inc. a pioneer of purpose-built handheld and desktop devices for chemical and biochemical analysis, announces that it has entered the initial production phase of the Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) program. The company and its partner on the project, Smiths Detection, will initially produce 122 systems in this next phase. The systems, which have been in development and testing since 2019, are a next generation chemical detector, designed to detect, identify, alarm and report the presence of traditional and advanced threat vapors and aerosols. Using a wireless remote alarm capability, the AVCAD, which can be mounted or portable, will support missions for the U.S. Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. To ensure the highest level of detection and to meet the key deployment needs of the U.S. Department of Defense, the AVCAD features the company’s High Pressure Mass Spectrometry (HPMS) technology. Mass spectrometry is considered to be the gold standard of analytical lab techniques. 908 Devices’ proprietary HPMS technology leverages micro scale geometries and high frequency electronics to enable an efficient regime of vacuum operation for a significant reduction in device size and power consumption compared to conventional lab instruments. “908 Devices is pleased to continue working with the U.S. Department of Defense and our partner, Smiths Detection, on this enterprise, multi-year program,” said Kevin J. Knopp, CEO and Co-founder of 908 Devices. “Being selected for this limited production phase validates our technology as a new standard for chemical detection and we are truly honored to have a role in protecting our U.S. military.” About 908 Devices 908 Devices is revolutionizing chemical and biochemical analysis with its simple handheld and desktop devices, addressing critical-to-life applications. The Company’s devices are used at the point-of-need to interrogate unknown and invisible materials and provide quick, actionable answers to directly address some of the most critical problems in life sciences research, bioprocessing, pharma/biopharma, forensics and adjacent markets. The Company is headquartered in the heart of Boston, where it designs and manufactures innovative products that bring together the power of mass spectrometry, microfluidic sampling and separations, software automation, and machine learning.

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Chemical Management

Actylis Launches a New cGMP WFI Generation, Storage, and Distribution System with Additional ISO Class 7 Manufacturing Space

businesswire | September 26, 2023

Actylis, a leading global manufacturer of critical raw materials and performance ingredients for the life sciences and specialty chemicals markets, today announced the launch of Water for Injection (WFI) and additional ISO Class 7 manufacturing space at its Baie d’Urfé site in Montreal, Canada. Used for the preparation of media, buffers, and other aqueous solutions, Actylis’ WFI meets monographs for pharmacopoeias worldwide, and can be provided in both custom and standard packaging configurations. Gilles Cottier, CEO at Actylis, said: “Today we are delighted to announce the opening of this new WFI system at our Baie d’Urfé site. Investment in this new WFI generation, storage, and distribution system reflects our ongoing commitment to support our customers, and to continuously develop our range of products and services. The new system positions us to be a preferred outsource partner for our customers’ buffer solutions. We understand that capacity is often a pinch-point for our customers, and we are delighted to be able to propose this option to them.” Damien O’Rourke, SVP Manufacturing Operations at Actylis added: “Our new WFI system, redundant with our Limerick, Ireland WFI capabilities, incorporates the latest advancements in water purification technology, adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) that guarantees the production of WFI that meets or exceeds the most rigorous quality standards. In addition to the services this enables for our customers, the investment provides Actylis and our customers with a robust multi-site business continuity plan to ensure dependable supply.” Jean-Francois Raymond, Site Director, elaborated on some of the specifics of the system: “We are excited to have this new system here at Baie d’Urfé come on stream. The WFI system is fully qualified with all supporting validation documents, and is capable of generating and maintaining water as per required USP and PhEur/BP specifications of Water for Injection.” The new system’s strategic location in Montreal positions it as a pivotal hub for biopharmaceutical companies across North America and beyond. Its proximity to major transportation networks ensures timely distribution of WFI to manufacturers, enabling them to streamline their production processes and meet growing market demands. About Actylis Actylis is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of differentiated specialty ingredients to life sciences and specialty chemicals end markets. With business operations in ten countries, Actylis manufactures and supplies over 4,500 chemical compounds used principally by the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, nutritional, agricultural and specialty chemical industries. Building on a series of strategic acquisitions, Actylis has integrated their manufacturing, R&D, quality, and sourcing capabilities to create a worldwide supplier of critical raw materials that includes a robust manufacturing footprint. Its global operations include a significant presence on the ground in North America, Europe, India, and China. Actylis is well positioned to innovate new solutions, ensure quality, and customize products to meet customers’ specific needs. Its expanded capabilities and decades of global sourcing expertise are especially valuable now that supply chain management is a critical strategic issue for companies worldwide.

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Chemical Management

Danimer Scientific and Chevron Phillips Chemical Expand Collaboration to Include Application Development for Rinnovo™ Polymers

businesswire | September 21, 2023

Danimer Scientific, Inc. a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, today announced it is expanding its collaboration with Chevron Phillips Chemical (“CPChem”) to explore development and commercialization of cast extrusion films, blown extrusion films, injection molded parts and rotational molded parts using Rinnovo™ polymers produced in a loop slurry reactor process. Rinnovo™ is a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (“PHA”) synthesized from lactones produced using Danimer’s proprietary Novo22™ catalyst technology, which can be used in the production of biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastics. The collaboration expands on Danimer and CPChem’s previously announced agreement, in which Danimer is evaluating the use of CPChem’s loop slurry reactor design to develop a continuous reactor system in the manufacturing process for Rinnovo™. Stephen E. Croskrey, chief executive officer of Danimer, said, “Our business relationship with CPChem continues to yield results, and we’re excited for the further opportunities that lie ahead. CPChem’s Research and Technology lab in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is a premier facility staffed with world-class talent that we believe will accelerate the path toward adoption of Rinnovo™ materials in high-volume applications that will assist in lowering the cost to serve key markets.” Opened in 1950 by Phillips 66, CPChem’s Bartlesville facility contains first-class research equipment allowing for rapid testing of products across various processing conditions. Additionally, the facility’s testing and analytical capabilities provide a more rapid feedback loop, accelerating the development and optimization of resin formulations. “We continue to be excited about the potential of our MarTECH® process technology and related collaborations to advance Danimer’s Rinnovo™, another CPChem initiative that can help accelerate change for a more sustainable future,” said Venki Chandrashekar, CPChem vice president of research and technology. About Danimer Scientific Danimer is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make plastic products. For more than a decade, its renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable and return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters. Danimer’s technology can be found in a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for its biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films and injection-molded articles, among others. Danimer holds more than 430 granted patents and pending patent applications in more than 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.

Read More

Chemical Management

908 Devices Enters Initial Production Phase of US Department of Defense Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector Program

businesswire | September 28, 2023

908 Devices Inc. a pioneer of purpose-built handheld and desktop devices for chemical and biochemical analysis, announces that it has entered the initial production phase of the Aerosol and Vapor Chemical Agent Detector (AVCAD) program. The company and its partner on the project, Smiths Detection, will initially produce 122 systems in this next phase. The systems, which have been in development and testing since 2019, are a next generation chemical detector, designed to detect, identify, alarm and report the presence of traditional and advanced threat vapors and aerosols. Using a wireless remote alarm capability, the AVCAD, which can be mounted or portable, will support missions for the U.S. Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps. To ensure the highest level of detection and to meet the key deployment needs of the U.S. Department of Defense, the AVCAD features the company’s High Pressure Mass Spectrometry (HPMS) technology. Mass spectrometry is considered to be the gold standard of analytical lab techniques. 908 Devices’ proprietary HPMS technology leverages micro scale geometries and high frequency electronics to enable an efficient regime of vacuum operation for a significant reduction in device size and power consumption compared to conventional lab instruments. “908 Devices is pleased to continue working with the U.S. Department of Defense and our partner, Smiths Detection, on this enterprise, multi-year program,” said Kevin J. Knopp, CEO and Co-founder of 908 Devices. “Being selected for this limited production phase validates our technology as a new standard for chemical detection and we are truly honored to have a role in protecting our U.S. military.” About 908 Devices 908 Devices is revolutionizing chemical and biochemical analysis with its simple handheld and desktop devices, addressing critical-to-life applications. The Company’s devices are used at the point-of-need to interrogate unknown and invisible materials and provide quick, actionable answers to directly address some of the most critical problems in life sciences research, bioprocessing, pharma/biopharma, forensics and adjacent markets. The Company is headquartered in the heart of Boston, where it designs and manufactures innovative products that bring together the power of mass spectrometry, microfluidic sampling and separations, software automation, and machine learning.

Read More

Chemical Management

Actylis Launches a New cGMP WFI Generation, Storage, and Distribution System with Additional ISO Class 7 Manufacturing Space

businesswire | September 26, 2023

Actylis, a leading global manufacturer of critical raw materials and performance ingredients for the life sciences and specialty chemicals markets, today announced the launch of Water for Injection (WFI) and additional ISO Class 7 manufacturing space at its Baie d’Urfé site in Montreal, Canada. Used for the preparation of media, buffers, and other aqueous solutions, Actylis’ WFI meets monographs for pharmacopoeias worldwide, and can be provided in both custom and standard packaging configurations. Gilles Cottier, CEO at Actylis, said: “Today we are delighted to announce the opening of this new WFI system at our Baie d’Urfé site. Investment in this new WFI generation, storage, and distribution system reflects our ongoing commitment to support our customers, and to continuously develop our range of products and services. The new system positions us to be a preferred outsource partner for our customers’ buffer solutions. We understand that capacity is often a pinch-point for our customers, and we are delighted to be able to propose this option to them.” Damien O’Rourke, SVP Manufacturing Operations at Actylis added: “Our new WFI system, redundant with our Limerick, Ireland WFI capabilities, incorporates the latest advancements in water purification technology, adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) that guarantees the production of WFI that meets or exceeds the most rigorous quality standards. In addition to the services this enables for our customers, the investment provides Actylis and our customers with a robust multi-site business continuity plan to ensure dependable supply.” Jean-Francois Raymond, Site Director, elaborated on some of the specifics of the system: “We are excited to have this new system here at Baie d’Urfé come on stream. The WFI system is fully qualified with all supporting validation documents, and is capable of generating and maintaining water as per required USP and PhEur/BP specifications of Water for Injection.” The new system’s strategic location in Montreal positions it as a pivotal hub for biopharmaceutical companies across North America and beyond. Its proximity to major transportation networks ensures timely distribution of WFI to manufacturers, enabling them to streamline their production processes and meet growing market demands. About Actylis Actylis is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of differentiated specialty ingredients to life sciences and specialty chemicals end markets. With business operations in ten countries, Actylis manufactures and supplies over 4,500 chemical compounds used principally by the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, nutritional, agricultural and specialty chemical industries. Building on a series of strategic acquisitions, Actylis has integrated their manufacturing, R&D, quality, and sourcing capabilities to create a worldwide supplier of critical raw materials that includes a robust manufacturing footprint. Its global operations include a significant presence on the ground in North America, Europe, India, and China. Actylis is well positioned to innovate new solutions, ensure quality, and customize products to meet customers’ specific needs. Its expanded capabilities and decades of global sourcing expertise are especially valuable now that supply chain management is a critical strategic issue for companies worldwide.

Read More

Chemical Management

Danimer Scientific and Chevron Phillips Chemical Expand Collaboration to Include Application Development for Rinnovo™ Polymers

businesswire | September 21, 2023

Danimer Scientific, Inc. a leading next-generation bioplastics company focused on the development and production of biodegradable materials, today announced it is expanding its collaboration with Chevron Phillips Chemical (“CPChem”) to explore development and commercialization of cast extrusion films, blown extrusion films, injection molded parts and rotational molded parts using Rinnovo™ polymers produced in a loop slurry reactor process. Rinnovo™ is a type of polyhydroxyalkanoate (“PHA”) synthesized from lactones produced using Danimer’s proprietary Novo22™ catalyst technology, which can be used in the production of biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastics. The collaboration expands on Danimer and CPChem’s previously announced agreement, in which Danimer is evaluating the use of CPChem’s loop slurry reactor design to develop a continuous reactor system in the manufacturing process for Rinnovo™. Stephen E. Croskrey, chief executive officer of Danimer, said, “Our business relationship with CPChem continues to yield results, and we’re excited for the further opportunities that lie ahead. CPChem’s Research and Technology lab in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is a premier facility staffed with world-class talent that we believe will accelerate the path toward adoption of Rinnovo™ materials in high-volume applications that will assist in lowering the cost to serve key markets.” Opened in 1950 by Phillips 66, CPChem’s Bartlesville facility contains first-class research equipment allowing for rapid testing of products across various processing conditions. Additionally, the facility’s testing and analytical capabilities provide a more rapid feedback loop, accelerating the development and optimization of resin formulations. “We continue to be excited about the potential of our MarTECH® process technology and related collaborations to advance Danimer’s Rinnovo™, another CPChem initiative that can help accelerate change for a more sustainable future,” said Venki Chandrashekar, CPChem vice president of research and technology. About Danimer Scientific Danimer is a pioneer in creating more sustainable, more natural ways to make plastic products. For more than a decade, its renewable and sustainable biopolymers have helped create plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable and return to nature instead of polluting our lands and waters. Danimer’s technology can be found in a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for its biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibers, filaments, films and injection-molded articles, among others. Danimer holds more than 430 granted patents and pending patent applications in more than 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.

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