CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Raytheon Technologies | July 20, 2022
Raytheon Technologies has been selected by the U.S. Department of Energy for two research and development projects to test the use of hydrogen and ammonia as effective, zero-carbon options for electricity generation.
"These projects are the latest examples of how we're partnering with the Department of Energy to innovate the technologies that will power a cleaner, more sustainable future," said Andreas Roelofs, director of the Raytheon Technology Research Center, the company's central advanced research and development innovation hub in East Hartford, Connecticut.
Under the first project, Raytheon Technologies will validate the capacity to operate Mitsubishi Power Aero's FT4000® gas turbine unit using hydrogen and hydrogen blends as fuel sources. The FT4000® is a land-based variant of Pratt & Whitney's PW4000™ turbofan aircraft engine.
"Hydrogen has an important role to play in enabling the aviation industry's pathway to net zero emissions, and we are focused on developing technologies to maximize the potential opportunities that this zero-carbon fuel source provides,"
Geoff Hunt, senior vice president for Engineering and Technology at Pratt & Whitney
The hydrogen fuel test will complement other work occurring in another development project called the Hydrogen Steam Injected, Inter-Cooled Turbine Engine project. HySIITE, also supported by the Energy Department, is a Pratt & Whitney-led effort to develop hydrogen-fueled propulsion technology applicable to single-aisle commercial aircraft.
Raytheon Technologies will work with the University of Connecticut School of Engineering on the second Energy Department project to focus on the use of ammonia – which is composed of mostly hydrogen – as a zero-carbon fuel for power-generating turbines. Using ammonia presents several advantages including a pre-existing production and transportation infrastructure that requires much less refrigeration in comparison to hydrogen, and the ability to easily store it as a liquid.
About Raytheon Technologies
Raytheon Technologies Corporation is an aerospace and defense company that provides advanced systems and services for commercial, military and government customers worldwide. With four industry-leading businesses ― Collins Aerospace Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Raytheon Intelligence & Space and Raytheon Missiles & Defense ― the company delivers solutions that push the boundaries in avionics, cybersecurity, directed energy, electric propulsion, hypersonics and quantum physics. The company, formed in 2020 through the combination of Raytheon Company and the United Technologies Corporation aerospace businesses, is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.
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CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Knight Material Technologies | May 19, 2022
Knight Material Technologies located in Canton, Ohio, has acquired Electro Chemical Engineering and Manufacturing Co. located in Emmaus, PA. KMT is a leading service provider and manufacturer in the corrosion-resistant materials industry, and EC is a leader in high-performance fluoropolymer-lined vessels.
Combining the two companies' solutions will create a larger, complementary product offering that will drive expansion into new markets and industries. EC will benefit from KMT's expanded reach, including the U.S. Gulf Coast and global markets, while Knight will expand its solutions with EC's fluoropolymer vessels and other materials. The Gulf Coast region has not previously had a local manufacturer for the sales, project personnel and manufacturing of fluoropolymer-lined vessels. Utilizing KMT's Houston office, and fabrication facilities in Baytown, Texas, EC intends to expand into the region to assist local customers with broader range of both products and services. In addition to EC's various fluoropolymer vessel liners, including PVDF, ECTFE, ETFE, FEP, PFA, PTFE, and more. EC also has proprietary adhesive systems for sheet lining and plastic welding technology.
"Electro Chemical and Knight Material Technologies have separate technology and service solutions within the same industries and even some of the same customers. Together, we will be able to become more of a complete solutions provider to our customers and create leverage that will accelerate the growth potential for both companies. This will be a win-win situation for our companies, customers and employees."
Kevin Brooks, President of KMT
Electro Chemical also owns a subsidiary, Superior Dual Laminate Products in Vancouver, BC. SDL focuses on producing FRP dual laminate equipment, including piping, headers, tanks and specialty equipment. Dual laminate equipment is the preferred corrosion-resistant material in various industries, including the chlor-alkali industry.
"We are excited to add the innovation technology Electro Chemical offers to our product line," added Brooks. "The company provides proprietary services with technical differentiation and consistently brings industry-leading innovation to its customers, such as its work in increasing the temperature resistance of epoxy adhesives and new welding techniques."
"This represents a tremendous opportunity for our company and workforce at EC," said Mike Bunner, President, who will remain with EC as a consultant through the transition period. "Throughout our 70+ year history, EC has focused on driving innovation and technology solutions for our customers. This acquisition extends our geographic reach and positions us to bring even more capabilities to our customers in ways that will strengthen our position as a premier provider of linings and coatings to some of the industry's most demanding applications."
KMT expects that the workforce at both organizations will expand as business increases. Company officials added that additional resources will support increased capital equipment investments to meet future demand.
About Knight Material Technologies
Founded in 1910, Knight Material Technologies designs, installs, services and manufactures custom acid-resistant linings used in highly corrosive processes for the chemical and mining industries worldwide. Headquartered in East Canton, OH, the company sells products in more than 40 countries with sales offices in Australia and Chile and a fabrication shop in Baytown, Texas. In addition, KMT produces industry-leading ceramic packing media for chemical process and regenerative thermal oxidation systems with customers in a wide range of industrial applications.
About Electro Chemical
Since 1949, Electro Chemical has been creating innovative and leading technologies in fluoropolymer lining and coating systems for pressure vessels, tanks, distribution equipment and internal components. EC corrosion protection systems are reliable and durable while providing lower capital costs than alternative solutions. Located in Emmaus, PA, EC also has a subsidiary, Superior Dual Laminate Products (SDL), located in Vancouver, BC, focusing on FRP dual laminate equipment, including piping and headers, tanks and specialty equipment.
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CHEMICAL MANAGEMENT
Ginkgo Bioworks | July 19, 2022
Ginkgo Bioworks the leading horizontal platform for cell programming, announced the launch of a new cell programming project as part of a broader collaboration with Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd, one of Japan's leading chemical companies. Through this partnership, Sumitomo Chemical will leverage Ginkgo's extensive codebase and expertise in organism engineering to produce molecules in a sustainable fashion that are used in products across a broad range of industries. The target molecule of this latest project is planned to be used in the personal care and cosmetic industries and is envisioned to augment or replace one that is otherwise currently gathered from animal sources.
By engineering a strain that will produce the targeted ingredient through fermentation, Ginkgo and Sumitomo Chemical aim to create products that will bring significant benefits to consumers by supplying an ingredient that is animal-free and more sustainable. This is a new project in addition to the companies' existing collaboration, which began in 2021 and focuses on bio-based production of selected molecules for the broad Sumitomo Chemical portfolio which includes offerings from personal care and cosmetics to agriculture and pharma, and from chemicals to industrial products and more.
"The cosmetics industry is demanding more sustainable and cost-competitive beauty and personal care products, as are many others we serve, and we see tremendous potential in synthetic biology's ability to make this possible at a commercial scale. We're encouraged by the progress of our ongoing first project with Ginkgo, and we believe it's clear from how well our teams collaborate that we will also be able to find success within additional product areas as well. Through this project, we aim to build our own capability on fermentation production with, active involvement of our new organization SynBio Hub."
Hiroshi Ueda, Executive Vice President of Sumitomo Chemical
"Not only is this project a natural fit for Ginkgo's platform, but it provides the perfect opportunity to leverage and showcase our growing codebase," said Patrick Boyle, Head of Codebase for Ginkgo. "Ginkgo has prior experience developing a precursor molecule to the one Sumitomo Chemical is currently targeting. The data and experience Ginkgo has on this precursor molecule has significantly accelerated our current program with Sumitomo Chemical, possibly saving Sumitomo Chemical multiple years off its development timeline."
About Ginkgo Bioworks
Ginkgo is building a platform to enable customers to program cells as easily as we can program computers. The company's platform is enabling biotechnology applications across diverse markets, from food and agriculture to industrial chemicals to pharmaceuticals. Ginkgo has also actively supported a number of COVID-19 response efforts, including K-12 pooled testing, vaccine manufacturing optimization and therapeutics discovery.
About Sumitomo Chemical Company, Limited
Headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, Sumitomo Chemical is one of Japan's leading chemical companies, offering a diverse range of products globally in the fields of essential chemicals & plastics, energy & functional materials, IT-related chemicals, health & crop sciences, and pharmaceuticals. The company's consolidated net sales for fiscal year 2021 were JPY 2.7 trillion and number of employees is about 34,703 as of March 31, 2022.
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