Chemical Management
Businesswire | July 25, 2023
Vibrantz Technologies announced today the construction of a new pilot plant to process high-purity manganese sulfate (HPMSM) onsite at its facility in Tampico, Mexico, to meet the growing demand for battery-grade manganese sulfate as automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) prioritize the production of zero-emission vehicles. Over the next three years, this expansion is anticipated to increase Vibrantz’s HPMSM capacity to up to 45,000 metric tons per year which could help power two million electric vehicles and positions the company to provide a second reliable manganese sulfate alternative for the lithium-ion battery market serving electric vehicles.
The only experienced Western producer of HPMSM, Vibrantz already manufactures various manganese chemicals at scale and produces HPMSM at its manganese chemical facility in Saint-Ghislain, Belgium. The company will leverage its existing agricultural grade manganese sulfate plant in Tampico to serve the North American market with a new product and process.
“At Vibrantz, we are committed to our long-term vision of being a sustainable and world-class specialty chemicals and materials solutions provider,” said D. Michael Wilson, Vibrantz CEO. “One of the ways we are stepping closer to this vision is by leveraging over a decade of expertise in high-purity manganese sulfate production and 50 plus years in the manganese chemical market delivering technologies that benefit the OEMs that are producing and the consumers purchasing lower carbon footprint vehicles.”
“Vibrantz manufactures various manganese chemicals at scale and values being a dependable supplier,” said David Newton, president of the Advanced Materials segment at Vibrantz. “This technology optimization pilot is designed to ensure future plant reliability as we continue to engage the electric vehicle value chain in commercial discussions for high-volume offtake agreements. I’ve been pleased with the market reception our project has received from OEMs and battery producers. We look forward to building strong partnerships with the industry."
The new facility is expected to be operational in 2026.
About Vibrantz Technologies
Vibrantz is a leading global provider of specialty chemicals and materials whose purpose is to bring color, performance and vibrancy to life. Serving over 11,000 customers, our products and technologies serve a wide array of applications and make their way into myriad consumer products. With key competencies in particle engineering, glass and ceramic science and color technology, Vibrantz has leading positions in specialty mineral and chemical additives for batteries, electronic components and construction; dry powder pigments for paints and coatings, thermoset plastics and thermoplastics; and high-performance glass coatings and porcelain enamel solutions.
Read More
Market Outlook
Globenewswire | July 07, 2023
Hudson Technologies, Inc. a leading provider of innovative sustainable solutions to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration industry – and one of the nation’s largest refrigerant reclaimers – today announced that it has achieved carbon neutrality for its operational scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions for the year 2022.
Brian F. Coleman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hudson Technologies commented, “Hudson is committed to operating our business in the most sustainable way possible. Our refrigerant reclamation activities effectively recycle refrigerants, displacing the production of virgin refrigerants and eliminating the emissions generated in the manufacturing process. We’re pleased to have made progress toward reducing our carbon footprint and remain focused on meeting our internal goals for environmentally sound operations, while at the same time playing a role in supporting the sustainability efforts of our customers.”
About Hudson Technologies
Hudson Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of innovative and sustainable refrigerant products and services to the Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, and Refrigeration industry. For nearly three decades, we have demonstrated our commitment to our customers and the environment by becoming one of the first in the United States and largest refrigerant reclaimers, through multimillion dollar investments in the plants and advanced separation technology required to recover a wide variety of refrigerants and restoring them to Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute standard for reuse as certified EMERALD Refrigerants™. The Company's products and services are primarily used in commercial air conditioning, industrial processing and refrigeration systems, and include refrigerant and industrial gas sales, refrigerant management services consisting primarily of reclamation of refrigerants and RefrigerantSide® Services performed at a customer's site, consisting of system decontamination to remove moisture, oils and other contaminants. The Company’s SmartEnergy OPS® service is a web-based real time continuous monitoring service applicable to a facility’s refrigeration system and other energy systems. The Company’s Chiller Chemistry® and Chill Smart® services are also predictive and diagnostic service offerings. As a component of the Company’s products and services, the Company also generates carbon offset projects.
Read More
Chemical Management
PRNewswire | July 26, 2023
Allotrope Partners LLC Axens North America and Sumitomo Corporation of Americas announced the signing of an agreement to develop a Joint Study for a commercial plant producing cellulosic bioethanol, utilizing the Axens Futurol process, produced from woody biomass through Allotrope Cellulosic Development Company LLC ("ACDC"), a project development company based in the State of California.
The project will use feedstock based on local Californian forest thinning materials and agricultural residues. These feedstocks in part come from the waste generated in large forest fire prevention activities to reduce risk of wildfires that have become a critical challenge in California in recent years. This project will produce a commercial grade bioethanol, while at the same time contributing to the reduction of carbon released into the atmosphere from the massive wildfires that have severely impacted the environment and residents in California.
The parties are committed to develop a first project then continue to expand their cellulosic ethanol footprint within California and to other locations all around North America, utilizing local woody biomass materials to supply low-carbon biofuels into the North American market.
"Allotrope is excited to continue its efforts to develop a series of advanced biofuels projects in California in partnership with Sumitomo and Axens," noted Marc Stuart, CEO of Allotrope Partners LLC. "Axen's Futurol™ technology is ready for commercial scale roll out and Sumitomo will be a valuable partner across the entire project development process, from feedstock sourcing to the sale of final products into the markets."
Bioethanol is currently attracting attention in countries worldwide striving for carbon-neutral societies as a renewable energy source and as a feedstock for biofuels such as SAF*1 and bio-chemicals. Cellulosic bioethanol made from woody biomass is classified as "Advanced Bioethanol*2" by the EU Renewable Energy Directive (RED) program and "Cellulosic Fuel" by the US EPA Renewable Fuel Standard, which has the potential to scale sustainably, and with low Carbon Intensity when compared to other fuels and blending components available on the market today.
"The commitment from the Allotrope and Sumitomo teams to deploy Axens Futurol™ technology at multiple US plants and to utilize a wide variety of woody biomass feedstocks is another great example that the low carbon marketplace values both the flexibility of the Futurol™ technology and Axens' significant technology de-risking achievements. We believe each organization brings complementary strengths to this relationship, and, together, we can make meaningful contributions to reduce the Carbon Intensity of the transportation sector, utilizing ethanol as a renewable energy carrier for gasoline blending and potentially SAF and bio-chemicals production," said Frédéric Balligand, Vice Pesident, Axens Renewables Product Line.
Accordingly, the three companies will be studying the possibility of an initial plant to produce about 60,000 tons of bioethanol derived from local feedstocks. The project shall consider carbon recycling initiatives that contribute to the realization of a decarbonized society, such as CCU*2 using carbon-neutral, biogenic CO2 generated naturally during bioethanol production, internal energy production, and effective utilization of residues from the fermentation process including Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) production.
"SCOA is pleased to partner with Axens and Allotrope in this landmark project and will contribute to this study by consolidating and applying the knowledge and skills of the Sumitomo Corporation Group acquired through various businesses. This includes the development and deployment of carbon-free energy using hydrogen, ammonia, and next-generation biomass, raw fuel gas, and by promoting the use of green chemicals to construct a circular economy," said Sandro Hasegawa, General Manager, SCOA EIIA.
About Allotrope Partners LLC
Allotrope Partners LLC invests in projects and companies engaged in the clean economy transition. The company has had an active local presence in the Northern California biomass community for over a decade, engaging with foresters, farming organizations, lumber production and biomass power producers. Through its partnership with Axens, the Company has identified a pipeline of bioethanol plants in proximity to local woody materials.
About Axens Group
Axens group provides a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates, the chemical recycling of plastics, all natural gas treatment and conversion options along with water treatment and carbon capture. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit life cycle. This unique position ensures the highest level of performance with a reduced environmental footprint. Axens global offer is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network for industrial, technical supports & commercial services. Axens is an IFP Group company.
About Sumitomo Corporation of Americas
The company, established in 1952, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sumitomo Corporation Japan and is headquartered in New York City with nine offices in major U.S. cities. Sumitomo Corporation is one of the world's leading traders of goods and services and as an integrated business enterprise it has emerged as a major organizer of multinational projects, an expediter of ideas, an important international investor and financier, and a powerful force for distribution of products and global communications through a network of offices worldwide. Sumitomo Corporation is making multifaceted efforts to develop businesses that will serve as the foundation for a sustainable energy cycle in society, with the aim of making its business activities carbon-neutral by 2050.
Read More
Chemical Management
businesswire | August 23, 2023
Fluid Quip Technologies (FQT) is pleased to announce that its patented Distillers Corn Oil (DCO) Technology™ is achieving record distillers corn oil yields for Ace Ethanol in Stanley, Wisconsin, with increases of over 20% above historical rates.
“Ace Ethanol is a high-performing plant with a cellulosic ethanol system and FQT is excited to announce that our DCO Technology has helped them push their distillers corn oil to their highest yields to date, and among the highest in the industry,” said Michael Franko, Vice President of Fluid Quip Technologies. “Ace has been a long-term customer partner, and these results confirm that the DCO system can achieve significant oil increases at plants with different technologies installed, even those starting with high oil yields already.”
“We are excited to see oil yield increases with the FQT DCO Technology at Ace,” said Neal Kemmet, President of Ace Ethanol. “We have worked hard to keep Ace at the forefront of industry technologies, and we see FQT’s DCO Technology as an integral step in achieving that goal.”
DCO Technology™ mechanically separates more oil from whole stillage into the thin stillage stream and then clarifies the stream to reduce fine solids going to evaporation and oil recovery systems. The mechanical separation can reduce the need for additional chemicals or enzymes, helping to lower operational expenses, even while achieving higher distillers corn oil yields.
DCO Technology™ is integrated into FQT’s patented Maximized Stillage Co-products™ (MSC™) protein systems, making the technology a building block to adding MSC and higher-value protein production in the future.
About Fluid Quip Technologies
Fluid Quip Technologies (FQT) is a global leader providing proprietary technologies and engineering solutions to the food, beverage, biofuel and biochemical production industries. FQT's innovative solutions enhance grain-to-ethanol dry grind processes, create alternative feed products, and cater to the growing demand for carbohydrate feedstocks in the biochemical market.
Read More