Sustainable Models in the Fine and Speciality Chemicals Industry
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Special Report Sustainable models in the fine and speciality chemicals industry Shifts in industry landscape goals is steadily gaining acceptance in R. RAJAGOPAL he global fine and the speciality this industry, and in the process have E-mail: [email protected] chemicals business is a multi- been driving innovations in feedstocks, Tproduct, multi-technology, multi- R&D, manufacturing, marketing and business functions. Sustainability prac- location enterprise spread across di- supply chains. New advances in chemi- tices are now being adopted in diverse verse economic zones. It is a high pre- cal sciences and engineering, operating segments of this industry with increas- mium, knowledge-intensive component models and resource management have ing use of sustainability methodologies, of the chemical value chain, catering to accelerated the development of sustain- tools and reporting practices. This has a multitude of societal and industrial able products and solutions. In this con- also brought about shifts in structures, needs. Regulatory, sustainability and text green chemistry and engineering procedures and systems to manage consumer forces have been constantly tools have been instrumental in several strategic sustainability goals within the shaping the business fundamentals of commercially successful sustainable industry. Perhaps, the most profound this industry in diverse ways. Climate innovations. change has been the proactive approach change, regulatory compliance and cus- adopted by the industry in meeting sus- tomer preferences remain the top moti- In the last decade, the concept of tainability challenges. vators for action for the global fine and sustainability and that it makes busi- speciality chemicals industry. ness sense has led to a new agenda in The fine and speciality chemicals the fine and speciality chemicals busi- industry has been grappling with a va- Integration of social and envi- ness. Companies invested in develop- riety of challenges since the mid-80s: ronmental concerns into the business ing sustainable models and tools across high raw material, R&D, energy and compliance costs. In the 90s, rapidly growing Asian economies spurred the demand for high value specialities and in the process offered new growth avenues for commodity players. The rapid growth of the fine and spe- ciality chemicals through the next decade was driven by new technolo- gies, sophistication in end-use seg- ments, newer business models and, in particular, climate change mandates. Niche technology, customer-centric and emerging market centric models were adopted. At present, the global fine and spe- ciality chemicals industry structure can be broadly differentiated into hybrid players (with multi product-technology capability) and niche (focused product/ technology capability) players, each adopting different business approaches (see Fig. 1). In the last decade the industry made significant progress in addressing Chemical Weekly January 21, 2014 199 Special Report has been the driving force behind radi- Hybrid companies Niche companies cal changes within the industry. From a reactive control approach to a pro- Global presence Regional presence active approach the shifts have been Multiple technologies Niche technologies profound. Many global initiatives have Margin driven growth Customer driven growth now brought together civil society, in- Competitive feedstocks Competitive delivery dustry and governments to collaborate Innovation (mega trends) Innovation (Customer) in developing new instruments for the Sustainability capability Customer sustainability future. Figure 1: Differentiated structures Since the 1970s several national regulatory instruments have been adopted under broad categories such as: Insulation foams, reflector coatings, detergent Healthcare chemical pollution control, waste man- enzymes (energy reduction) Food agement & hazardous chemical control Light weighting polymers (fuel efficiency) Housing (1970s); pollution prevention & chemi- Fluorescent lights (GHG reduction) Transportation cal information (1980s); managing Metallocene catalysis (bio plastics) Infrastructure chemicals in products (1990s); and Energy devices (energy optimization) evolution of safer chemicals & resource Advanced materials (fuel efficiency) efficiency (2000+). Crop-protection chemicals (Optimal dose) Novel Bio-materials (GHG reduction) Many of these regulations will con- tinue to drive sustainable innovations in Figure 2: Commercial innovations future. the critical needs in sectors where a is also adopting newer approaches in high level of chemical intensity and pushing the sustainability agenda and Sustainability models negative impacts are present. Lever- developing real time predictive capa- Identifying the right sustainable aging enabling technologies has led to bilities to respond to emerging regula- model is complex task, as this industry novel developments that are needed for tory regimes. has different sub-segments, each with healthcare, diagnostics, food produc- its unique chemistries, technologies & tion, housing, transportation etc. Novel Several companies are now busy application platforms, and regulatory energy storage devices, advanced with assessment of their base line sus- directives. materials, designer crop protection tainability performance in each of their chemicals, novel packaging materials verticals and redesigning them. Be- Assessment of sustainability prac- and a host of innovative & sustainable sides, emergence of sustainable report- tices within this industry indicates that products & processes were developed. ing, exchanges and indices have led to the fastest and most competitive way The industry also developed enhanced structural changes in the way invest- to meet sustainability goals is to tar- capabilities in meeting regulatory stan- ment decisions are being made. Since get those areas that provide for faster dards with REACH imposing new chal- 2010, there has been increasing call for implementation and enable revenue lenges. segment-specific sustainability stan- generation through improved process dards, considering the heterogeneity of economics and cost savings. Resource Sustainability practices: Evolving the specialty chemicals industry. management, obviously, is high in the trends agenda. Typically, four models have Capturing value through sustainable In the last decade, several sustain- been adopted by the industry based on practices is slowly becoming a reality. able innovation approaches have been energy efficiency, waste valorization, In recent years, there have been quite followed. Fuel efficiency, GHG reduc- innovative green chemistry and tech- a few instances of companies creating tions, bio-based materials and designer nology (GCT) platforms and bio-based revenue growth through investments in actives have been some of the key ones products. R&D, manufacturing, supply chains, (see Fig. 2). tools and guides that enable them to Energy efficiency meet sustainability goals. The industry Evolution of regulatory instruments Investing in energy efficiency is the 200 Chemical Weekly January 21, 2014 Special Report first choice for most companies seek- Adopt energy efficient systems A few examples of innovations in ing to lower their carbon footprint. Combined heat and steam systems energy efficiency include: This was driven by advances in process to enable heat recycling have been a Bayer’s Oxygen Depolarized Cath- intensification, novel feedstocks and major contributor to improving en- ode (ODC) technology, which is materials, all of which led to nume- ergy usage. At present, co-genera- a method of chlorine production rous innovations targeted at improving tion plants are the norm across the working on fuel cells principles, energy management in the industry. At industry. and offering high degree of energy present, climate protection driven pro- Management tools for quality efficiency. Bayer has operational duct development accounts for nearly (TQM), productivity (TPM), busi- plants in Shanghai (China) and 10-15% of sales of companies pursuing ness process (BPR), to name a few, Brunsbuttel (Germany), based on this agenda. have also enabled significant energy this technology. use rationalization and cost savings. Dow’s novel titanium dioxide pow- A recent report [Accenture/UN der grades require less dispersion Global Compact, Sustainable Energy Focus on energy saving product time, use less associated energy and for All], recommends diverse approach- development offer the possibility of major cost es to enhance energy efficiency. Some Investing in a product portfolio that savings. of the approaches compatible with the addresses energy optimization and Akzo Nobel’s Lumitec technology needs of the fine and speciality chemi- savings is emerging as a thrust area for developing reflector and low cals industry are discussed below. within the industry. In recent years friction coatings lowers energy us- advanced materials, coatings, light- age, and has been a significant in- Enhance energy efficiency of produc- weight polymers, Li-ion batteries novation in the coatings sector. tion processes etc., have all been developed to im- Development of Li-ion batteries is a Identify high-energy intensive pro- prove energy efficiency in applica- focus area for companies like BASF, ducts/processes in portfolio and work tions. Evonik and Mitsubishi Holdings. on developing alternatives for those that are sought by end-use custo- Besides, increased use of renewable Green chemistry and technology mers. energy (wind,