Sanyo Chemical Industries announces that it has obtained the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Supply Chain Certification (Mass Balance model) for its subsidiary, Sanyo Kasei (Thailand) Limited (SKT)‘s head office and its Rayong Factory, as a part of its commitment to sustainable raw material procurement.

Palm oil, derived from the fruit of oil palm tree, is the most widely produced and utilized vegetable oil globally. However, large-scale oil palm plantation development has led to significant environmental destruction and human rights violations due to poor working conditions in some regions. The RSPO certification is the international certification system aims to address these issues and to promote sustainable palm oil production and utilization that respects biodiversity and conserves forests.

Sanyo Chemical Group joined the RSPO in 2013, and obtained RSPO certification for Sanyo Chemical’s Head Office, Tokyo Branch Office, and domestic factories (located in Nagoya, Kashima, and Kyoto, Japan) in 2023. With the certification for SKT, Sanyo Chemical Group marks another step towards sustainable practices and start procuring and using raw materials derived from RSPO-certified palm oil for some surfactants for cosmetics produced by SKT, which are in high demand for use of RSPO-certified palm oil. Sanyo Chemical Group is committed to further expanding the use of RSPO-certified palm oil and promoting the establishment of a system for sustainable procurement and supply of raw materials.

Sanyo Chemical obtains RSPO certification for its Thai subsidiary Sanyo Kasei (Thailand)

 Sanyo Chemical Industries announces that it has obtained the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) Supply Chain Certification (Mass Balance model) for its subsidiary, Sanyo Kasei (Thailand) Limited (SKT)‘s head office and its Rayong Factory, as a part of its commitment to sustainable raw material procurement.

Palm oil, derived from the fruit of oil palm tree, is the most widely produced and utilized vegetable oil globally. However, large-scale oil palm plantation development has led to significant environmental destruction and human rights violations due to poor working conditions in some regions. The RSPO certification is the international certification system aims to address these issues and to promote sustainable palm oil production and utilization that respects biodiversity and conserves forests.

Sanyo Chemical Group joined the RSPO in 2013, and obtained RSPO certification for Sanyo Chemical’s Head Office, Tokyo Branch Office, and domestic factories (located in Nagoya, Kashima, and Kyoto, Japan) in 2023. With the certification for SKT, Sanyo Chemical Group marks another step towards sustainable practices and start procuring and using raw materials derived from RSPO-certified palm oil for some surfactants for cosmetics produced by SKT, which are in high demand for use of RSPO-certified palm oil. Sanyo Chemical Group is committed to further expanding the use of RSPO-certified palm oil and promoting the establishment of a system for sustainable procurement and supply of raw materials.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

LYB completes acquisition of solvent-based recycling company APK

Plant to be transformed into post-consumer plastic waste recycling

LyondellBasell (LYB) announced it became full owner of APK AG in Merseburg, Germany. APK will be fully integrated and continue as part of LYB, a sustainability leader in the chemical industry.

It is LYB’s ambition to further develop the company’s unique solvent-based technology for low density polyethylene (LDPE) and build commercial plants in the future.

This will enable LYB to produce new high-purity materials that can be used in applications like flexible packaging for personal care products, meeting the demands of customers and brand owners.

“We are excited to complete the acquisition of solvent-based recycling technology company APK, securing the future of more than a hundred employees and adding another solution for our customers to meet their circularity ambitions and goals,” says Yvonne van der Laan, LYB executive vice president of circular and low carbon solutions. “This technology complements our excellent mechanical recycling technology, as well as our proprietary advanced recycling technology. We see this as a crucial addition to our portfolio on our journey to a circular economy, helping end plastic waste.”

The closing of the APK acquisition is another proof point of how LYB creates solutions for a better tomorrow, following the foundation stone laying of its first industrial-scale MoReTec plant for catalytic advanced recycling in Wesseling on September 19 with German Chancellor Scholz. With these investments, LYB aims to address rising demand for more sustainable solutions from customers and society.

“We are incredibly pleased to be part of LYB. LYB offers great expertise, career opportunities and financial strength to lift the company to the next level,” says Maik Pusch, former director of corporate development at APK AG and integration lead. “I am convinced this combination will help our technology reach its full potential, as well as securing a promising future for our employees.”

The recycling technology is a unique solvent-based kind for low density polyethylene (LDPE). LYB aims to increase the recycling of hard-to-recycle flexible plastic waste materials – which today make up most of the mixed plastic waste from the consumer sector. The materials produced will be sold under LYB’s Circulen portfolio.

In March 2023 LYB revealed its pivotal new company strategy aimed at establishing LYB as an industry leader in sustainability. LYB has formulated ambitious plans to create access to best-in-class innovative and differentiated technologies as a key element of its new strategy and formed a dedicated circular and low carbon solutions (CLCS) business. CLCS has started to make substantial investments upstream in plastic-waste sorting and recycling operations in Europe, the United States and Asia.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Westlake Global Compounds sites receive Silver Medal from EcoVadis

Westlake Corporation announced that Westlake Global Compounds businesses and operating sites outside of the U.S. - Westlake Compounds Holdings, S.A.S. - have been awarded the esteemed EcoVadis Silver Medal, reflecting the company’s commitment to improved environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility.

This accolade places these Westlake Global Compounds sites among the top 15% of companies assessed by EcoVadis globally over the past year. EcoVadis is the world’s largest and most trusted provider of business sustainability ratings and evaluates companies globally on their corporate social responsibility performance using international standards like the Global Reporting Initiative, the United Nations Global Compact, and ISO 26000.

“Receiving the EcoVadis Silver Medal is a significant milestone for Westlake Global Compounds and underscores our commitment to environmental stewardship and ethical business practices,” said Bridget Confait-Smith, associate director – research, technology, innovation and global sustainability at Westlake Global Compounds. “We are honored to be recognized for our efforts and will continue to strive for excellence in every aspect of our operations.”

EcoVadis granted the Silver Medal following a third-party assessment of Westlake Global Compounds’ performance at its sites in Mexico, Europe, and Asia. This achievement is a testament to Westlake Global Compounds’ dedication to implementing and maintaining responsible business practices throughout its international operations.

EcoVadis, evaluates more than 75,000 companies in over 160 countries across 200 industries. The organization’s assessment methodology covers four key areas: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement.

“Westlake Global Compounds’ achievement is reflective of the company’s strategic initiatives to enhance sustainability and social responsibility across its global footprint,” said Confait-Smith. “This recognition by EcoVadis is not only an honor but also a motivation for Westlake Global Compounds to continue its pursuit of operational excellence and leadership in practices and products intended to advance sustainability objectives.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

ADNOC and AIQ accelerate deployment of industry-first AR360 AI solution

Solution uses AI technology to improve reservoir management and optimize field development

ADNOC is integrating AI across its value chain to enhance safety, reduce emissions and maximize value

ADNOC announced the deployment of AIQ’s Advanced Reservoir 360 (AR360) solution on more than 30 reservoirs across ADNOC’s upstream operations, following the solution’s successful initial deployment in early 2024 on two ADNOC reservoirs at Bab and Umm Shaif fields.

Developed by AIQ with SLB as part of ENERGYai, ADNOC’s artificial intelligence and digital technology strategy, AR360 uses artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies to improve reservoir management and optimize field development planning.

Abdulmunim Saif Al Kindy, ADNOC Upstream Executive Director, said: “The integration of AR360 across more of our reservoirs is a testament to our success in harnessing AI and advanced technologies to unlock more value from our natural resources. Building on decades of investment in innovation and technology, we will continue to accelerate the deployment of AI solutions from the control room to the boardroom as we responsibly meet the growing global energy demand.”

AR360 reduces planning time while increasing well life and recovery rates by ensuring the right balance between drilling new wells, boosting performance of existing wells and optimizing injection and production volumes.

Magzhan Kenesbai, Acting Managing Director of AIQ said: “The extended deployment of AR360 by ADNOC is an important endorsement of our technology and reinforces the emergence of AIQ as a developing global AI supplier for the energy sector. We are committed to continue driving greater operational efficiencies across the entire energy value chain, and in upstream operations in particular, and unlock greater value for the industry."

While traditional forecasting technologies require working across multiple software platforms and data sets, which can be time-consuming, AR360 integrates everything on a single platform and utilizes AI to save time and enable better and more proactive decision-making.

ADNOC has so far deployed more than 30 AI tools from the control room to the board room to enhance safety, reduce emissions, optimize efficiency and maximize value.