SAO PAULO, Nov. 10, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Braskem
(BM&FBOVESPA: BRKM3, BRKM5 and BRKM6; NYSE: BAK; LATIBEX:
XBRK), the Americas' leading producer of thermoplastic resins, and
Danish-based Haldor Topsoe, a world leader in catalysts and surface
science, have signed a technological cooperation agreement to
develop a pioneering route to produce monoethylene glycol (MEG)
from sugar. The agreement calls for the construction of a
demonstration plant in Denmark,
with operation slated to begin in 2019.
MEG is a key component of PET resin, the main man-made raw
material used by the textile and packaging industries that is also
widely used to make bottles. The project is based on a two-step
process developed at Topsoe's labs along with own catalysts, and
focuses on the conversion of sugar into MEG at a single industrial
unit, which will reduce initial investment in the production and
boost the competitiveness of the process.
"This novel bio-based initiative allies a cutting-edge
technology with deep expertise in process design, scale-up and
industrial operation, which will allow us to push the renewable
chemistry to a whole new level. After the Green Polyethylene, this
is another major step forward in our vision of using renewable
polymers as a carbon capture tool and keep contributing to a more
sustainable future." said Mateus
Lopes, head of Innovation in Renewable Chemicals at
Braskem.
With the agreement, Braskem wants to expand its portfolio of
renewable products to offer new solutions that complement its
bio-based polyethylene marketed with the I'm greenTM
seal. "With this new partnership, we strengthen our position as
protagonists in the development of innovative solutions that will
leverage the competitiveness of different biomasses and complement
the traditional solutions offered by the petrochemical industry,"
said Gustavo Sergi, director of
Renewable Chemicals at Braskem.
"Catalysis will play an extremely important role in the
development of sustainable solutions that produce important
chemicals from renewable sources such as sugars. We are proud to
deliver the ground-breaking technology for the project with
Braskem, and we look forward to applying our world-leading
competencies within catalysis and process engineering in the
further commercialization of this important technology," said
Kim Knudsen, Executive Vice
President at Haldor Topsoe.
The demonstration plant will conduct tests to validate the
technology and confirm its technical and economic feasibility,
which is a critical step before launching production on an
industrial scale and commercial operations. The unit will be
flexible to validate the technology in different raw materials such
as sucrose, dextrose and second-generation sugars.
ABOUT BRASKEM
Braskem is one of the world's leading
plastics and chemical companies with 41 industrial plants in
Brazil, the United States, Germany and Mexico. Braskem is the largest producer of
thermoplastic resins in the Americas and the leading producer of
biopolymers in the world, creating more environmental-friendly,
intelligent and sustainable solutions through chemicals and
plastics. Known for innovative solutions such as I'm
greenTM Polyethylene made from renewable sugarcane and
UTEC®, the company's own trademarked Ultra High Molecular Weight
Polyethylene for high performance applications, Braskem's products
and technologies enable the automotive, packaging, healthcare, and
construction industries to produce goods that enhance quality of
life for people around the world.
Braskem America is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of
Braskem S.A. headquartered in Philadelphia. The company is the leading
producer of polypropylene in the United
States, with six production plants located in Texas, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and an Innovation and
Technology Center in Pittsburgh.
For more information, visit www.braskem.com.
ABOUT I'M GREEN™
I'm greenTM polyethylene
is a bio-based thermoplastic resin derived from sugarcane. Its
greatest advantage is helping to reduce greenhouse gases in the air
by capturing CO2 during its production cycle.
ABOUT HALDOR TOPSOE
Haldor Topsoe is a world leader
in catalysis and surface science, committed to helping our
customers achieve optimal performance. We enable our customers to
get the most out of their processes and products, using the least
possible energy and resources, in the most responsible way. We are
headquartered in Denmark and have
project development, R&D, engineering, production plants, and
sales & service across the globe. In 2016, our revenue was
approximately 860 million U.S.
dollars, and we employ some 2,600 employees.
www.topsoe.com
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SOURCE Braskem