• Fiscal 2019 successfully completed in a challenging environment
• Confidence for 2020: robust even in corona crisis
• Proposed dividend of EUR 0.95 – 6 percent more than in the previous year
• Hans van Bylen stands for election as new LANXESS Supervisory Board member

At its Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, specialty chemicals company LANXESS looks back on a successful fiscal 2019 and is proving to be robust even in the current corona crisis. “I am proud that we at LANXESS have held together in recent months. In a borderline situation, the likes of which none of us have ever seen before, we have all pulled together,” said Matthias Zachert, Chairman of the Board of Management. Due to the corona pandemic, the company’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting is taking place virtually for the first time.

In fiscal 2019, the company’s realignment to focus on high-quality specialty chemicals, which LANXESS initiated in 2015 with its decision to divest itself of the rubber business, proved successful. Since then, the company has consistently pursued its growth course in line with the principle of “class not mass” and has positioned itself much more profitable and stable. In 2019, for example, LANXESS divested its chrome chemicals business, acquired Brazilian biocide manufacturer IPEL and launched the Consumer Protection segment, which has since established itself as a new strong pillar of the company.  The successful realignment is also reflected in the figures: In a challenging economic environment, LANXESS increased its operating result by 3 percent to EUR 1.019 billion in 2019. The EBITDA margin pre exceptionals came in at 15.0 percent for the first time, compared with 14.4 percent in the previous year. The company has also set itself an ambitious climate protection target for 2019: By 2040, LANXESS aims to become climate-neutral and reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from the current level of around 3.2 million metric tons of CO₂e.

Zachert also gave a positive summary of the first half of 2020 despite charges from the corona pandemic and once again confirmed the guidance for the full year. The company expects EBITDA pre exceptionals for 2020 to be between EUR 800 million and EUR 900 million.

Measures were taken early on to prepare the company for the economic impact of the corona crisis, said the LANXESS CEO. “The key to this lies in strong liquidity. After the Lehman crisis, we learned that you can only defend your capacity to take action if you build a strong liquidity position early on.” Zachert summarized: “LANXESS is more strongly positioned than ever before – both strategically and financially.”

Dividend increased to EUR 0.95

LANXESS stockholders are also to benefit from the company’s strong position and successful fiscal 2019. The Board of Management and Supervisory Board therefore proposed a dividend of EUR 0.95 per share to the Annual Stockholders’ Meeting – 6 percent more than in the previous year. In terms of the shares currently entitled to a dividend, this corresponds to a total payout of approximately EUR 82 million.

Zachert: “Our confidence to pay out such a dividend in times like these shows that we are looking to the future with drive and optimism.”

Hans van Bylen up for election as new member of the LANXESS Supervisory Board

The terms of office of the Chairman of LANXESS’ Supervisory Board Dr. Matthias L. Wolfgruber and the members of the Supervisory Board Dr. Friedrich Janssen, Lawrence A. Rosen and Theo H. Walthie expire at the end of this year’s Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. Wolfgruber and Rosen are available for re-election to the Supervisory Board for four years, Walthie for two years. Janssen will not run for re-election. Instead former Chairman of the Board of Management of Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Hans van Bylen, is standing for election as a new member of the Supervisory Board. In the event of his re-election, Wolfgruber is to be proposed to the new Supervisory Board as a candidate for the chairmanship.

Further Supervisory Board members are Pamela Knapp and Dr. Heike Hanagarth. Knapp was elected to the LANXESS Supervisory Board in 2018 until the end of the 2023 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting. Hanagarth has been a member of the Supervisory Board since 2016 and her term of office ends after the 2022 Stockholders’ Meeting.

Due to the corona pandemic, the employee representatives were appointed by the court this year. Werner Czaplik, Manuela Strauch, Birgit Bierther, Dr. Hans-Dieter Gerriets, Ralf Sikorski and Armando Dente will be members of the LANXESS Supervisory Board at the end of the 2020 Annual Stockholders’ Meeting.

asm.lanxess.com / www.lanxess.in

International Polymer Compounding Group HEXPOL TPE have added more grades to their Dryflex Green family of Biobased TPE Compounds. The series now includes grades based on Styrenic Block Copolymer (TPS) and Thermoplastic Polyolefin (TPO) technologies, with amounts of renewable content to over 90% (ASTM D 6866-12) and hardness from 15 Shore A to 60 Shore D.

Dryflex Green TPE compounds contain raw materials from renewable resources such as plant and vegetable crops. The biobased content can derive from various raw materials such as polymers, fillers, plasticisers or additives, coming from renewable sources such as products and by-products from agricultural that are rich in carbohydrates, especially saccharides.

Dryflex Green TPEs can usually be used as a drop-in solution, without the need for tool modifications. They display mechanical and physical properties comparable to TPE compounds from fossil based raw materials. They also show very good bonding behaviour to PE and PP, with special grades for bonding to ABS, PC/ABS and PET.

Dryflex Green TPEs are recyclable, they are easy to colour, and grades are available with raw materials that are compliant with food contact regulations.

Speaking about the development, Klas Dannäs, Global R&D Manager HEXPOL TPE commented “This is part of our ongoing commitment to bring new possibilities for sustainability to the market. Alongside our TPEs with recycled content and Biocomposite compounds, we are developing an extensive portfolio of resource saving materials. We continue to trial new and emerging raw material combinations and further test the possibilities of Dryflex Green TPE compounds”.

Additional Testing For Automotive Interiors

Alongside their sustainability credentials, materials used for automotive interiors also need to meet requirements for Vehicle Interior Air Quality (VIAQ) and legislation regarding odour, fogging and VOC. To help automotive players meet these dual demands, HEXPOL TPE has carried out odour and fogging tests on representative Dryflex Green grades. The results demonstrate their low emissions performance, for example a 75 Shore A Dryflex Green compound with a renewable content of 20 % showed a very low amount of VOC (42,8 μg/g) and Fog (474 μg/g) in the thermodesorption test according to VDA 278 and odour 3.0 in VDA 270 C3 test.

Dryflex Green TPEs can be used in automotive interior applications such as floor mats, cup holder liners, fascia, trim and inlay mats.

www.hexpol.com

Grimsholm Green, a leader in robot mower accessories space, collaborates with Trifilon, an innovative Swedish developer of sustainable biocomposites. 

To the regret of landscapers and kids looking to make a few bucks, robot lawnmowers have come to more or less dominate the modern garden. And while these silent robots run happily on electricity and not two-stroke petrol engines, there is a dark secret lurking under the grass. When installing these robot mowers, plastic spikes are used to fasten the perimeter wire into the ground. As these spikes are buried underground, the likelihood of installers collecting them for recycling is minimal. It’s this problem that Grimsholm wanted to tackle and turned to Trifilon for support.

The new Grimsholm bio-spike is made from Trifilon Switch, an innovative thermoplastic biocomposite made from renewable, non-GMO plant-based feedstocks. This sustainable plastic alternative incorporates C02 sequestering hemp fibers sourced from eco-friendly EU farms. Tough and strong, but still with a bio-look and feel, the bio-spike is designed to fully decompose.

For Grimsholm, this project was also an opportunity to move production back to Sweden and lower its logistics’ C02 footprint. A tight collaboration between its sustainable materials supplier, Trifilon, and its local manufacturing partner meant that this bio-spike could be completely locally sourced close to it’s EU distribution hub.

– “This is one of the best examples we have seen so far when it comes to application suitability for our revolutionary Switch material. We know that it won’t be possible for a landscaper or home gardener to collect the spikes once they’ve been installed underground. This makes a compostable spike the only reasonable alternative for a sustainable garden. It´s a perfect match between application and material.”, says Jeremiah Dutton, Head of Sales at Trifilon AB.

https://www.trifilon.com/

Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, today announces that Dyneema is driving the performance of Team Sunweb’s protective cycling jerseys in the 2020 Tour de France. Together with its partners, Team Sunweb and Craft Sportswear, DSM has helped to deliver a jersey that, when combined with a protective baselayer, offers cyclists effective abrasion protection at speeds up to 60km/h, while also reducing the severity of open wounds at even higher speeds. In this way, DSM underlines its commitment to protect people and the environment they live in.

Professional cycling places its participants in considerable danger; in recent years, the Tour de France has averaged 1.5 crashes per stage, while crashes in one-day classics are even more frequent. Cycling jerseys can support riders by enabling protection for a large portion of the body, while allowing for moisture transport to the surface and offering low thermal resistance. However, cycling jerseys made with conventional materials offer limited protective performance.

To address these needs and enable a safer riding experience, DSM has teamed up with Craft Sportswear and Team Sunweb to develop a cycling jersey that offers much-needed increases in abrasion resistance without compromising the comfort or low weight that cyclists demand. The new jersey is the latest protective cycling apparel solution, following the launch of the protective bib shorts (2015) and the protective baselayer (2019). The jersey will be worn for the first time by Team Sunweb in this year’s Tour de France. When combined, the new jersey offers complete protection against abrasions up to 60km/h, a speed below which professional cyclists spend 95% of race time in a typical stage.

Dyneema has been used to protect workers in high-stake industries for more than 30 years – and the expansion into fabrics means both professional and recreational cyclists can enjoy the intrinsic performance capabilities of it in their protective garments without sacrificing wearer comfort.

“Being 15 times stronger than steel on a weight for weight basis, Dyneema fiber offers an excellent solution to increasing the abrasion resistance of a fabric, reducing the severity of road rash in case of a crash, without compromising the rider weight or comfort,” states Piet Rooijakkers, Head of R&D Team Sunweb “What’s more, the new jersey can form part of a modular protection solution, where riders can easily take off or put on layers according to race and weather conditions. In this way, the new jersey will support our riders significantly in the Tour de France and beyond.”

“The new cycling jersey with Dyneema will make a real difference to cyclists facing the dangers of professional competition, and help ensure the health of both people and the environment,” states Wilfrid Gambade, President DSM Protective Materials. “The jersey is physical proof of the great achievements collaboration with expert partners can deliver. Moving forward, we will work with Craft and Team Sunweb to integrate bio-based Dyneema fibers into protective cycling jerseys – contributing even further to a safe and healthy world!”

In line with its commitment to protect people and the environment they live in, DSM introduced the world’s first-ever bio-based HMPE fiber in May 2020. Bio-based Dyneema fiber offers the same exact performance as its conventional one with a carbon footprint that is 90% lower than generic HMPE. The continued partnership between DSM, Craft and Team Sunweb will not only provide innovative, lightweight solutions for cyclists, but also environmentally sustainable alternatives that contribute to a circular economy.

www.dsm.com

• THERMEC K can replace polyamide-imides (PAI) without impacting performance.
• It is suitable for numerous industrial applications, including bushings & bearings.
• The solution was developed in India, a huge market for friction and wear resistant material.

DOMO Chemicals has expanded its THERMEC range of enhanced polymers, with the introduction of a cost-efficient product based on polyether ether ketone (PEEK), blended with a solid polymeric lubricant. The new solution, which is now available in India, has been specially developed to replace polyamide-imides (PAI), without impacting performance.

THERMEC K is an innovative experimental product that has been developed at DOMO’s Mumbai-based laboratory in India, a huge market for friction and wear resistant materials. The solution is suitable for numerous industrial applications, including bushings & bearings, aerospace parts, pump & valve components, medical instrument parts and food processing machinery components.

“Generally speaking, the mechanical properties of PAI are higher than those of PEEK-based parts, due to the different types of polymers the material contains. But it is more expensive too,” explains Tushar Parida, Country manager. “However, through the careful formulation work of our Indian development team, we have been able to match the friction & wear performance and dry lubrication properties of PAI in a PEEK-based solution.”

DOMO’s Mumbai team has shown that THERMEC K is suitable for numerous applications, especially when low wear, low coefficient of friction at temperatures of up to 200C° and resistance to high load-bearing conditions, is required. Furthermore, it grants a lower density of 1.32g/cm³, compared to a PAI solution of 1.42g/cm³.

In addition to offering comparable tribological properties to PAI, THERMEC K can be processed using a standard injection moulding procedure. This means that the use of complex cold injection moulding equipment followed by a lengthy steam curing process is unnecessary. THERMEC K offers a wide range of material property benefits that ranges from exceptional properties at elevated temperatures, chemical resistance, mechanical strength, strong wear and fatigue resistance, and dielectric strength.

DOMO plays a growing role in the higher performance polymers market. The extensive THERMEC product range has been developed to meet the demands of specific application requirements. The enhanced polymers solution range features new solutions based on polyphthalamide (PPA): THERMEC N; polyphenylene sulfide (PPS): THERMEC S; and polyether ether ketone (PEEK): THERMEC K).

www.domochemicals.com 

• Energy giant, Equinor, awards Johan Sverdrup offshore platform production team for cost and sustainability achievements
• New Clariant product used is 6 times more efficient than previous solution

In recognition of outstanding operational improvements, the Equinor production team on the Norwegian offshore oil platform, the Johan Sverdrup, has been recognized with the energy company, Equinor’s, May 2020 “Hero” award. The monthly honor highlights great cost, sustainability or personnel achievements around its energy projects globally.

As part of Clariants production chemical supply contract for Johan Sverdrup, Equinor has worked with Clariant to optimize the volume of the oxygen scavenger being used on the platform, Johan Sverdrup. In close partnership, Clariant Oil Services and the Johan Sverdrup production team worked to find a more optimized product. “As part of our optimization process our team took the existing O2 remover being used by the platform, Clariant’s incumbent product, a liquid grade sulfite based oxygen scavenger, and looked at how we could make it a more efficient product, formulating a catalyzed version,” said Jarle Skjold, Global Corporate Account Manager at Clariant Oil Services.

In field trials, the teams were able to reduce the volume of the O₂ remover used. After replacing the incumbent product, with the specially formulated Clariant replacement product, the installation was able to achieve significant cost savings of around USD 800,000 annually, as well as multiple sustainability improvements including reduced chemical and energy usage, and production and shipping efficiencies.

“We are thrilled for our production colleagues on the Johan Sverdrup who have been recognized with this award. We are proud of our working partnership, with a focus on the need for optimization in terms of the cost and sustainability of operations, and that this helped to achieve the Hero Award” continued Jarle Skjold.

The Johan Sverdrup is one of Norway’s largest oilfields and will, at peak production, supply 25% of the Norwegian oil supply. Production started in October 2019 where Clariant was awarded the production chemical supply contract in 2017 and has been part of the project phase supporting Equinor in the development of this giant new oil field.

www.clariant.com / www.clariant.com/oil