All companies face the challenge of operating more sustainably. We are convinced that we can achieve this goal faster and more effectively as a team. We have the relevant experience.
Michael Träxler, Head of Evonik’s Active Oxygens Business Line, believes “collaboration with customers and partners is key”. This is especially true as far as becoming more sustainable or climate neutral is concerned. When the production and applications expertise of collaborative partners is pooled, good ideas are generated and the pace of product development picks up. This benefits both the companies concerned and the environment.
When Expertise Meets Perseverance and Vision
We at Evonik Active Oxygens have long recognized this and collaborate with partners and customers at many levels. We develop innovative, resource-efficient solutions as a team, and have been doing so for decades. For example, the HPPO process together with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions and the HPPG process together with Dow. These new processes deliver plenty of sustainability benefits. They reduce CO2 emissions, require fewer raw materials, and avoid unwanted byproducts.
“Thanks to our joint product development capability, we can offer our customers a sustainable and at the same time cost-effective process from a single source that combines specialist knowledge of chemicals, production processes, and plant engineering,” says Jürgen Schemel, Head of Product Management & Technology, Innovation & Sustainability at thyssenkrupp.
Another example is wastewater treatment through Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOP).
Industrial wastewater can be chemically treated using a combination of hydrogen peroxide, ozone, and UV light. This process is much more energy efficient than, for example, the conventional practice of incineration, and leaves no harmful traces in the environment. Stephan Neumayer of the Active Oxygens team for Strategic Marketing & Business Development remarks, “We not only want to provide our customers with the right process chemicals for their applications, we also want to advise them on the most suitable technology and support them with the right partner for implementing it. That’s why we work closely together with international collaboration partners in constructing facilities and tapping new future technologies.”
All Process Steps at a Glance
Rethinking processes together to become more sustainable ‒ this also applies to our own processes, as well as processes upstream of our production. One important topic is the production of green hydrogen for which we need competent, reliable partners, who can supply us with the right products at the right location. We have also been able to expedite the decentralized production of hydrogen peroxide through our investment in Danish start-up HPNow. The company builds plants based on a patented technology that allows low-concentration hydrogen peroxide to be produced directly from water and electricity on the customer’s premises as required. This eliminates the need for transportation and storage, for example.
The challenges to which we intend to find answers are as diverse as the applications for our products.
Head of Evonik’s Active Oxygens Business Line
Joining Forces to Drive Sustainable Applications Forward
As our products are able to demonstrate their strengths to the full in the context of sustainable applications, these projects with partners are enabling us to break new ground. Currently underway are a number of projects, in which we are working together on the full production process — from our starting products to new applications. We intend to continue expanding this developmental work in the future. This way, we are increasing the speed at which new technologies and ideas are helping to drive sustainability forward. This can be done faster and more effectively together with partners.
Could your production process be more sustainable?
How could the application of hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid increase the beneficial handprint of your business?