Page 152 - CW E-Magazine (28-1-2025)

News from Abroad

CAPACITY CONSTRAINT
Orlen Unipetrol to close down PVC and caprolactam

production in Czech Republic

Czech petrochemical firm, Orlen East. The situation is also complicated
Unipetrol, owned by Polish group because the company’s facilities are
Orlen, has decided to close most of among the smaller ones in terms of pro-
its petrochemicals production at the duction capacity in Europe.
Spolana factory located in Neratovice
(Czech Republic) and lay off 500 people “All of this has been negatively re-
after losses ballooned. Spolana has flected in our company’s results, which
been part of the Orlen Unipetrol Group have long been in the red even though
since June 2016. capacities of Spolana are rather smaller Spolana has recently focused on products
on a European scale, part of our current with a higher added value and margin and
During the first half of 2025, the production is no longer competitive used the strong financial background of
production of PVC and caprolactam and sustainable,” said Mr. Piotr Kearney, the parent Orlen Unipetrol Group. How-
will be closed, and the existing organi- authorised executive at Spolana, adding, ever, despite all the measures adopted so
sational structure will be slimmed “After careful consideration, we have far, we must react and take action, includ-
down and streamlined. After the com- decided to gradually exit the current ing lowering costs, also in the personnel
pletion of the restructuring project, segments of our business and prepare area,” added Mr. Kearney.
approximately 150 employees will Spolana for new types of business,
remain in Spolana until new business for example, in the area of industry Spolana said it will continue to
projects in industrial decarbonisation decarbonisation.” modernise the sulphuric acid produc-
are launched, the company said. tion facility that started in 2023. Spo-
Spolana’s finances have been sub- lana will also continue to implement
“The petrochemical segment is stantially affected by a drop in the the Neratovice flood protection project
going through a fundamental transforma- demand for petrochemical products, espe- in cooperation with the town of Nera-
tion. Unfortunately, in recent years, it cially caprolactam, the macroeconomic tovice to protect the site. The operation
has been accompanied by a long-term slowdown and subsequent stagnation, of the company’s wastewater treatment
slowdown on the European market higher production costs in Europe, and plant will also be maintained to continue
with no prospect for recovery in the hence lower competitiveness compared treating wastewater coming from the
mid-term. And since the production to producers from the US and the Middle site and the surrounding villages.

DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Singapore start-up, Aleph, gets funding support to roll out

novel AI-based solution to optimise industrial processes

Aleph Digital Technologies, a Aleph was launched in 2023 Aleph said the funds will finance
Singapore-based enterprise software by founders, Suwira Teo, Sushant an Asia-wide roll-out of the company’s
technology provider enabling indus- Garud, and Iftekhar Karimi, based on first product, the Aleph AI Co-Pilot,
trial process optimisation through research from the National Univer- across chemical, pharmaceutical, and
AI and digital twin solutions, has an- sity of Singapore (NUS) Graduate related industrial sectors. This flagship
nounced the successful completion of Research Innovation Programme software product leverages advanced
its $750,000 seed funding round. The (GRIP). It operates at the intersec- digital twin and machine-learning tech-
round was led by Singapore-based, tion of AI innovation and sustain- nologies to dynamically optimise in-
early-stage venture fund, Cocoon Capi- able manufacturing, addressing urgent dustrial process parameters, “delivering
tal, with participation from US-based challenges in operational inefficiency up to 40% improvement in yield and
Graiden Gorge Investments. and emissions reduction. efficiency while significantly reducing

152 Chemical Weekly January 28, 2025

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