Page 166 - CW E-Magazine (3-6-2025)

News from Abroad

GROWING DEMAND
Umicore to expand homogeneous catalyst production

at US site

Belgian circular materials tech- Umicore’s catalysts
nology company, Umicore, will business. With two
expand its production of homogeneous large-scale plants on
catalysts at its site in Catoosa, Okla- two continents, and our
homa, US. The company expects the manufacturing of best-
expansion to help secure supplies in-class catalyst techno-
at multi-tonne levels from both logy paired with excel-
Europe and the US to meet long-term lence in our production
partnership agreements with leading processes, we guarantee
companies in the speciality chemicals our customers an effi-
sector. duction in early 2027, positioning Umi- cient, sustainable and shorter supply
core as a worldwide leader in ‘Grubbs chain,” said Mr. Jensen Verhelle, Exe-
A wide range of industries – from Catalyst’ technology. This technology’s cutive Vice-President of Umicore’s
fine chemicals to functional materials, ultra-targeted functionalities are critical Catalysis Business Group.
polymer and the pharmaceutical in- for industries to produce specific chemi-
dustries – use homogeneous catalysts cals quickly and reliably. Umicore Homogeneous catalysts enable
to enhance their processes and the also manufactures ‘Grubbs Catalyst’ in chemical reaction transformation and
environmental benefits this brings. The Germany. are in the same liquid phase as the reac-
expansion consists of adding a faci- tants. This allows them to mix uniformly,
lity to the existing Catoosa plant, with “This expansion project in the US leading to highly selective reactions
construction starting in 2025 and pro- represents a significant milestone for under mild conditions.

CLOSING THE LOOP
Nova Chemicals starts up polyethylene film

mechanical recycling unit in US

Canada’s Nova Chemicals, wholly- received a first-of-its-kind
owned by UAE investment firm Letter of Non-Objection
Mubadala, has commissioned its first (LNO) from the US Food
polyethylene (PE) film recycling and Drug Administration
facility, ‘Syndigo1’, in Connersville, confirming its ability to
Indiana, US. produce post-consumer
rLLDPE that is suitable
The company said the facility is for food-contact applica-
“one of the largest and most sophisti- tions. In April 2025, the
cated plastic film mechanical recyc- facility achieved the ‘Re-
ling facilities in the world”. The unit, cycled Material Standard’
spanning 450,000 sq.ft., can recycle by early 2026. In July 2023, Nova certification from Green Blue, which
145,000 bales of end-of-life plastic announced the intention to build the verifies that the ‘Syndigo’ recycled
film to produce over 100-million lbs. facility and work with Novolex to operate polyethylene produced at the facility is
of Syndigo recycled PE (rLLDPE), the facility, capitalising on its nearly 20 100% post-consumer recycled content.
suitable for food and non-food grade years of experience in operating plas- Today, three of four lines are in opera-
packaging applications, the company tic film recycling facilities. In 2024, the tion, and the facility will be fully opera-
informed. Full production is expected facility’s mechanical recycling process tional by the end of 2025.

166 Chemical Weekly June 3, 2025

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