Akzonobel a magazine issue1 tcm19 5840 by AkzoNobel

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We’re the largest global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries worldwide with quality ingredients for life’s essentials. We think about the future, but act in the present. We’re passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we have 60,000 employees working in more than 80 countries – all committed to excellence and delivering Tomorrow’s Answers Today.

TOMORROW’S ANSWERS TODAY

THE AKZONOBEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 08

www.akzonobel.com

THE AKZONOBEL MAGAZINE ISSUE 1

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Blending ambition The new AkzoNobel Everyone has talent. But how do you make the most of it? It needs to be encouraged and suppor ted. Talent should be nur tured and developed to bring out the best in people. At the new AkzoNobel, we’re committed to helping our employees thrive and improve. We’re building on the ambition and expertise of more than 60,000 individuals to achieve continued success – for everyone. That’s how we became the world’s largest coatings manufacturer, the number one in decorative paints and a leading supplier of specialty chemicals. We’re ready to challenge the future, to deliver Tomorrow’s Answers Today.

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The A team

WELCOME HANS WIJERS “I’m delighted to welcome you to the first issue of our brand new company magazine. Just like AkzoNobel, our global publication has been transformed and revitalized. It’s a new magazine, for a new era. Fresh starts are always exciting and there’s no doubt that the last few months have been particularly memorable. After all, it’s not every day that you rebrand your company and launch a new identity. Obviously our magazine had to change also, to better reflect the new AkzoNobel. But while the standards and quality we strived for in the old Matters magazine have remained, we’re going one step further. We’re covering broader, more challenging topics. We want to be more thoughtprovoking and stimulating and show you exactly why AkzoNobel is all about delivering Tomorrow’s Answers Today. We’ve assembled a team of top writers and, backed up by cutting-edge photography and leading design talent, each issue of A magazine will strive to be both fascinating and visually striking. For example, this launch edition not only features an interview with Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, but also includes an enthralling discussion on waste management led by Cradle to Cradle exponent Michael Braungart. Elsewhere, we highlight our new brand, go around the world with paper, and you’ll find an in-depth report on what happened when 12 of our employees visited Antarctica. This launch edition is also being distributed with a free copy of our company movie on DVD, which offers – in eight languages – a glimpse of what the new AkzoNobel is all about. Once again, each issue of the magazine will be published in Chinese and German language versions, along with the standard international edition. Information about subscriptions and back issues can be found by visiting our corporate website: akzonobel.com We hope you enjoy our new magazine and on behalf of the whole editorial and production team I’d like to stress our commitment to bringing you an entertaining and interesting read each and every issue. We look forward to welcoming you back to our next edition early next year.”

Chief Editor David Lichtneker AkzoNobel Art Direction Angus Hyland Pentagram Design Manager Pepe Vargas AkzoNobel Design Pentagram Director of Corporate Communications John McLaren AkzoNobel Head of Corporate Branding Berry Oonk AkzoNobel Traffic Manager Sarah Roozendaal AkzoNobel Publisher Akzo Nobel N.V. The Netherlands Editorial address A Magazine AkzoNobel Corporate Communications PO Box 75730 1070 AS Amsterdam The Netherlands E-mail A@akzonobel.com Printing Tesink, Zutphen The Netherlands Additional photography Getty Images © Alamy ©, NASA © Virgin Galactic ©

CEO, AkzoNobel

You can subscribe to A magazine and download digital versions by visiting akzonobel.com/A Opinions in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of AkzoNobel, and AkzoNobel accepts no responsibility for these opinions. While the information in this publication is intended to be accurate, no representation of accuracy or completeness is made.

Contents

Brand new company The story behind the launch of AkzoNobel’s new brand identity.

12 Investigating algae Why we might soon be running our cars on seaweed. 14

On the edge A detailed account of what happened when 12 AkzoNobel employees embarked on an expedition to Antarctica.

24 Traveling light How new technology is changing the face of personal care. 28

War on waste An in-depth report on the challenges posed by waste management, including an interview with Michael Braungart.

38 Car of the future Flying cars, fact or science fiction? And why we love the Batmobile. 42 Around the world with paper We go globetrotting with something we all use every day. 48 Taking control Find out why we’re at the cutting- edge of chlorine production. 50

To infinity and beyond We talk to Apollo astronaut Buzz Aldrin about why he’s such a passionate supporter of space tourism.

56 Headlines A round-up of company developments from around the world.

brand new company WORDS Fraser Bailey & David Lichtneker PHOTOGRAPHY John Ross

elcome to the new AkzoNobel. We’ve been reborn. We’re re-energized for a new beginning. On April 25, 2008, we unveiled our new corporate brand and identity. It was an historic day in the long, proud history of our company. What does that mean exactly? It means we’ve changed. We’ve created one, distinctive global brand which supports our highly focused strategic vision. The new brand symbolizes both the fundamental transformation we have undergone during the last few years and our determination to lead change. It embodies AkzoNobel’s values, our clear ambitions for the future and our passionate commitment to deliver Tomorrow’s Answers Today™. It’s a guarantee of quality and a seal of innovative and sustainable product development. “Our new brand promise typifies our desire to create and deliver on new ideas,” explains CEO Hans Wijers. “To stay one step ahead and continually seek out new and better answers for our customers. It means we think about the future, but we act in the present.” But the change didn’t happen overnight. We’ve been slowly transforming our company over several years. Why? Because

although we have long been a large and respected company, our diversified conglomerate structure did not fit with the 21st century. So we developed a new strategy, one which set out to create a highly focused coatings and chemicals company. This involved taking a number of big decisions, such as selling off our pharmaceutical activities, streamlining our Chemicals portfolio and acquiring ICI. During this busy period of major transformation, it quickly became apparent that our corporate brand identity would also have to change to reflect the new AkzoNobel. We needed a new image, for a new era. So, with Board member Leif Darner taking charge of the entire project, we embarked on what turned out to be a two-year rebranding process. “It was a period of intensive consultation and development which involved some of the world’s leading brand agencies and design talents,” says Berry Oonk, Head of Corporate Branding. The first step was to commission a brand audit to analyze and understand existing brand perceptions. This was performed by Landor Associates using their Brand Asset Valuator, the world’s largest brand database. “The audit compared the AkzoNobel brand with competitive brands,” continues Oonk. “On a global basis this was conducted at the

Our identity It’s no surprise that much of the attention surrounding a rebranding is focused on the logo. It’s the most prominent visual representation of your brand. The one thing which can be immediately associated with your company, your products and your activities.

1969

AkzoNobel is no stranger to adapting its logo. Over the last 20 years, the company has changed its whole identity twice. The first occasion was in 1988, when Akzo – as the company was then known – dispensed with its old triangular logo because “something completely different was needed.”

1988

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2008

It was replaced by the now familiar human figure, which represented the main visual element of an entirely new identity. The logo was inspired by a Greek sculpture dating back to 450 BC. The original bas-relief on which it was based can be found at the Ashmolean Museum in the English city of Oxford. The relief, known to have come from Samos, contains three different symbols of measurement used in ancient Greece – a fathom, a cubit and an Athenian foot. The new logo was developed by Wally Olins, who two decades later was to adapt it once again for the 21st century. But back in 1988, he simplified the human figure depicted on the relief and adapted its proportions, while retaining the power it embodied. It was adopted as both a scientific and artistic symbol, reflecting the values the company wanted to express, those of striving and achievement. The image of the outstretched arms was seen as being powerful, all-embracing and future-oriented. A major international advertising campaign was also launched.

Another slight alteration followed six years later, when Akzo merged with Sweden’s Nobel Industries to create Akzo Nobel. Obviously more changes needed to be made, but these were mainly related to the actual name of the company. The logo remained the same, as did the use of a strong shade of blue, contrasted with grey.

Which brings us to the modern day version of the logo and the latest identity change. “I was thrilled to have been invited back to rebuild him,” says Olins of the figure which has affectionately become know throughout the company as Bruce. Today, he’s evolved. He’s more energetic and more purposeful. He reminds us that all of AkzoNobel’s success has been, and will be, built on forward-looking individual and collaborative achievement. “Our logo was already a very strong and distinctive asset, but it has been made more relevant for the 21st century and now has a greater sense of power and energy,” adds CEO Hans Wijers. “It’s the embodiment of Tomorrow’s Answers Today.”

Launching the new AkzoNobel AkzoNobel’s new brand was unveiled at a gala event held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The high profile launch – which attracted major media interest – was attended by 385 people, including senior management from across the company and a number of specially invited guests. As well as a screening of the new company film, the evening also included speeches by CEO Hans Wijers and the Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen, along with the muchanticipated revealing of the new AkzoNobel logo. Photography: Imagination

business level, and in the Netherlands at a consumer level. Wide-ranging interviews with AkzoNobel employees were also carried out.” The results showed that the AkzoNobel brand lagged behind many of its competitors in the Chemicals sector. The survey also highlighted the fact that AkzoNobel’s many constituent parts and brands were not perceived as being part of a coherent whole. Furthermore, employees felt that their sense of belonging could be improved. In short, AkzoNobel was not acting, or appearing to act, like the large and significant Fortune 500 company that it was – and still is. Quite clearly, something had to change. The company’s Board of Management therefore decided in favor of a rebranding which would achieve a number of key objectives:

Communications, John McLaren. “As well as being an inspiring statement of intent, Tomorrow’s Answers Today meets the three key criteria for any company positioning – it’s unique within its sector; can be justified through our actions and products; and is relevant to customers, stakeholders and the wider world.” But it soon became obvious that Tomorrow’s Answers Today was more than just a positioning statement. Because as a short and impactful promise, it is compelling enough to work for advertising and communications in the same way that Just Do It, for example, works for Nike. So we decided to adopt Tomorrow’s Answers Today as a line which will appear on all our printed communications – from business cards to promotional activity and everything in between. “Tomorrow’s Answers Today is the heartbeat of the transformed AkzoNobel,” notes Wijers. “It drives our creativity, •C reate one AkzoNobel to present a unified face to the our product development and lies at the core of all our activities. world and build on the brand It will focus our efforts on further strengthening our position as •R eflect and reinforce the company’s new Coatings and being the world’s largest paints and coatings producer and one Chemicals strategy of the leading global suppliers of specialty chemicals.” •E stablish a clear brand hierarchy between the company Having established the main pillar of the corporate and its products rebranding, we also identified a set of values to support the • I nspire existing employees and attract high quality new positioning. These were carefully chosen to provide the new employees. bedrock on which the new brand is built. They determine how The next step was to move towards one central, company- we operate and behave as individuals and as a business, and wide brand positioning for all businesses. All the other aspects are being integrated into all aspects of our operations. Doing of branding and communications would flow from this things the AkzoNobel way means: positioning. So it was essential to get it right, and with help from • Focusing on our customers’ future first people throughout the company we worked to further analyze • Embracing entrepreneurial thinking the market, ourselves and our competitors. We discovered that • Developing the talents of our people all our competitors position themselves around their products • The courage and curiosity to question – how they are made and what their benefits are. They use very • Integrity and responsibility in our actions similar language and talk about the present and incremental progress. We then realized that AkzoNobel has the products “Our company values will ensure that we continue to and innovative capability to paint a bigger, more dramatic excel and deliver outstanding service and value to all our picture. With a complete picture drawn up, we developed a stakeholders,” says Wijers. “They will ensure that we remain positioning in which we overturn sectoral conventions and a competitive and exciting company committed to delivering communicate our ability to take giant leaps, not small steps. Tomorrow’s Answers Today.” “We decided to express this positioning as Tomorrow’s Also integral to the rebranding was the development of Answers Today,” adds AkzoNobel’s Director of Corporate a new brand architecture. “The brand audit revealed that our

Tomorrowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Answers Today appears on all our printed communications, from business cards to promotional activity and everything in between.

WHY BRANDS ARE IMPORTANT

brand architecture was causing confusion, both inside the The importance of brands can actually be traced back to company and among customers and suppliers,” states Oonk. Greek and Roman times, when shopkeepers used them as “Sometimes, as many as three logos would appear on material identifying devices. They would display pictures or symbols such as packaging and business cards. Furthermore, the outside their stores to enable illiterate people to recognize the AkzoNobel brand itself was often absent from packaging such products they sold. as paint tins. This will change in the future and AkzoNobel will Fast forward to the 21st century and this differentiation of become more visible on packaging.” The corporate branding services and products through unique names and distinctive team consulted with colleagues from key businesses to evolve logos has become vital. Through well conceived and effectively a new and coherent brand architecture. Needless to say, the managed brands, companies and organizations can build trust acquisition of ICI meant that we had to revisit certain aspects and positive reputations, which in turn enhances the confidence of the rebranding. However, the acquisition had few serious of buyers, clients and users. implications for the process and, if anything, made it even more Increased customer and stakeholder loyalty is essential imperative that we accomplished it quickly and efficiently. to survival and a successful brand attracts allegiance. But it Subsequent research revealed that although the impact of doesn’t just represent a valuable marketing asset. It stimulates the old brand had weakened, there was still considerable value, a higher level of employee motivation and satisfaction, as well or brand awareness/equity, in the AkzoNobel name across the as helping companies to attract and retain top talent. “A brand globe. It commanded too much value, heritage and respect is a promise,” explains Berry Oonk, AkzoNobel’s Head of for it to be discarded. “The new brand is about creating brand Corporate Branding, who played a key role in the company’s reequity, not destroying it,” notes Wijers. “Our studies confirmed cent rebranding process. “It’s a guarantee of quality and should that there is considerable value in the name of AkzoNobel. It is engender a feeling of trust and respect, which is especially well respected throughout our industries and is synonymous important in the emerging markets. The AkzoNobel brand adds with trust and quality, so there was no reason to change it.” credibility to our product brands and provides reassurance to Therefore ICI will be discontinued as a corporate name and the the customer. It’s a hallmark of our proud heritage and embodstrong ICI product brands will build a powerful combination with ies our Tomorrow’s Answers Today positioning. the AkzoNobel corporate brand. “But what some people overlook is the fact that it’s your emThroughout the rebranding process, one question went ployees who really make your brand come alive. It’s important unanswered for some time – would our much-loved logo that they know exactly what your brand stands for, and what (affectionately known to everyone within AkzoNobel as Bruce) attitudes and behaviors are expected from them. Which is why survive? Eventually, the decision was made to keep it, for some we have also embarked on an extensive internal program devery good reasons. Bruce is a strong and distinctive symbol in signed to fully outline what our brand and Tomorrow’s Answers his own right, and the embodiment of a spirit which is aligned Today represents. with our new brand. But he needed to be made more relevant “Brand equity creates a relationship and a strong bond to the new positioning. And who better to accomplish this which grows over time. It’s a bit like building a close friendship. than the designer of the original Bruce, Wally Olins? Working It requires trust and even an emotional connection. It helps you with international design consultancy Saffron, Wally gave our to stand out from the crowd. A strong global brand is essentially logoa 21st century makeover. He is now seen from a new angle a company’s lifeline.” and has a greater sense of power and poise as he reaches out to grasp the future. He has a commanding, yet welcoming presence. The logo is now being used to endorse all the company’s brands. The final step in the process was the creation of a new visual identity. This was developed in conjunction with Pentagram, one of the world’s leading visual identity agencies. They united all the tangible and intangible elements of the rebranding into an attractive and distinctive look and feel. It encompasses all the visual tools we have at our disposal so that we stand out wherever our brand is communicated. Now here we are. We’ve been reborn. We have a new purpose for an exciting new era and we’re ready to deliver Tomorrow’s Answers Today.

investigating algae WORDS David Lichtneker

unning cars on seaweed might seem unlikely, but as the world continues to look for more sustainable fuel alternatives, the possibilities are becoming increasingly incredible. For example, a scientist in Scotland recently claimed that seaweed and other algae could be a viable source of biofuels. Crucially, he added that cultivating the photosynthetic organisms would not compete for land use with food production. It might all sound a bit far-fetched, but algae are attracting a lot of attention. Not only are they important as primary producers of organic matter at the base of the food chain, but they also provide oxygen for other aquatic life and play an important role in removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Recently, a Dutch consortium – including AkzoNobel – received major funding to investigate the potential of converting algae into feedstock for the chemical industry. The partnership, which also includes energy company Essent, algae producers Ingrepo and Wageningen University, was awarded more than Algae could be a source of €1 million of government funding after successfully applying for raw materials for coatings. a long-term energy research subsidy. Their four-year study will involve scientists from Wageningen “It will be a good opportunity for us to familiarize ourselves with conducting fundamental research into algal biology, growth bio-based processes,” notes Feenstra. parameter testing, separation and the subsequent upgrading The concept of creating value by obtaining certain fractions of algae fractions. In addition, a pilot project will begin at from renewable feedstock has been christened biorefinery. In AkzoNobel’s Delfzijl site in order to scale up the processes. the case of algae, it has been identified as having the potential Factors that influence the economics of algae-based chemical to provide a rich source of unsaturated fatty acids, proteins building blocks will also be investigated. and polysaccharides – all of which have important links to the “With the Earth’s natural resources running out it’s becoming chemical industry. Already creating enthusiasm because of increasingly important to look for more sustainable alternatives,” what it can offer to the biofuel industry and power producers, explains AkzoNobel’s Hans Feenstra, who has been making algae could also be a source of raw materials for coatings. preparations for the project since last year. “Algae offer the It’s clear that the algae option is not currently able to possibility for us to create value from renewable feedstock. compete with traditional processes on an economic basis. But It grows at a prodigious rate, can be used to rebate carbon the changes taking place in the chemical industry due to the dioxide emissions and has the potential to treat waste water demand on energy resources mean that the search for viable streams. There are also no concerns regarding the food and sustainable alternatives is vital. versus energy biomass debate.” He adds that the planned “We need to conduct detailed research and further develop Delfzijl demonstration unit is expected to be up and running by the technology required to make best use of the possibilities September 2008. which appear to exist in the field of biorefinery,” continues Consisting of two, 1,000 square meter ponds linked to Feenstra. “Several other AkzoNobel businesses have also the site’s cogeneration unit, it will be used to test conditions expressed interest in our study, so it’s clear that worthwhile and methods for growing algae (there are more than 80,000 opportunities do exist if the research we are conducting with known types) on a larger scale in an industrial environment. our partners proves to be successful.”

ON THE EDGE WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHY David Lichtneker

Earlier this year, 12 AkzoNobel employees joined an expedition to Antarctica. Designed to teach leadership skills and inspire greater efforts in the field of sustainability, it changed their lives forever â&#x20AC;&#x201C; both personally and professionally. This is their story.

re we really killing the planet? Is it, as so many people would have us believe, in mortal danger? And what can we do to save it anyway? A few months ago I wouldn’t have been able to even contemplate answering those questions with any sort of authority. But that was before I embarked on a two-week expedition to Antarctica, an astonishing, life-changing experience which almost defies narrative description. If the mere thought of traveling to the last great wilderness on Earth is mind-blowing, then the reality is positively seismic. Monumentally beautiful, it’s as breathtaking as it’s fragile. But it’s also the most inhospitable place on the planet. A continent where Mother Nature is in complete control – a fact which was rammed home in devastatingly blunt fashion the day before our team set sail. I was traveling as one of 12 AkzoNobel employees who were taking part in the annual Leadership on the Edge missions led – through his 2041 organization – by polar explorer and environmental campaigner Robert Swan. And it was Swan who delivered the aforementioned bombshell: “You’re coming to a place which wants you dead.” It was a stark warning, made no less chilling by the fact that Swan wasn’t even in the room. He was already in Antarctica, at 2041’s E-base on Bellingshausen in the South Shetland Islands. Along with a small advanced party, he’d arrived almost two weeks earlier, their aim being to prove that it was possible to survive in Earth’s harshest environment by living purely off renewable energy. He was speaking to us via a satellite link-up (powered by solar and wind energy of course) and the 80 of us – from various companies, colleges and organizations – who had gathered in Ushuaia, Argentina, were left in no doubt that the journey ahead was going to be a severe test of character, ability and conscience. The first person in history to walk to both the North and South Poles unassisted, Swan has dedicated his life to preserving Antarctica and raising awareness for the environmental havoc being wreaked by climate change (recent research claims that sea levels could rise more than a meter by the end of the century). His Antarctic missions serve two purposes: to teach leadership skills and to inspire people to convince others that immediate action on the environment has to be taken.

Otherwise, both the white continent – and most of this planet we call home – will succumb to the ravages of rapidly changing climatic behavior. It’s already started of course. The dramatic collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf in 2002 saw 500 billion tons of ice break away from Antarctica, while Arctic sea ice has shrunk to its smallest area on record. Swan is also passionate about shielding Antarctica from global maneuvering to exploit its reportedly abundant natural resources. The name of his organization, 2041, serves as a constant reminder. It’s taken from the year in which the environmental protocol of the Antarctic Treaty, which protects the continent, is up for review. Currently, no nation owns Antarctica. It belongs to all of us. But Swan’s fear is that come 2041, the countries that have laid claim to vast areas will want to move in and extract valuable resources such as oil and gas – a similar “gold rush” is happening now over the Arctic. It’s a nightmare scenario. That’s why tomorrow’s leaders, today’s youth, need to pay urgent attention. Another concern is the fact that the region is gaining popularity as a commercial tourist destination, with visits having increased five-fold in the last 15 years. This worrying trend has resulted in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition expressing unease at the growing number, and size, of vessels – many of them operating outside effective regulation – now visiting the region. They have called on the International Maritime Organization to introduce more stringent standards and procedures, prompted by the recent sinking of the purpose-built MS Explorer, which acted as a wake-up call to the potential dangers that many of the ill-equipped vessels pose to the continent’s unique ecosystems. It’s easy to talk, of course. To preach about how important it is to change the way we live because we’re damaging the planet. But how do you make people listen and do something about it? How do you make them realize that climate change is one of the most urgent issues of our time? By taking some of them to Antarctica, showing them why it needs protecting, motivating them to take action and convincing them to go away and inspire others to do the same. Watching a giant iceberg collapse right before your eyes also helps. It happened at Charlotte Bay, our second landing on the actual Antarctic continent. We were there, believe it or not, for a leadership lecture – on a glacier.

But our classroom in the cold was interrupted by a deafening roar which echoed around the bay. As we looked hurriedly to our left, we watched dumbfounded as half of a massive tabular iceberg suddenly disintegrated and crashed into the water, creating a tidal surge which thundered towards the shore far below. It was a pivotal moment. Proof positive that climate change is impacting Earthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most pristine wilderness. All the evidence we needed, wrapped up in one unforgettable moment. As tragic as it was spectacular, the collapse of the iceberg was one of many incredible highlights during our expedition. We knew before we set off that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be visiting a very special place; a truly awe-inspiring world brimming with staggering beauty. A continent which contains 91 percent of the

world’s ice and 70 percent of its fresh water. But actually being and the importance of preserving the so-called white continent. there surpassed even the highest expectations. You can only But it took several years of persistence and hard work before stand, dumbstruck, and marvel at its sheer majesty. It casts an the E-base, which is fittingly made out of sustainable materials, eternal spell which bewitches you in an instant. From thrilling became a reality. Swan has been hosting leadership expediencounters with the amazing wildlife to the haunting splendor tions in Antarctica for six years now (long before the Al Gore of the countless icebergs which drifted silently past our ves- effect kicked in) and many of his early missions concentrated on sel in the eerie Antarctic Sound, we saw sights which will stay removing more than 1,500 tons of scrap metal from the beach with us forever. We also enjoyed the rare privilege of camping at Bellingshausen, most of it being waste left behind by various out on the ice for a night, at Dorian Bay. It was bitterly cold research teams. In return for cleaning up the site (most of the and few of us got much sleep, but it was an invigorating experi- junk was recycled in Uruguay) the Russians agreed to let Swan ence and the sunrise which greeted us the following morning set up his E-base next to their facility. was exceptional. There’s been no such clean-up at Deception Island, home The weather, in fact, was mostly very kind to us. It was late to a derelict whaling station which serves as a disturbing reMarch, the end of the austral summer, and while the tempera- minder as to what can happen when man tries to live in an untures often dipped to at least minus 10° Celsius, the sun and sustainable way. More than a million whales were slaughtered in deep blue skies were constant companions. These conditions Antarctica, when they were hunted down to the brink of extincnot only brought the best out of Charlotte Bay, but also helped tion. At one point, 13 factory ships were based at Deception to reveal the full glory of Paradise Bay, quite rightly described Island, before it was abandoned in the early 1930s. The crumby many people as being one of the most beautiful places on bling buildings and giant, rusting oil tanks are a severe blot on Earth. But the weather wasn’t always so accommodating. Our the landscape of what is still an active volcano (it last erupted in first full day in Antarctica provided ample proof that nature was 1992). But they act as a warning. They’re a sad legacy of man’s in absolute control. We were anchored off King George Island, interference. The result of our intrusion into a continent where home to 2041’s E-base, which stands on a hill next to Rus- we don’t belong. sia’s Bellingshausen research station. We were there to help Perhaps significantly, Swan isn’t the only person to raise Swan and his advanced team move out of the E-base and their his voice about the uncertain future currently facing Antarctica. temporary E-home so that they could join us on the ship. This Every time he leads an expedition he returns with a new army involved carrying down a considerable amount of equipment of ambassadors (he recently embarked on his latest mission, to the shore, from where it would be transported to our ves- the Voyage For Cleaner Energy). But late last year, UN Secresel in zodiacs (motorized rubber dinghies) But a howling wind tary-General Ban Ki-moon became an important ally when he and driving blizzard almost scuppered the operation. The sea paid a visit to see for himself the effects of climate change on was simply too rough and only a couple of zodiacs made it to Earth’s largest wilderness. He returned with a message, urging the shore before landings were postponed, leaving dozens of the world to do more to safeguard the future of the planet. “This frustrated and disappointed team members waiting anxiously is an emergency and for emergency situations we need emeron the boat for their first excursion. Thankfully, the weather later gency action,” he said. “We must preserve all this continent in abated enough for them to join those who had got away early. an environmentally responsible way.” One of the AkzoNobel team also took the opportunity to fix panOur own expedition confirmed this in the most powerful els to the E-base, coated with prototype paint formulas. They way imaginable. Even before we set off back through the Drake will be tested next year to see how they have coped in the Passage to return home, we’d all committed to doing whatever extreme environment. we could, both personally and within our own companies and In many ways it had been a fitting inauguration. We had organizations, to live more sustainable lives. Then, after finally felt the full force of Antarctica at its most hostile. The condi- arriving back in Ushuaia – following a tempestuous crossing tions were also somehow appropriate given our surroundings. when we were bombarded by hurricane force winds – another Bellingshausen doesn’t exactly fit the archetypal Antarctic im- bombshell. News broke that the Wilkins Ice Shelf, slightly furage of breathtaking beauty and jaw-dropping scenery. It’s bleak, ther along the Antarctic Peninsula from where we had just been, not much to look at and is essentially a collection of research was hanging onto the continent by a thread. More evidence, buildings huddled together around a rocky inlet. It’s not just the more proof that climate change was ravaging the planet. Russians who are based there, either. Both Chile and China That return trip had been truly frightening. Our ship was have stations close by, the Chileans also operating the island’s tossed around for two days and listed to the point of almost air strip. But the place does have special significance for Robert tipping over. The Drake had more than lived up to its notoriSwan. Not only was his experiment to live off sustainable en- ous reputation. Perhaps it had put some people off contemergy successful (if it can be done in Antarctica, it can be done plating the thought of ever returning. Which begs the question, anywhere), but his E-base – which went live this year – is Ant- is Mother Nature trying to protect her own? Was that storm a arctica’s only education station. A remote outpost which can warning? Does Antarctica really want us dead, or will we strike help teach current and future generations about climate change the fatal blow first?

AkzoNobel has a partnership with 2041 designed to inspire young managers to become the next generation of leaders and further boost the company’s commitment to sustainability. It will also involve sending employees on Robert Swan’s Leadership on the Edge expeditions to Antarctica in 2009 and 2010. For more information visit www.missionantarctica.com and www.2041.com

Below: Remnants of the collapse of the Larsen B ice shelf are clearly evident in Antarctic Sound. Bottom: Robert Swanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s E-base (center) and E-home (right) at Bellingshausen on King George Island.

Antarctic diary

March 13

March 18

March 22

March 24 & 25

Arrive in Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, with the rest of the AkzoNobel team. Meet the other expeditionary force members and 2041 team leaders. Spend first of two nights in local hotel. My roommate snores.

In fierce weather conditions we go ashore to help move the advanced team onto our boat. We’re given a tour of the E-base and E-home and meet the hardy souls who lived off sustainable energy for two weeks. There’s time for a short trek to see some elephant seals on another part of the island before we return to the warmth of our vessel.

Another glorious morning. We sail past Cape Errera and into the Ferguson Channel to land at Paradise Bay. It’s indescribably beautiful and a photographer’s dream. Another outdoor workshop. I have a spiritual “moment.” Leaving is difficult. Is this the most perfect place on the planet? We then head for Neko Harbor. A large group goes for a gentle hike. I spend all my time photographing penguins. They’re everywhere. They’re captivating, but a bit stupid really.

Sheer hell. We’re bombarded by hurricane force winds for two days. I’m confined to my bed for virtually the whole time. Not sick, just unable to stand up. Honest. How some people can walk around feeling fine I just don’t know. We reach calmer waters by the evening of the 25th and at last I feel human again. A few final speeches and presentations, followed by a screening of the expedition movie, then a piratethemed farewell party. Shiver me timbers, it’s nearly the end.

March 23

March 26

We’re slowly heading back north. First stop is Deception Island, where we land at Whaler’s Bay. It’s bleak, somewhat depressing and in stark contrast to what we saw yesterday. Thousand upon thousands of whales were processed here for their oil. The derelict remains of the whaling station are unsightly but strangely photogenic. Still time for one last landing, at Half Moon Island. Then we make our way back towards the Drake Passage. My camera falls off a table. The lens breaks. Oh dear. It’s a bad omen.

It’s all over. We arrive in Ushuaia, say our goodbyes and it’s ended far too quickly. Now we have to go home and be the ambassadors we’ve promised to be. There’s a planet to save.

March 17 We see our first iceberg. All alone, it stands sentinel to the way ahead. It’s a mesmerizing sight. We later spot land, our first glimpse of the South Shetland Islands. Before long we’re at King George Island and Robert Swan’s advanced team can be seen waving frantically from the top of the E-base. I think they need a shower. Swan pays a surprise visit to our vessel.

March 21 Through Butler Passage, past Cape Renard and into the Lemaire Channel, reaching our furthest point south (65°06’ S, 64°04’ W). We embark on a zodiac cruise through an iceberg graveyard near Pleneau Island. Then it’s back to Dorian Bay for the second night of camping. Both of my colleagues under canvas snore. I’ve had better nights.

Bellingshausen

Half Moon Island

Deception Island

I E

I T

Brown Bluff

T R A I T

A day spent at sea. It’s surprisingly calm, given the Drake Passage’s fearsome reputation. A number of people are still feeling unwell, but at least we’re making rapid progress. Didn’t feel too clever, but at least my cabin mate doesn’t snore. I’m visited by an AkzoNobel colleague. He’s sick all over the bathroom.

We land at Charlotte Bay for a leadership lecture on the ice. The lesson is interrupted by the spectacular collapse of a tabular iceberg. Just enough time for a short hike and slide down a snow hill. An Orca pod joins us in the Gerlache Strait. The first group goes camping overnight on Wiencke Island near Dorian Bay, while the others visit Port Lockroy, a restored British base.

March 16

March 20

Departure day. A last chance to pick up souvenirs in Ushuaia before heading to the harbor. Buy two cuddly penguins for my children. Well, you have to, don’t you? Note with humor that the town has not one, but two Irish bars. Time for a classic photo opportunity in front of our vessel before boarding. Numerous briefings follow, including the all-important safety drills. Next stop, Antarctica.

Sunrise in Iceberg Alley, Antarctic Sound. An astonishing experience. More leadership lectures and workshops before arriving at Brown Bluff for our first landing on the actual Antarctic continent. We’re greeted by curious penguins and lazy seals. In glorious weather, we hike up the glacier to have group photographs taken. Robert Swan also gives a talk. Then it’s off through the Bransfield Strait and south into the Gerlache Strait. My camera’s working overtime.

March 15

March 19

Various morning briefings are followed by a live link-up with Robert Swan at the E-base in Bellingshausen on King George Island. We then hike up to the Martial Glacier, which is slowly retreating back up the mountain behind the hotel. The leadership lectures begin. My roommate snored again.

March 14

Dorian Bay

Charlotte Bay

Port Lockroy Paradise Bay

Pleneau Island

Expedition zone

traveling light WORDS Rebecca Parsley

Gone are the days when you had to cram dozens of bottles, tubes and jars into your toiletry bag. Because dissolvable film technology is here to provide a no fuss, no mess alternative.

magine it. You’re packing for a weekend away and start to take it from there. Recently, however, we’ve demonstrated the gather together your personal care items – hair gel, moistur- desire and capability to go beyond that – develop mass market, izer, toothpaste. But instead of the usual collection of bulky as well as customized, ingredients specifically for a customer, bottles, tubes and tubs taking up more than their fair share of conduct consumer testing, stability testing, design the packagspace in your suitcase, all you have is a handful of small boxes ing and so on, right through to providing the finished product containing a few thin strips of film. It could happen, thanks to ready to go on the shelf.” the development of what’s known in the trade as dissolvable The new business model also presents a great way of really film technology. getting close to key customers, she adds. “We have to work AkzoNobel’s Personal Care business has already been in- very closely with them in order to be successful in this approach. strumental in the launch of hair styling gel strips in recent years, We have to be one team, sharing a lot of very confidential inforand there are more ideas on the way. Shaving, skincare and mation. The fact that they’re prepared to do so speaks volumes hand-cleansing products could all become available, offering about the kind of relationships we have built up with them. I’m a completely portable, no-fuss solution for travelers keen to convinced there’s a big future for this kind of product, and I’m cut down on the amount – and weight – of luggage they need looking forward to being part of it. The message is that personal to carry. care can go anywhere – and we’re making it happen.” Taking the idea a step further, how many of us carry such items around on a day-to-day basis in case we need a quick fix for our appearance? If you’ve got an important meeting halfway BASKING IN SUCCESS through the day, or plans after work, surely a little strip of film is preferable to that can of shaving foam or tub of moisturizer When you’re on vacation this summer and you reach for the rattling around your briefcase? Penny Vanemon, Director of sunscreen, there’s a good chance you’re being protected by Marketing at Personal Care (part of the AkzoNobel Surface technology developed by AkzoNobel’s Personal Care business. Chemistry business) says the basic idea is simple. The strips Spray-on sunscreens have been around for several years now, of film are small, light and easy to carry around until you need and have proved hugely popular with consumers. them, when all you need to do is add a little water before use. “There’s been an outstanding reaction from the marketNo mess, no fuss. place so far,” says the business’ Director of Marketing, Penny “We first commercialized a hair styling gel strip several Vanemon. “Spray-on sunscreen is fast becoming preferred by years ago,” she recalls. “We had two products, the first with consumers because it is easier to apply, less messy and feels Schwarzkopf and the second with Charles Worthington. The better than traditional lotions.” good news was that Personal Care was the very first business A consumer study conducted by Personal Care showed that on the marketplace with this kind of product, which meant we users especially appreciated the “no-mess” aspect of the prodreally were ahead of the game. The bad news was that we may uct – a common complaint about other sun protection products have been ahead of our time. While consumers demonstrated is that they leave the user feeling greasy after application. an interest in this product form in other market segments, the According to these consumers, however, there are a styling products didn’t take off as quickly as we would have .couple of aspects where improvement would be appreciated liked. But I honestly believe it’s simply a matter of time. As the – the spray can feel “tacky” as it dries, and there is some lack consumers’ need for convenience grows, this product form of control. will surely take root. People are traveling more; they want easy, “It can be difficult to apply exactly where you want it, on-the-go solutions that are no hassle to carry around. These especially if it’s a windy day,” adds Vanemon. “We view this products can meet that demand.” consumer insight as an opportunity, so we’re working with one Indeed, this sort of technology is already becoming more of the market leaders now to deliver even better products in the widely used – most people are familiar with breath-freshening future. Overall, the feedback has been positive, and those who strips that are placed on the tongue, or those offering relief for use it say they won’t switch back to traditional sun creams. sore throats. There’s also a sustainable element to the project. “What’s amazing about this is that the sprays cost signifiAs consumers increasingly call for less packaging – and want cantly more than the traditional lotions and the cost per use is what there is to be kind to the environment – then all those bot- a lot higher – you don’t get as many uses out of a spray bottle tles and cans might become obsolete sooner rather than later. as you do from a pouring lotion. But consumers have obviously Using dissolvable film in personal care items is a great found enough pluses and benefits in the product to outweigh example of sharing technology within the business – the basic the higher cost. As far as sun protection goes, spray-ons are idea was first developed and patented by a different part of the the way forward.” organization. The initial project was also the first time Personal Care worked under an external alliance agreement, teaming up with Accupac Packaging Inc, who had the necessary manufacturing capability to make the project work. According to Vanemon, it was a first step along the road to providing truly customized solutions for customers. “In the past we have had a rather traditional way of doing business, where we offered mass market ingredients and some level of technical service. But it was up to the customer to

Dissolvable technology: The benefits

Convenient Much easier than carrying around cans or bottles of product Completely portable Small packages slip easily into a pocket, bag or briefcase Efficient Strips are “single dose” and can be applied exactly where they’re needed Adaptable Strips can be produced in any shape and with any texture Immediate Strips are instantly effective Easy-to-use Just add water to activate the product

WORDS Jim Wake PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Jordan

Are we about to become buried under the weight of society’s throwaway mentality, or can we salvage our existence before it’s too late?

hen I was growing up in the 50s and 60s in the city of Niagara Falls, New York, the place was booming. Some of the biggest chemical companies in the world had set up shop there to take advantage of the cheap and abundant electrical power generated by the waters of the Niagara River, a narrow channel that drained a watershed nearly the size of France. The river was, and remains, spectacular (sadly, most tourists only see the Falls from a distance and never feel the awesome power of the river up close). But 40-plus years later, the prosperity is a faint memory. Of the tens of thousands of industrial jobs that Niagara Falls once had, less than one third remain and the population is half of what it was in the 60s. However, the legacy of those boom years is still there, in block after block of gutted, boarded up, burned out and crumbling houses, on a Main Street which is all but abandoned, and in large tracts of land so poisoned by chemical waste that they will never again be safe for human habitation. Curiously, Niagara Falls, which sits on a low plateau with few natural hills, is hemmed in on its eastern edge by one prominent landscaped wrinkle – a 30-meter high, 156 hectare, man-made mound of industrial waste, sludge, contaminated soils, incinerator ash, construction debris, asbestos and municipal solid waste, carefully groomed so that, if it doesn’t exactly blend into the surroundings, it looks relatively innocuous. And trucks are still depositing load after load of garbage on that growing mound. The irony is bitter indeed. Now that the industrial jobs have moved to locations where the wages are lower, the regulations less demanding, and the weather more accommodating. And now that hundreds of homes have been abandoned because they are no longer fit for habitation as a result of the toxins that have leached from landfills into their basements, the landfill on the edge of town is one of the few going concerns in the city. We’ve come to accept those mountains of waste as one of the necessary evils of our industrial (or post-industrial) society. And even among progressives, it is more or less standard operating procedure to use a “cradle to grave” analytical framework to assess the environmental impacts of any particular product or activity – the costs are measured at every stage in the lifecycle of a product, from the exploitation of resources to produce it, continuing through a cycle which includes production, use and maintenance, and ultimately, disposal. Occasionally, there may be a loop where a portion of the product is recycled, but almost everything that we produce and consume ultimately ends up as garbage. But, according to Michael Braungart, we’ve got it all wrong. Braungart, a German chemist who worked with the German Green Party and Greenpeace, is one of the leading proponents of an alternative view of sustainability – Cradle to Cradle. The Cradle to Cradle philosophy is that everything we produce should be designed to be fully re-used. In fact, according to Braungart, it isn’t so much that we consume too much. It’s that what we consume is so badly designed.

Braungart is a radical, but with a different path to sustainability. Actually, he eschews the word sustainability as an empty promise doomed to failure. “If I ask you how your relationship is with your wife and you say ‘sustainable,’ I’ll feel sorry for you,” he says. “Cradle to Cradle is to understand that everything is a nutrient. There is no disposal because every material is designed to be good for the biosphere or the technosphere.” He uses examples from nature to make his point that our problem is not one of scale, but of approach. “When you look at nature, the environment of ants is about four times bigger than that of human beings, so you see it’s not about reduction, avoidance, or consuming less, it’s about how to design materials to be good instead of less bad, because less bad is not good. Al Gore thinks there’s an overpopulation problem, but that’s not the case. It’s just about knowing how to put things back into technical balance, so everything that we consume – food, detergents, brake pads – is designed to be good for the biosphere.” One of his more far-reaching proposals is to radically reinterpret the relationship between producer and consumer. So even something as mundane as a window would no longer be sold by the producer to the consumer. Rather, the producer would sell the “service” of looking through the window, while retaining ownership of the materials. When the window was “used up” the producer would take the materials back and re-use them to make another window, or possibly some other product of equal value. Likewise, you wouldn’t buy a television set, which by its very nature, cannot be made without a lot of environmentallyunfriendly materials. Instead, you might buy 10,000 hours of television viewing and then return the TV so those valuable materials could be re-used. An ancillary benefit, says Braungart, is that the maker would be more inclined to use better quality materials. In the early 90s, Braungart met an American architect named William McDonough at a party in New York. The two hit it off so well that they set up MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry), an environmental design consulting firm. Since then, the two have become the two most prominent advocates of the Cradle to Cradle approach. In fact, they’ve even trademarked Cradle to Cradle and Cradle to Cradle Certified to protect the specialized services they offer. They’ve consulted with dozens of firms and point to a lengthy list of clients with whom they’ve worked to fundamentally redesign products. They’ve helped RohnerTextil, a Swiss textile mill, to design a fabric called ClimatexLifecycle for seat coverings which has eliminated toxic dyes and is fully biodegradable, so that the trimmings can actually be used for mulch. For office furniture manufacturer HermanMiller, they assisted in the design of an office chair called the Mirra which combines smart design and comfort with environmentally-friendly, recyclable materials. It’s also easy to disassemble – an important factor in facilitating re-use. And for Shaw Contract Group, one of the leading producers of commercial carpeting, they’ve helped to design a fully recyclable line of

Photographer Chris Jordan uses his imagery to comment on US mass consumerism. Here, distorted perspective gives a giant pile of sawdust the illusion of being a huge mountain.

nylon carpet products made of non-hazardous products with production systems that are energy efficient and gentle on the environment. This re-use of the source materials for similar – or even higher quality – products, is central to Braungart’s vision. Consistent with his contrarian approach, he also dismisses recycling as a half measure. Instead, we should be “up-cycling,” adding quality each time the materials are re-used. So you don’t take a plastic bottle and melt it down to make a park bench – with the carcinogenic antimony transferred from the bottle to the bench. You remove the antimony and use the plastic for “positive purposes.” Braungart and McDonough say that Cradle to Cradle design is nothing less than “the next industrial revolution.” Rather than eco-efficiency – the current buzzword among socially responsible producers – they stress eco-effectiveness. Eco-efficiency is “admirable” they say, but “fatally limited.” In an article they published in The Atlantic Monthly in 1998, they explain: “Our concept of eco-effectiveness leads to human industry that is regenerative rather than depletive. It involves the design of things that celebrate interdependence with other living systems.” The advantages, they add, are twofold: “No useless and potentially dangerous waste is generated… and billions of dollars’ worth of valuable materials are saved and retained by the manufacturer.” A second central theme is that “waste equals food.” They note that in nature, waste – whether it be manure or the decaying organic materials of dead trees, or the billions and billions of cherry blossoms that drop to the earth as part of the cherry tree’s rather inefficient but productive lifecycle – is not lost to the ecosystem in landfills, but is instead part of the continuous cycle which brings new growth and an evolving but undiminished ecosystem. Taking their cues from these natural cycles, they write that “if people are to prosper within the natural world, all the products and materials manufactured by industry must after each useful life provide nourishment for something new. Products composed of materials that do not biodegrade should be designed as technical nutrients that continually circulate within closed-loop industrial cycles – technical metabolism.” They acknowledge that it isn’t quite so simple – the toxins integral to technical metabolism must not be allowed to contaminate the biological metabolism. But they don’t offer any detailed prescriptions for just how that can happen. How for example, do you separate the toxins in coatings from the organics materials that they coat? Not surprisingly, the Cradle to Cradle creed comes in for its fair share of criticism. Gijsbert Korevaar, a chemical engineer at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, says that the Cradle to Cradle approach is far too simplistic. Korevaar, who serves as coordinator of a program in industrial ecology jointly operated by three Dutch universities, says that Cradle to Cradle is more hype than substance. “They’ve been able to completely re-use the nylon from old carpet for 15 years at DSM,” Korevaar told the Dutch magazine De Technolgiekrant. Korevaar said that a significant flaw in the Cradle to Cradle approach is that the basic premise of re-use of materials fails to adequately consider the energy required to re-capture the value of those materials from exhausted products. “There are at least five approaches to sustainable design and sustainable production: Industrial Ecology, Biomimicry, The Natural Step, Ecodesign, and Cleaner Production. Compared with all

This page: Chris Jordan used hundreds of computer circuit boards to compose this abstract creation which has echoes of Darth Vader’s Death Star.

of these, Cradle to Cradle is the one that is the least worked out. Whether or not it is sustainable depends totally on the people who embrace it.” Another point which tends to be overlooked in the discussion is the role market forces may play. Braungart and McDonough may have noble ambitions – and they may very well be right about how things ought to be – but can the firm that embraces Cradle to Cradle design compete against the producer of affordable, throwaway products that do everything that the consumer expects of them? It would seem that the success of the Cradle to Cradle approach would depend on some very strong regulations to give incentives to the most environmentally responsible producers and designs. But Braungart is not at all enthusiastic about the regulation route. “It would be much easier just to say the public sector is in charge to make sure that biological systems stay intact – that we have species diversity, that we have clean air and clean water, and intact and healthy soil. That would be enough.” So instead of banning substances that may be hazardous and establishing strict standards, Braungart would only establish standards focusing on limits to the disposal of waste into the environment. Of course, the most dangerous substances – those that are known to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and/or disruptive to the endocrine systems of humans and animals – would be labeled “X” and slated to be phased out. Others would be cat-

egorized as A, B, or C – optimal, optimizable, or tolerable. “It’s like when I invite you for dinner. I don’t say it’s free of chicken. I tell you what is there. So you define things positively, you define where you want to go. That’s the difference between efficiency and effectiveness.” There is no such thing, he adds, as “green chemistry” – only good chemistry. Braungart clearly has an affection for the analogy that proves the point. And so, as he hammers on his theme that Cradle to Cradle is the positive alternative to sustainability and eco-efficiency, he draws another analogy. “When you think it’s dark outside, that’s really just an absence of light. The question is, do you want to fight against darkness, or do you want to support light?” And then, surprisingly, he steps out of character with a cynical joke. “Two planets meet and one says to the other: ‘You know, you don’t look very well.’ And the other one says: ‘Yes, I know. I have homo sapiens.’ And the other one says: ‘Oh don’t worry about that. I had that before. You’ll get rid of them.’”

Next page: A thought-provoking statement is powerfully evoked by Jordan’s image of spent bullet casings.

BEAUTY IN THE BEAST

Chris Jordan was doing great. Coming up on his 40th birthday, he was a successful Seattle lawyer, making a bundle of money, with a house full of high-priced stereo equipment and state-ofthe-art toys. In his spare time, he took artfully composed photographs that won critical acclaim, and expounded on an arcane theory of color which left his friends politely nodding but perplexed. There was just one problem – Chris Jordan wasn’t happy. In fact, Chris Jordan was profoundly unhappy and very angry. And what was worse, he had this idea that there was no escape. “I had all the stuff I could want,” he recalls, “but seeing 40 coming on the horizon made me look inward and I realized just how unhappy I was. I could barely get out of bed and go to work. And I started to have this notion that I could hit the fast forward button and see what the rest of my life would look like – and I was going to be a very angry old man.” It was his wife who convinced him to try some therapy – “dragged me into it” he says – but the result was a radical reassessment of what mattered in his life. He quit his job and devoted himself full-time to his passion for photography. In that color theory he had developed, the aesthetics of color stood apart from the things that were photographed, and so Jordan began making pictures of industrial sites and garbage dumps. One day, his friends were admiring one of those pictures – Recycling Yard #1 – talking about how it did such a good job of capturing the contradictions of American consumerism. “It kind of pissed me off because they were misinterpreting my work,” he says, adding that he felt annoyed they didn’t understand what he calls his “trippy color theory.” But they were insistent that the photo worked on another level. “‘We’ve heard all that,’ they said, ‘but this image is just different.’ A couple of my friends urged me in this direction. It took me a while to come around and to realize that I can actually engage the real world with my work. And now it’s funny when I look back, because I can’t take credit for having found this issue. It’s more that it came to me.” Jordan began to take pictures which documented consumerism by depicting – artfully and even with haunting beauty – the enormous quantities of waste produced to keep the American economy going. His subjects were simple, and the composition elegant and understated: piles of discarded cell phones or circuit boards, almost abstract shots of crushed cars, mountains of sawdust and industrial slag, stacks of baled garbage.

The photos became an exhibition called “Intolerable Beauty: Portraits of American Mass Consumption” and he followed that with another series called “Running the Numbers”, in which he hammered even more emphatically on the message of consumerism. In the second series (Jordan has since followed with a series about Hurricane Katrina called “In Katrina’s Wake: Portraits of Loss from an Unnatural Disaster”) Jordan digitally manipulates images of mundane objects – cigarette packages, Barbie dolls, toothpicks, paper shopping bags, aluminum cans to create very large prints. The actual numbers of individual images used are, to a large extent, the point of the exercise, as they reveal the vast scale of consumption in America. A 2007 piece called “Toothpicks”, for example, looks like a wheat field stretching to the horizon, but turns out, examined up close, to be eight million toothpicks, equal to the number of trees harvested in the US every month to make the paper for mail order catalogs. Another photo, recently added to the series, is called “Plastic Cups”. At a distance, it looks like some absurd schematic for an intricate tangle of metal ductwork. But up close, it turns out to be a digital composition of one million stacked plastic cups, equal to the number of plastic cups used on airline flights in the US every six hours. The series – which includes both representational and more abstract compositions – began in particular with a focus on waste and consumption, but has since been extended to embrace other aspects of culture. A 2008 photograph, for example, arranges 32,000 Barbie dolls into a pointillist depiction of a woman’s breasts. Those 32,000 dolls represent the number of breast augmentation surgeries performed in the US each month in 2006. Ironically, Chris Jordan the activist photographer has achieved the recognition he probably never dreamed of as a high-flying Seattle lawyer. He’s been featured in the New York Times, appeared on national television shows in the US, and had his work exhibited all over the world. He notes with a bit of embarrassment that his carbon footprint has expanded with his growing reputation, as he travels the world to talk about the photos and the underlying message of an unsustainably wasteful society. But Jordan has another message as well. That what seems to be a sacrifice just might save your life. “I’ve become a real believer in this idea that when you do what you love, the universe shifts. There’s something that happens when you really commit and it’s truly transformational.”

WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND When you’re the biggest paint company in the world, there’s no transform what was a small, local project into a province-wide getting around it – your activities are likely to impact the environ- initiative. The program now produces a low-gloss interior ment. With that in mind, AkzoNobel has taken a pro-active role latex paint, a pearl finish solvent-based exterior paint and a in developing safer and more environmentally-friendly paints. semi-gloss interior wood stain. All are marketed, appropriately This has involved various measures, such as reducing the enough, under the brand name of Boomerang. levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); developing high The program is managed by a non-profit corporation called quality, water-based substitutes for traditional solvent-based Éco-peinture and is funded by a fee of 25 Canadian cents paints; and exploring all kinds of technologies to make paints charged for every tin of paint sold in the province of Quebec. safer to produce, to use, and to dispose of. The old paint is collected by municipalities and retail outlets, Developing improved efficiency in the application of and then separated by type of paint and color. According to sprayed paints, for example, reduces waste and air pollution. Éco-peinture’s Executive Director, Georges Portelance, they Broadening the range of applications of powder coatings collected about 4,700 tons of paint (including the metal and – which do not use VOCs – is another example of how we are plastic containers) in 2007 – about 5 percent of the total quaninnovating to reduce the environmental impact of coatings. tity of paint sold annually in the province. Around 60 percent of Technological breakthroughs in low temperature, UV-cured the materials collected are processed into the recycled paint coatings also have the potential to significantly reduce energy products, while another 25 percent is metal or plastic conconsumption and costs for customers of our Car Refinishes tainer, which can also be recycled. Portelance says that while and Industrial Finishes businesses. Improving the quality and Boomerang is not a premium quality paint, it matches up well durability of coatings to extend their usable life has positive with mid-range brands, at about $12 Canadian per gallon (3.8 impacts all along the lifecycle of AkzoNobel’s paints and the liters) – around one-third of the cost of an average gallon tin of products they cover. paint in Canada. The latex paint is available in 16 colors, the But still, if you sell paint, you’re faced with a disposal prob- solvent-based paint in four colors, and the stain in six colors. lem. Almost all of us have leftover tins of paint in our basements, “We were lucky enough to have had Sico, as the market cupboards and sheds. Possibly meticulously labeled, so we’ll leader, take a bold decision to play the game and put together know what to use when the kids draw on the wall or the hall a structure to make the program work,” says Portelance. He gets dinged while replacing the washing machine. Or possibly notes that the idea is now spreading, with similar programs in not. In any case, they’ll generally sit there until they’ve thickened place in five other Canadian provinces, while a pilot program into unusable putty, after which – well, that depends on what was slated to be launched in the US state of Minnesota during sort of disposal and collection programs may be available. the summer. In Quebec, Canada, AkzoNobel Decorative Paints has The National Paint and Coating Association, the American taken a leading role in the establishment of a paint recycling trade association representing the paint industry, is supporting and re-use program which is making a real difference. Sico paint recycling programs all over the US. It’s fully aware of the Inc., which was acquired by AkzoNobel in 2006, is by far the fact that government regulations will surely be imposed on the largest producer of paints in Quebec. As Claude Brosseau, industry if it doesn’t act to deal with the problem of unused Vice-President for Retail Sales, explains: “Our former President, and waste paint. Last year, several European-based members Pierre Brodeur, recognized that we had a problem in our in- of AkzoNobel’s Coatings group began studying the possibilities dustry with the waste we created through leftover paint. So he of setting up their own surplus paint recycling project, and sent said: ‘Why don’t we get together as an industry and create a a representative to Quebec to learn more about the Éco-peinrecycling and revitalization program, rather than waiting for the ture project. government to impose a program on us?’” Brosseau says that the Canadian government is also In fact, on a smaller scale, a program already existed. A looking at the Éco-peinture example as a model for other schoolteacher named Normand Maurice had launched a col- potential recycling programs – for car batteries and motor oil, lection and recycling program in the early 1990s as a way to for example. Meanwhile, AkzoNobel is attempting to further give jobs to handicapped people who would otherwise have a reduce its environmental footprint by recycling cleaning water difficult time finding work. So instead of re-inventing the wheel, and solvents and re-using spoilage instead of incinerating it or Brodeur took the initiative to unite the coatings industry in disposing of it in landfills. Perhaps not quite realizing the Cradle Quebec behind Maurice’s program. He persuaded government to Cradle ideal of Michael Braungart and William McDonough, officials to give their approval and set up the mechanism to but making every effort to tread softly on Planet Earth.

FUTU 38

THE CAR OF THE

So what will we all be driving in the decades and centuries to come? And will cars – as portrayed in so many TV series and sci-fi movies – be capable of all manner of weird and wonderful things?

Time will tell, of course, but with the help of AkzoNobel Car Refinishes’ New Business Development Manager, Dominique Fort, we go cruising into the future. WORDS Jim Wake DESIGN AND IMAGES Sergio Loureiro da Silva Pictured is Phoenix, an ecological proposal for a final degree show at the Royal College of Art.

Suspension

Wheels and tires

Lights and accessories

LED and micro-halogen lights will be standard. To improve fuel efficiency, accessories will be redesigned to consume less power.

Weight can be saved and greater efficiencies realized by eliminating the drive train and mounting smart electric motors in the wheels. That makes it possible to reduce the size and weight of the vehicle, to use the space under the hood for storage, or to radically alter the basic shape of the vehicle. Tires will not go flat, even when they are punctured, thanks to self-healing rubber or firmer sidewalls. Improved tire designs will reduce rolling resistance to improve efficiency.

The car of the future will have smart suspension, with mini computers on each wheel to respond to the stress of the road. Because vehicles will be lighter, the suspension systems can also be lighter. Those pneumatic systems that were a curiosity in Citroëns of the past could make a return. Brakes

Not only will ABS braking systems be standard in the future, but the energy generated from braking will be captured and used, at the very least, to power electrical accessories. The optimists believe that braking energy can contribute significantly to powering the vehicle itself.

URE 39

Body and chassis

One of the biggest changes in the car of the future will be in the materials it’s made of. To increase fuel efficiency (whatever the fuel) lightweight materials will replace steel, cutting the weight by up to 50 percent. Some experts predict that bodies will be made of high-strength carbon fibers or plastics, with dyes added during the fabrication process. Others expect lightweight metals such as aluminum and magnesium to be used along with powder coatings, or even paints that change color according to the wishes of the owner. The chassis may also be made of carbon fiber. At any rate, rust and corrosion will be distant memories. Solar cells will be integrated into the top surfaces of many cars.

Windshields

In the summertime, today’s vehicles are a little like solar cookers – primarily because so much heat gets absorbed through the glass surfaces. But technologies already exist to allow light to pass through windshields without absorbing nearly as much heat. It means air conditioners might not be necessary, or can be far more energy efficient. Parking

The bane of the urban driver (besides traffic jams) is parking. Designers are coming up with all kinds of solutions. Four-wheel steering – with wheels that can rotate 90 degrees – will probably be common on city cars in the future. A more radical idea, incorporated into a concept car designed by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, is to build a car with a folding chassis. When you reach your destination, the wheels come together and the middle folds up. What’s more, the vehicle is “stackable”, much like a shopping cart.

Engine Design

Improving efficiency means reducing air drag. “Slippery” designs will drastically improve this on cars of the future. But even without drastically redesigning the shape of a vehicle (after all, it still has to accommodate passengers) big gains in efficiency will be realized by reducing the drag caused by mirrors, windshield wipers, seams on the vehicle and the uneven underside of the car. Control system

If you love to drive, the car of the future could intrude on your driving experience, with advanced GPS systems making all of your routing decisions (and avoiding traffic jams).

The car of the future will be powered by: gasoline; biofuels; hydrogen fuel cells; ordinary electricity drawn from your home and stored in lithium-ion batteries; or roof-mounted solar cells. There is no consensus, and it’s likely that a variety of competing alternatives will be fighting it out for years. Few doubt that the car of the future will be at least twice as efficient as today’s vehicles. Whether they are internal combustion engines, hybrids, electrics, or something else altogether, computers and electronics will be far more important than they are today. One proposal is to power cars with compressed air, and to collect the compressed air by using the weight of passing vehicles to drive compressor pistons – practically a perpetual motion machine.

“

ow cars will be powered is one of the most serious challenges facing manufacturers and suppliers,” says AkzoNobel Car Refinishes’ Dominique Fort. “In the past, the emphasis was on cutting weight in order to decrease gasoline consumption. The idea was to replace steel or glass with plastic. Today, all cars have plastic body panels and in the case of headlamps, polycarbonate has replaced heavy and fragile glass. “Unfortunately, all this weight-saving has been offset by increasing sophistication, such as the introduction of air conditioning and numerous airbags. Therefore, automotive engineers have moved on from the weight issue and are looking at other areas. So innovation departments are asking manufacturers to make proposals for the future. The race is on. Even paint suppliers – who traditionally are never asked to contribute to this very sophisticated challenge – are now being invited to propose ideas. Not only to develop paint with an air resistant coefficient for example, but to also supply paint which can contribute to generating power, and in turn charge the car battery. “Is this Utopia? Maybe not. Let’s think about the big surface represented by a car. Most cars spend their lifetime outside, during daylight hours (when they’re exposed to the sun) or at night (when they’re exposed to artificial light sources). What if paint contained photoelectric cells which would contribute to charging the car? “Thinking about alternative power solutions, and the limitation of current technologies such as electric engines (which have a limited capacity) is forcing car manufacturers and researchers to adapt the type of car to its specific use. For example, why have a car capable of reaching 130 kilometers per hour when you only use it in Paris or Berlin and spend most of the time in traffic jams? This is why vehicles such as Zenn have just been launched in Canada. It can only travel up to 40 kilometers per hour, but can be used for long distances. And it’s not just a concept, it’s already in production. Some cars are also now using the energy generated when braking to recharge their batteries. The Zenn car already employs this technology to enable longer distance driving.”

Phoenix The aim of the Phoenix project is to show how lost energy in a vehicle could be regenerated. Every mechanical element is designed to aim for better sustainability. The vehicle leans into corners just like two motorbikes using the central kinetic axis to regenerate energy.

If driving long distances doesn’t sound enticing, fear not. Because there may come a day when we don’t actually have to do the driving ourselves. “Advanced GPS systems are already making our routing decisions,” continues Dominique. “This could evolve even further. Responsive cruise control systems could maintain a designated distance between you and the car in front, or adjust the vehicle’s speed according to the conditions. For those who hate driving, it just might be possible to turn over the controls to a computer – aided by the GPS system – and sit back and enjoy the ride, with ‘smart’ cars guiding you safely and efficiently to your destination. Another take on the automatic driver may be to install the brains into the highways, which will then have control over your car, keeping it at a safe distance from other vehicles on the road and guiding it off when you reach your destination.”

OUR FAVORITE CARS OF THE FUTURE Actually, the cars we grew up with in the United States 40 or 50 years ago were the cars of the future. Bullet-nosed Studebakers like the one my Uncle Bob had; the ’59 Cadillac, with its huge tail fins, chrome encircled jet pod tail lights mounted in the fins, and 360˚ wraparound glass; the ’63 Corvette Sting Ray, with its concealed front headlights and its sleek styling. They had names like Starfire and Rocket 88 and Galaxy. But over the years, Detroit stylists and Hollywood dreamers have presented us with visions of the future that far exceeded anything on offer in the showrooms. And so we take a journey into the past to revisit, with affection, a few of our favorite cars of the future. Batmobile The TV program of the mid-60s was totally camp, but what a cool car Batman drove. The Batmobile was an actual concept car – a 1955 Lincoln Futura built for Ford by Ghia in Turin, Italy. When the producers of Batman needed a car for the show, they asked famed car customizer George Barris to come up with a proposal. The deadlines were short, so he took the Lincoln Futura he had in his collection and modified its styling – originally inspired by designer Bill Schmidt’s underwater encounters with a shark – to suggest the batthemes of the TV show. The original Batmobile had a long list of special accessories such as lasers, rockets, computers, smoke emitters and two parachutes that could be ejected to bring the car to a quick stop so it could do an instant 180˚ “bat-turn”. Later incarnations of the Batmobile in the Batman film series were sleeker and far more advanced than the original TV series Batmobile – but not nearly as cool. KITT The real star of Knight Rider, the 1980s American fantasy adventure TV series, was a black custom-

ized talking 1982 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am named KITT (Knight Industries Two Thousand). With a molecular bonded shell of “tri-helical plasteel 1000 MBS” and “pyroclastic lamination”, the car was impervious to bullets, bombs, fire and just about anything else the enemies of peace and justice could throw at it. It had a cruising speed of 300 miles per hour and an array of weaponry including smoke bombs and flamethrowers. Although it couldn’t quite fly, it was equipped with a turbo-boost system which allowed it to jump over inconvenient obstacles such as villains in large, but much dumber, cars. It had all manner of sensory equipment on board, including an anamorphic equalizer, an etymotic equalizer and an olfactory sensor. Best of all, it had an advanced computer which endowed it with the power of speech and artificial intelligence. But above all, KITT had personality – it was rather sure of itself and sometimes condescending, but always protective of Michael, the show’s hero, played by David Hasselhoff. Although KITT usually spoke English, it was fluent in French and Spanish as well, and could turn on a New York accent in a pinch. Back to the Future DeLorean The car which takes Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) from his life as a 17-year-old California high school student in 1985 back to 1955 is a 1982 DeLorean, modified by Marty’s eccentric scientist friend Emmett Brown (Christopher Lloyd). In the film, the DeLorean is equipped with a plutonium-powered “flux capacitor” which allows it – upon attaining the speed of 88 miles per hour – to travel to a pre-programmed date and time in history. In film sequels, the car travels to 1885 and 2015 as well. The DeLorean in real life was a star-crossed project launched in 1981 by John DeLorean, a former executive at General Motors. Sleek, with a polished stainless

steel shell and gull-wing doors, underpowered, and overpriced, it failed to make an impact on the market. The project collapsed, but a company in Texas has now begun producing new DeLoreans based on the original design for the tidy sum of $57,500. 007’s Aston Martin James Bond’s 1963 silver Aston Martin DB5 was a piece of exquisite automotive design, and that wasn’t even taking into consideration the special equipment provided by Her Majesty’s Secret Service to help its special agent to evade capture. The car had front-mounted machine guns, retractable blades that extended out from the wheel hubs to slice up the bad guys’ tires, bullet-proof glass, a revolving set of license plates, an oil slick spray to send pursuers off-road and an ejection seat. Actually, four DB5s were used in the Bond films Goldfinger and Thunderball in the mid-60s. One, purchased by car collector Anthony Pugliese in 1986, was stolen in 1997 and is reportedly still missing. Another was sold at auction in 2006 for more than $2 million. George Jetson’s Aerocar The original Jetsons animated TV series took the stone-age Flintstones concept to the other extreme – the Jetsons inhabited the middle of the 21st century. George commuted to work in a vehicle resembling a flying saucer with a bubble top and a single tail fin. The speed limit on the “highways” was 500 miles per hour. Parking wasn’t much of a concern, because the aerocar folded up into a briefcase. In 2007, California-based Canadian inventor Paul Moller announced that he was planning to produce a hovercraft reminiscent of the Jetsons’ family car, to be commercially available sometime this year. If it sounds too good to be true, it just might be. Moller has been working on flying saucer designs for 40 years.

Pulp paper and wood production is Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest manufacturing industry.1

In 2006, a record 54 percent of the paper used in the US was recovered for recycling.2

To create the globe cut out the solid grey lines around the map and tabs. Then score along the dashed lines to create your folds. Assemble by gluing tabs to corresponding edge.

In 2002, 56 percent of paper and board consumed in Europe was collected and recycled.3

China is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s second biggest producer of paper and paperboard after the US.4

AROUND THE WORLD WITH PAPER WORDS Sara Sharpe

We come in contact with it every day and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s become virtually indispensable. Join us as we explore the amazing world of paper.

THE US RECYCLES 44 PERCENT OF ITS PAPER.

THE NETHERLANDS RECYCLES 77 PERCENT OF ITS PAPER.5

come about due to increasing environmental concern, rising raw material prices and competition for, and restrictions on, natural resources. With the integration of more environmental initiatives, there is now considerable interest in increasing the usage of fibers other than wood pulp, as well as increasing filler content in printing paper. However, this remains a more complex issue than it would seem. Alternative sources of fibre are being explored forthe future, but many still involve paying a price environmentally. Competition for bio-resources and productive land for

Recycling 54kg of newspaper will save one tree.6 (54kg = approx. 85 newspapers)

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aper. It’s one of the most ubiquitous materials in the world. One that’s proved unbeatable in a huge variety of uses for the last 1,900 years. Its origins can be traced to Asia, more specifically China, where the papermaking process was first developed early in the second century. In fact, papermaking is considered to be one of the four great inventions of ancient China (along with the compass, gunpowder and printing). The Chinese introduced some of today’s most familiar uses for paper – such as packaging, toilet paper, tea bags, paper cups, napkins and bank notes. And the consumption of paper in the country is only rising. Paper spread slowly outside of China to other Asian cultures during the seventh century (the Chinese were initially reluctant to share secrets about its manufacture). The technology was first transferred to Korea and then imported to Japan by Buddhist priests, where fibers from the mulberry tree were used in its production. Of course, all early papers were made by hand. “The inner part of the bark of the mulberry tree was, and still is, one of the traditional raw materials for hand-made paper, known as ‘Kozo’ in Japan,” explains Hans Larsson, Group Manager of Global Data Management at Eka Chemicals, AkzoNobel’s Pulp and Paper Chemicals business. “This type of paper is very attractive, both visually and in texture. But the most spectacular hand-made paper I have ever come across was in India. It was made from elephant dung!” There isn’t much that Larsson doesn’t know about paper. He’s played a major role in the development and globalization of the Eka Chemicals business. And with the production of pulp and paper in China set to rise considerably over the next ten to 20 years to meet increasing demand, he’s well positioned to comment on the future of the industry. “China has the fastest growth rate at the moment, with current consumption standing at 34kg per capita, per year. If China’s paper usage per capita ever becomes equal to that of Europe and North America (up to 320kg per capita, per year) it would require a doubling in the world production of paper. In the mainstream industry, the fiber from which paper of all kinds is made has become a serious issue. This has mostly

46 Footnotes: 1. nce.gc.ca 2. paperonline.org 3. ForesSTAT, FAO 4. Paper Industry Association Council 5. Worldwatch Institute 6. Government of Canada, Digital Collections 7. The Economist 8. Environment Canada 9. Environmental Defense Paper Calculator

Approximately 324 liters of water is used to produce 1kg of paper.8

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Over the past decade investment banks have invested around $40 billion in pulp mills. By 2015, some industry analysts forsee more than $50 billion investment, much of it in Brazil, China and Indonesia.7

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It takes 3 tons of wood to produce 1 ton of copy paper.9

bio-energy production is another important consideration. One of the big unanswered questions in the industry is how to supply enough fiber to meet the huge demand as economically as possible, but also in a truly environmentally-friendly and sustainable way. “Eka Chemicals is very active in exploring interesting new options for raw materials,” notes Larsson. “Paper can be produced from a wide variety of raw materials such as straw, reed and bamboo. In China, pulp made from straw and reed used to be common in the small, traditional paper mills. However, this proved to be environmentally-unfriendly and has since decreased. Our focus now is very much on the environment and

sustainability. We are putting a lot of our R&D resources into various projects, such as looking at ways to increase the filler content in printing paper; increasing the strength in paper board while decreasing the amount of fibers; and decreasing energy consumption during the production of mechanical pulp.” Whatever use people may have for paper, there’s a strong chance that Eka Chemicals supplies a product essential for its manufacture. That includes familiar items, as well as a few unexpected ones. Reveals Larsson: “One of the most unusual manufacturing processes we are involved is in the food industry for the production of casings for sausages, where our very clean, wet strength resins are used.” Ubiquitous indeed.

Taking Control Remote control technology isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t limited to the one which operates your TV. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s about to be used by AkzoNobel to help deliver chlorine to customers. WORDS Rebecca Parsley

hlorine is a vital ingredient for many of life’s essentials. tial customers – we don’t want to come up with the completed From ensuring drinking water is safe and clean, to concept and find it’s not right for their needs, so their input is vital.” playing a key role in the manufacture of plastics and Manufacturing Manager for AkzoNobel’s Chlor-Alkali acmedicines. tivities, Jan Pranger, adds that even if there is no future ban on Many issues still surround its delivery, but the summer of chlorine transportation, the remotely-controlled units definitely 2006 proved to be something of a landmark, as it hailed the end have a place in the industry. “We want to bring new, more susof AkzoNobel’s structural chlorine transports in the Netherlands. tainable best practices to the marketplace. While there are no With other countries under pressure to follow suit, it has fears at all over the safety of our chlorine transportation, it is become imperative to find alternative ways to ensure an un- still officially classed as ‘dangerous goods’ and there are risks. interrupted supply of chlorine to customers. Which is why the These new installations would eliminate that.” company has been working on cutting-edge proposals to introAs well as operating the units, AkzoNobel Base Chemiduce remotely-controlled chlorine production units. cals would aim to supply the vacuum salt needed to produce Installed on site at the customer’s premises, the environmen- the chlorine, as well as taking away the resulting caustic lye. tal benefits of this approach are immediately evident. Although The units themselves will have a maximum production capacity of salt and other raw materials need to be delivered for use 15,000 tons per year – around 1.9 tons per hour – and while this in the new units, because the final product rate can be slowed to allow less chlorine, is produced in-situ, it means less chlorine more units would be necessary for higher 35.4527 has to be transported – therefore reducvolumes. This means that on-site safety -101.5 ing the already small risk of spillage or would be increased as hardly any chlorine ±1,3,5,7 -34.04 incident. It also addresses the concerns storage is required, while the retaining ele3.214 3.16 of people who live along rail tracks previment of the unit is entirely self-contained. 12.957 ously used for chlorine shipment. There Failsafe systems also ensure immediate are positive financial benefits to consider shut-down in an emergency. as well, because you’re able to operate a “The control center has overall comcluster of chlorine production units from a mand, they could stop the unit if necessingle control point, rather than stationing sary,” notes Holmen. “In addition, there a team of people at each location. would be somebody educated and trained “We asked ourselves what would hapat each location to step in if needed, so [Ne]3s7 p5 pen if there was a ban on chlorine transyou don’t lose the human presence totally. Chlorine portation in other countries,” explains The actual control rooms will be located Business Manager Ellen Holmen, who is at our existing chlorine production sites marketing the idea. “It would mean either closing down plants and we’d estimate operating four to five units from each control where chlorine is used, or coming up with a way of producing it room, which would have positive implications for employment on-site. We believe remotely-controlled units offer a sustainable at those sites. We would also have dedicated teams of people and cost-effective solution. It’s a very exciting project because involved in the logistics of getting salt to the site, taking the it’s such an innovative concept, but it’s entirely feasible that we caustic away and looking after maintenance of the unit.” could have the first plant ready in the next two to three years.” The cost per unit – which would be half the size of an Other suppliers do provide small-scale chlorine plants which average soccer field – is expected to be around €15 million. can be constructed on-site for customers, but they don’t match While it’s a big initial outlay, it will be recuperated through the up to what is being devised by AkzoNobel’s Base Chemicals decrease in transportation costs, efficiency in construction and business. “They don’t have the capability, the technology, or operation and lowered risk profile. the concept to build such robust units, which can be operated “We want to be the main producer in Europe who signifiremotely in a safe way,” continues Holmen. “This is where our cantly contributes to the reduction of chlorine transportation,” proposal is unique and why we are so fired up about it.” states Holmen, who helped to unveil the project at an industry The company’s partners in the scheme are Uhde and Uhde- event held in France earlier this year. “We want to be in the nora, who have vast experience in engineering chemical plants driving seat, pushing this project forward and showcasing our and in producing electrolysis cells and skid-mounted units. processes. Realistically, we could have the first unit in operaTogether, the collaboration has produced the initial design and tion by 2010 or 2011. It will mean we can take care of chlocost estimates. “Not all the logistics are in place yet,” says rine production in a safe, sustainable and efficient way, offering Holmen. “This is something we need to work out with our poten- a reliable solution which benefits everybody.”

TO INFINITY AND BEYOND WORDS David Lichtneker

Space. Some call it the final frontier. But what once seemed impossible is now becoming a reality – the universe is being opened up for daytrips and excursions. We speak to former astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who explains why he’s such a keen supporter of space tourism and claims that it won’t be long before we see human life on Mars.

hat does it feel like to go into space and land on the moon? It’s the one question former astronaut Buzz Aldrin gets asked the most. It’s also a question many more people could soon be able to answer now that commercial exploration of the so-called final frontier is about to open up the universe to tourists. Aldrin, the second human to set foot on the moon, is now approaching his 80s. But he remains one of the world’s foremost figures when it comes to promoting man’s further exploration – and eventual habitation – of space. Still highly active and in demand across the globe, he’s long been convinced that excursions to celestial hotels will one day become a reality. He also claims that it’s not the moon which offers the best hope of establishing permanently manned off-world habitats. Because it would make far more sense to put human life on Mars. It may sound like someone’s seen one episode of Star Trek too many, but the first so-called tourists have already been into orbit, paying mindboggling amounts of money for the privilege of visiting the International Space Station. Sir Richard Branson, meanwhile, is about to take things one step further. His somewhat less exclusive Virgin Galactic organization is preparing to send its first fee-paying enthusiasts on sub-orbital space flights within the next two years. Then there’s the not insignificant fact that the Bush administration has charged NASA with sending astronauts back to the moon by 2020. The plan is to eventually set up a semi-permanent lunar outpost, itself a proving ground for more distant Mars missions. It quickly becomes apparent, therefore, that Aldrin – who was 39 when he followed Neil Armstrong onto the lunar surface during that historic Apollo XI mission in 1969 – has remained well ahead of the game. “We’re about to explore further than ever before – to the moon, Mars and beyond,” he says. “My mission now is to invite new generations to share the wonders of space and to foster affordable space travel for all. So I’m very supportive of expanding our access to orbital capabilities around the Earth. Towards and around the moon for example; to near Earth objects such as asteroids; and to a likely second habitat for the people on our planet, which right now seems most likely to be Mars.” Humans will undoubtedly return to the moon, states Aldrin, but with the express aim of learning how to support excursions to more habitable otherworldly locations. “The surface of Mars is a far better place to establish a growing permanence than the moon,” he continues. “Unless the moon’s occupancy can be justified by the commercial return of some products, whether it’s oxygen, rocket fuel, fusion materials or building materials that

Above: Buzz Aldrin and the rest of the Apollo 11 crew set off on their historic journey; and Aldrin as he is today. Left: The famous photograph of Aldrin standing on the lunar surface, taken by Commander Neil Armstrong.

Top: Richard Branson’s Spaceport America, designed by Norman Foster, will operate out of the desert in New Mexico. Above: Virgin Galactic unveiled designs for its SpaceShipTwo craft early this year. It will be carried by the White Knight Two mothership before being launched into sub-orbital space. Right: Only 12 astronauts set foot on the moon during the Apollo missions.

enable a profit-making industry. But there are many stepping stones to negotiate before we get there.” Such is Aldrin’s passion for giving other people the opportunity to reach for the stars that he’s set up his own nonprofit ShareSpace Foundation. “It’s dedicated to informing the public about the benefits of past exploration and the promises of future exploration,” he explains. “Our aim is facilitate space flight experiences, advance science education and expand human exploration of space.” Through the Foundation, Aldrin is also working on launching a SpaceStakes selection process, which will award a non-transferable grand prize of zero-gravity, suborbital and orbital space flights. But, if all goes to plan, it’s Branson’s sub-orbital flights which are likely to be first off the launch pad. Operating out of the desert in New Mexico, he’s aiming to eventually offer at least one flight per day to the general public. For a fee of around $200,000, paying passengers receive three days of pre-flight preparation and training, followed by the actual three-hour excursion. This flight, to an altitude of 70 miles (110 kilometers) above sea level, will include around five minutes of weightlessness. Virgin Galactic say passengers will be able to see 1,000 miles in any direction, as well as the curved blue line of the Earth’s atmosphere against the black sky of space. The vessel will carry six people and two pilots, with the company expecting to become profitable within the first three years of flying. Once flights to the very limits of the atmosphere have become established, the next step, according to Aldrin, will be voyages orbiting the Earth and back. “I think we will be busy taking visitors into space for the foreseeable future. This will probably include circumlunar flights – a free return around the moon – which offers significant ultimate adventure excursions. Further progress is unlikely to happen quickly unless some major breakthroughs occur in moving huge payloads of equipment and humans to increased velocities and distances.” Aldrin, who has logged 4,500 hours of flying time, 290 of them in space, has some firm views regarding what needs to be done in order to make long distance space travel viable. And these aren’t just opinions. Because not only does he run a rocket design company (Starcraft Boosters, Inc.), but in 1993 he also received a US patent for a permanent space station he designed. So he can speak with a certain amount of authority when he talks about how spacecraft development needs to progress in order to bring about the giant leaps which need to be made. “We need an international effort to devise a lifting body spacecraft which, when it comes back to Earth, can land on a conventional runway instead of landing with a parachute in

This shot of Buzz Aldrin’s boot print remains one of the most iconic images associated with the Apollo moon landings.

the ocean or on some unprepared surface. So we need to replace the Russian Soyuz as soon as possible. With the Shuttle we developed runway landings, which have been taking place now since 1981. It would be a shame not to retain that capability for a smaller, much more modern spacecraft which would be used exclusively for personnel delivery.” He adds that such a craft could transport people not only to space stations, but also to galactic hotels, such as the expandable modules being developed by Bigelow Aerospace. These facilities – which have a flexible outer shell – are taken into orbit, where they are then inflated to create more living space. Two prototype habitats – Genesis I and II – have already been launched and their performance is being extensively monitored. But this determination to make space more accessible isn’t only being driven by a fascination for adventure and exploration. There’s a growing belief that, one day, it might become a necessity. “We need to start focusing international awareness on the fact that, at some point in the future, the Earth

will be in danger from calamities in space,” warns Aldrin. “We also have to face up to the realities of diminishing resources. Some of this could be alleviated by space activities that can capture the sun’s energy and beam it back in convertible energy to electricity. We could even bring certain materials back from the moon, or asteroids which contain minerals that can quite easily supplant the diminishing resources here on Earth. But any extended human presence on the moon should be justified by strict examination of the economics of supporting human habitation there.” Richard Branson is also mindful of the need to consider what space could offer an Earth in crisis. “It was Stephen Hawking who first got me thinking about this issue,” he pointed out during the official presentation of plans for Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo craft. “He was explaining that mankind had no option but to get to space as quickly as possible and start doing things up there that we have been doing on planet Earth, but in a much more efficient manner. Our population is now heading to nine billion people by the middle of this century – that’s three times more than when I was born. With the end of the oil era approaching, and climate change progressing faster than most models have been predicting, the utilization of space is essential not only for communications, but also for the logistics of survival through things such as weather satellites, agricultural monitoring, GPS and climate science.” Stephen Hawking. It’s a name which often comes up when discussing space and pushing the boundaries of man’s capabilities. So it comes as no surprise when he is also referenced by Aldrin in response to a question about funding for the further exploration of the universe. “Hawking recently gave a lecture in Washington which highly recommended ten times the expenditures aimed at colonizing the moon and Mars. That’s a very brilliant mind, which looks into the future, and I believe that he has to be acknowledged, not for his own self, or his own remuneration, but for the benefit of mankind.” The first signs that the US is preparing to plough significant funds into further space exploration came when recent reports revealed that NASA is investigating the possibility of landing a crew on the 2000SG344 asteroid. Barely the size of a yacht, the object has the explosive power of 84 Hiroshimas. But a mission to the 1.1 million ton hunk of rock could be a crucial stepping stone to venturing deeper into the solar system with a crewed voyage to Mars. It could also help scientists learn more about how to best defend the Earth against asteroids that veer into our planet’s path. So the recent landing of the Phoenix probe on the Martian surface could well be a sign of things to come. Such fantastical possibilities are light years ahead of Aldrin’s history-making mission, a life-changing event which he is only

able to partly recollect. “My memories are kind of spotty,” he admits. “It gets renewed by replaying the films and voice recordings. Looking at the spacecraft and pictures also helps. It’s a great stimulus for the blank, staring memory.” After becoming an instant household name, Aldrin – one of only 12 men to have set foot on the moon – inevitably had to cope with the fame and adulation which followed. Something he wasn’t entirely prepared for. “I didn’t really relish the thought of being highly visible or subject to a loss of privacy. There were also certain expectations from people for us to perform in certain ways. I then had to deal with my own personal recovery from depression and alcoholism at a crucial time in life. However, having maintained a degree of stability, I now really enjoy the continued opportunities that have been afforded to me by being a visible, successful past achiever.” Aldrin’s heroic endeavors came when space was headline news all over the planet. As enthralling as they were mindblowing, those Apollo missions had people all over the world holding their breath. Both young and old alike were utterly transfixed by what was taking place. Then the fascination faded. “When it began to become more routine not so many people were getting excited,” notes the former astronaut. But we’re now standing on the edge of a new era of exploration, when space is once again the center of attention. “We have opened up the potential of departing the planet and going elsewhere to neighboring objects or creating our own islands in space,” says Aldrin. “I think that holds great attraction, inspiration and motivation for young people and new generations. Exploration is about to reach a new frontier.”

THE HEAT IS ON

Technology has taken incredible quantum leaps since man last set foot on the moon in 1972. But the challenges brought about by our enduring fascination with the cosmos simply demand that innovation keeps pace with imagination. For example, the construction of any permanent lunar structures will require the use of an array of fantastical equipment and materials, most of which probably hasn’t even been invented yet. The same can be said for future spacecraft design, although NASA has already ordered construction of the Orion – described in 2005 as being “Apollo on steroids.” The craft is designed to take a crew of six to the International Space Station and later a group of four to the moon. A larger cargo rocket – Ares V – is also being planned. It will be able to lift as much as 150 tons into orbit, including the booster rocket, lander and other hardware needed for a moon

expedition. It means the space shuttle’s days are numbered, with the remaining orbiters (Discovery, Atlantis and Endeavor) due to be retired by the end of 2010. So what happens now? What lessons learned from the last two decades of space travel can be applied to future exploration? One area where AkzoNobel is qualified to speculate is in the field of fire-protective coatings. The company’s Chartek® range of products is based on technology which was not only used during the Apollo missions, but which has also been employed by the space shuttle program. The Chartek Fireproofing formulation has since been adopted by the oil and gas industries, while AkzoNobel has also introduced a new intumescent (expanding) coating called Interchar®, geared more towards high-rise buildings and public structures. “Cosmic travel involves severe shifts in extreme temperatures, from the cold of space itself to the intense heat of reentry,” explains Richard Holliday, Business Development Manager for the Chartek product line within the company’s Marine and Protective Coatings business. “So as well as being incredibly lightweight, any coating used on a new spacecraft with similar reuse capabilities such as the shuttle must be able to withstand the thermal shocks of both very low and very high temperatures. Existing fire protection coating technology such as Chartek gets consumed while it’s providing the fire protection; it’s absorbing the energy as well as swelling up and insulating against the heat of the fire. So the challenge for space tourism would be to develop a reusable fire resistant coating. That would certainly be the Holy Grail, a type of coating which you could burn again and again.” The temperature produced on reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere has been known to reach 5,000° Fahrenheit, more than half the surface temperature of the sun. So heat-shielding will always be needed. But there are also other considerations, such as what coatings might be needed for buildings on the moon. “Any communities, be they in space or on the surface of the moon, would need fire protection in the way that any normal building structures have fire protection,” continues Holliday. “But you start getting into a whole new realm, because other types of coatings would also be worth thinking about. For example, depending on the environment, they could have insulating or heat reflective properties. So there are various applications which would be worth serious investigation.”

HEADLINES

Going the extra mile

The fact that AkzoNobel’s Dulux Trade business is supplying coatings for what will soon become the biggest shopping center in Greater London is reason enough to start making something of a fuss. But in today’s eco-conscious world, going that extra mile when it comes to sustainability and the environment can make all the difference. Which is why Dulux Trade isn’t just supplying paint for the £1.6 billion, 265-shop Westfield London complex near Shepherd’s Bush. It’s also providing a complete sustainability solution. So as well as installing the first ever Dulux Decorator Center (DDC) to be placed on site specifically for a building development – offering the full range of Dulux Trade products – recycling provisions have also been made available, along with the unique Dulux Trade Environmental Wash System. It means that 100 percent of the paint cans are being recycled on the development site, with an estimated 50,000 expected to be used during the project (if stacked together they would reach a staggering 11.5 kilometers in height). Meanwhile, the Environmental Wash Systems strategically placed around the site provide an environmentally-responsible way of washing out painting equipment such as brushes, trays and rollers. The first of its kind in the UK, these systems convert waterborne paint washings into clear water and solid waste, allowing for easier and safer disposal. What’s more, a delivery program has been introduced which ensures maximum use of full load deliveries to the DDC (which is open 24 hours a day and is manned at all times). These deliveries are made outside work hours to reduce site traffic and interruptions. This approach also cuts down on unnecessary carbon emissions caused by taking multiple deliveries from different contractors or traveling to different suppliers, resulting in estimated savings of 350,000 miles of travel. “Our work with Westfield highlights our capabilities when operating on major construction projects in the UK,” explained Ralph Blacklaws from Dulux Trade Commercial Constructions. “Our track record on quality products, added value support and industry leadership in sustainable solutions are all demonstrated on this project.” Dulux Trade Diamond Quick-Drying Eggshell is being used across all common areas. The coating incorporates Dulux Diamond technology, making it ten times more stain resistant than standard water-based eggshell finishes and ten times tougher than vinyl silks. Due to open its doors to the public in October, Westfield London will also include around 40 places to dine, a 16-screen cinema, a health and beauty retreat and a gymnasium.

Gunning for metal

AkzoNobel’s Decorative Paints business has launched the first ever product which can paint both sides of railings and intricate metal surfaces at once. The revolutionary Hammerite Metalmaster is an easy-touse paint gun which offers an effortless way of achieving a high quality professional finish on elaborate metal. It can be used directly on non-galvanised metal surfaces and can get the job done four times quicker than using a brush. “As the leading brand for specialist paints for metal, it is important that Hammerite continues to drive innovation,” said Hammerite Marketing Manager Mike Lewkowicz. “Hammerite Metalmaster is a truly unique product which takes away the hassle of what was once a tedious and time consuming task.” Employing clever 3D Wrap Precision Technology, the groundbreaking innovation involves using an electrostatic method of applying Hammerite to gates, railings, garden furniture, drainpipes, guttering and other metal surfaces. By painting both sides at once, it’s set to revolutionize the way metal is painted and protected. Hammerite Metalmaster is currently available in the UK and Ireland, while there are plans for it to be launched in several additional countries during the course of the year.

On the waterfront

Boating enthusiasts in North America are being invited by AkzoNobel to help improve their local waterfront by applying for one of eight grants totaling $60,000. The company’s Interlux® yacht finishes business has launched the Waterfront Challenge to encourage sailors to make a difference by suggesting sustainable waterfront environmental improvements in their communities. Seven regional grants of $5,000 each are up for grabs, while one grant of $25,000 will be awarded to the best overall waterfront project. “Quite simply, Interlux is asking boaters who say they care about the environment to prove it,” said Waterfront Challenge director Douglas Bernon. “Clean up a beach or river bank. Rebuild a handicap-accessible dock. We’ll consider all small-scale projects that could result in effective waterfront improvements.” A six-strong panel of judges will assess the applications following the closing date on November 5. The grants will then be awarded at the Miami International Boat Show in February 2009.

New R&D facility opened in Sweden

Eka Chemicals has officially opened a new SEK 40 million (€4.3 million) research and development center at its Bohus site in Sweden. AkzoNobel Board member Leif Darner conducted the formal inauguration, which means that Bohus will now be the focus of the company’s Pulp and Paper Chemicals research and development activities. “Innovation through the development of new chemical products and systems, in combination with new industrial IT, is needed for us to maintain our position, but not only as a supplier,” said Jan Svärd, General Manager of Eka Chemicals. “As an industry partner, we can provide support for key chemical-related operations of a mill’s production and thereby increase efficiency and lower production costs. Chemical Islands, where Eka runs the entire chemical operations at one mill, is just one example of a long-term partnership with key customers.” Capable of simulating actual conditions in pulp and paper mills on a laboratory scale, the new Bohus facility represents another step in the strengthening of AkzoNobel’s investments, both in select areas within Specialty Chemicals and in Sweden. Primarily focused on bleaching and paper chemicals, a significant part of the work carried out at the center will also involve the development of separation products for the chromatographic purification of active substances used for producing pharmaceuticals such as insulin. During the inauguration, Svärd revealed that the company will finance a number of doctoral R&D projects in chemistry at universities over the next five years, with a total of €1.3 million being made available.

Safety milestone in Ningbo

AkzoNobel’s Polymer Chemicals site in Ningbo, China, recently marked its sixth year without a lost time injury. The achievement translates into 2,060 working days and more than 1.3 million working hours without an LTI. Total safety management has improved dramatically since AkzoNobel acquired the site in 2000. Major Health Safety & Environment (HSE) improvements have included implementation of the integrated HSE system, manufacturing and technological modifications, improved communication systems and procedure optimizations. The site is particularly proud of its record over the last six years, with safety remaining Ningbo’s number one priority.

Taixing site receives awards Talking Books

One of the AkzoNobel Base Chemicals sites in China recently received two awards to continue an impressive record of achievement.  The business’ MCA plant in Taixing was first honored with an Environmental Protection Advanced Plant honor by the local government for the fifth year in succession. The award recognizes that world class HSE standards are being set and applied. This was followed a few weeks later by a Safety Production Advanced Plant honor, given by the Taixing Economic Development Area. It’s the fourth year in a row the facility has received this particular honor.

Employees in Turkey have talked their way into getting Community Program funding for a project to help the blind. A total of 16 Powder Coatings employees from AkzoNobel Boya in Izmir have devoted their spare time to making talking books. This is a much quicker way of making books available to blind people than using Braille. Following support from the company’s Community Program, new books were purchased and a computer room created – which includes six computers, desks and chairs. Before anything is recorded, however, they check the website of the Turkish Association of Libraries for the Blind to see if their choices are already available as talking books.

The process is simple, but demands close attention to detail. Books are first scanned and stored on CDs, but the scanned text needs to be checked against the original for spelling errors – which is where the volunteers come in. Once corrected, special computer software is used to create a talking version. The employees have already created 13 books in less than six months and if they keep up their current pace, by the time the project ends in 2010, they will have nearly reached three figures.

eventually reach an output of 50 million liters.” He also stressed the importance of investing in laboratory facilities. “We see this step as an important one to support the growth of the business and meet customer requirements.” Headquartered in London in the UK, Marine & Protective Coatings is the global leader for marine paints and antifouling coatings used in shipbuilding and by yacht owners.

DIY innovation scoops honor Caring for the community

Children at an orphanage in Russia are benefiting from a special learning zone which was inaugurated recently following support from AkzoNobel’s Community Program. The so-called social adaptation room has been created at the Uzlovsky orphanage after employees from the company’s Car Refinishes and Decorative Paints businesses successfully applied to the program for assistance. A total of 48 children aged from three to 17 are now able to use the new area, which consists of a living room, a kitchen and two rooms for teachers. It means the children will now be able to learn basic social skills and experience the kind of comfortable, homely atmosphere which most of them have never experienced. “The inauguration of this room is not the end, but the beginning of this wonderful project,” said the company’s HR Manager for Russia, Elena Checkulaeva. “Employees are going to visit these children regularly to teach them how to cook and to play with them.” Officially launched in June 2005, the company-wide scheme is designed to encourage employees to become actively involved in community initiatives, with more than 500 projects having been supported by Community Program funding to date. Uzlovsky is the second Russian orphanage to be supported by the Program, with a similar room having already been established at the Lastochka orphanage in Toliatti.

One of the company’s product innovations aimed at making life easier for novice DIYers has scooped a top honor at a major industry event in the UK. The Polycell Polyfilla Stick – designed to provide a simple, mess-free way to fill hairline cracks and nail holes – recently won the Gold Award for Best New Product in the DIY category at the 2008 DIY Industry Awards. The breakthrough formulation technology and application method impressed the judges with its simplicity and ease-ofapplication. “We’ve had an excellent response from retailers about Polyfilla Stick, which has been flying off the shelves since the day it went on sale,” said Polycell UK Brand Manager James Bruce. “We’re delighted to have met such a strong consumer demand for a simple and convenient filler.” More like a glue stick than a traditional tube or tub of filler, users simply rub the stick over hairline cracks, wipe with a damp cloth and leave to dry. No pre-mixing, no mess, no waste and no additional tools needed. It’s also a handy storage size for consumers as it doesn’t clutter up the toolbox. Polyfilla Stick, now part of the company’s Decorative Paints portfolio, also won the Silver Award for Best New Decorating Product at this year’s DIY and Garden Show in January.

Chelates relocating HQ to China

AkzoNobel Functional Chemicals is relocating the headquarters of its Chelates business from the Netherlands to China. The move has been prompted by the growing importance of the Asian market. “It is extremely important for us to be in close proximity to Chinese site inaugurated our customers in China and the Asia Pacific region,” explained Functional Chemicals General Manager Bob Margevich. AkzoNobel has expanded its presence in China with the open“This move will allow us to fully support AkzoNobel’s coming of a new site for the manufacture and sale of protective mitment to expanding its global Specialty Chemicals activities. coatings. The facility is located in Suzhou, around 80 kilometers The worldwide scale of our activities also underlines our comwest of Shanghai. mitment to focusing on the needs of our customers, wherever The opening ceremony was staged in August, when they may be.” Leif Darner – the AkzoNobel Board member responsible for Currently based in Amersfoort, the Chelates business Performance Coatings – noted that the company has had a is scheduled to complete the relocation of its head office to strong presence in China since the late 1980s and continues to Shanghai during the third quarter. Chelates General Manager expand its operations there.  Geert Hofman and Controller Prasanta Dutt will also relocate “China is clearly fundamental to our global strategic vision to China during the course of the year, with Hofman taking and we are committed to expanding our activities in what is one on the additional role of Functional Chemicals’ administrative of the world’s most important markets,” he said. “Last year we representative for Asia Pacific. outlined our new ambition to achieve revenue in China totaling Hofman added that the move made perfect strategic $2 billion by 2012 and this investment will contribute to reach- sense: “Functional Chemicals will be the predominant user of a ing this goal.” €250 million grassroots multi-site currently being built in China Marine & Protective Coatings General Manager Bill by AkzoNobel. Located in Ningbo, it will include facilities for the McPherson also spoke at the event, pointing to the €23 million production of chelating agents and ethylene amines. investment in the new facility as a clear sign of the business’ “As well as creating several hundred jobs – so enhancing commitment to China. career opportunities in the region – it will utilize state-of-the-art “We have developed a business plan which will allow us technology and upon completion will be one of the company’s to increase the capacity in steps over the next ten years and biggest sites in the world.”

Sustainability leader

AkzoNobel has been ranked as one of the chemicals industry leaders on the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability World Indexes (DJSI), underlining the companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ongoing commitment to improving its sustainability performance. The latest rankings reveal that AkzoNobel has achieved a leading position on the influential index having scored 86 percent, just 1 percent behind the new sector leaders. AkzoNobel topped the index in 2007 and has now been listed for the last four years. At AkzoNobel, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re constantly looking for ways to minimize the effects of our activities on the world and its resources.