Letter from the Editor

EDITOR’S LETTER

It is good to be able to spend some time at the desk after a hectic few weeks attending conferences around the world. These events can merge into one another after a while, particularly when they are often covering much of the same ground – although if all the organisers are agreeing on the hot topics of the year, then they are probably all making the right call.

After the past two years, which focused very much on the use of digital technologies to enhance efficiency in the chemical supply chain, this year the agreed topic was sustainability. This might seem like an old topic come back to haunt us but it was obvious that, for all the talk of sustainability and all the pages of annual sustainability reports generated (probably at a high cost in terms of greenhouse gas emissions), nothing much has been achieved. Perhaps, some wondered, digitisation may have a role to play in doing something concrete towards improving the sustainability record of the petrochemical sector?

One practical method of improving sustainability is to move towards a circular economy. Instead of the old pattern of ‘extract-manufacture-dispose’, the circular economy has a pattern of ‘reuse-remanufacture-recycle’. Closing this loop leads to much better utilisation of finite resources and, along the way, also helps the supply chain, since there is a built-in backhaul cargo.

But it is difficult to find examples of the circular economy in the chemical industry. Extensive discussion during EPCA’s Annual Meeting in Berlin last month did point to a few: one manufacturer of sports shoes, for instance, is now making a trainer from a single polymer, to make it easier to recycle, and Ineos has run a pilot project to turn used yoghurt pots back into virgin-quality polystyrene.

Any closed loop system relies on all participants in the circular supply chain to do their part to keep the loop going. In many supply chains, the weakest link may well be the consumer – and they need to be incentivised in some way to play their part. Perhaps, it was suggested, in the future we will not buy shoes and clothes but merely pay a monthly ‘rent’ to the manufacturer, to ensure that we take them back to the store at the end of their useful life and get a replacement.

There are, though, two obvious examples of a closed loop system in the chemical supply chain. One longestablished loop is provided by some of the major packaging manufacturers, who have put in place networks to collect and return used IBCs so they can be cleaned and remanufactured. This month we report on Mauser’s extended range of packagings manufactured from post-consumer resin, which takes that on to the realm of plastics drums. And, of course, steel drums and IBCs have long been retrieved and re-used.

The tank container is another closed loop packaging; meant to last for decades, these packagings are valuable items in themselves and therefore are meant to be re-used many times over. Which makes it very strange that some chemical manufacturers opt for single-use packagings, at least for their non-hazardous products. Flexitanks are the polar opposite of tank containers: single-use bags with no apparent return and recycling loop, and are often used once and sent to landfill. Those using them should consider whether this fits their sustainability goals.

CONTENTS

VOLUME 40 • NUMBER 11

UP FRONT Letter from the Editor 30 Years Ago Learning by Training 01 04 05

TANK CONTAINERS Tank people Report on ITCO’s Amsterdam meeting 07 On the go A busy year for Suttons 12

TANKS Lead the way Fort Vale intros new valve ideas 14

Stop thief VisiLevel helps avoid pilfering 16 News bulletin – tanks and logistics 18

DIGITISATION Power of three ECTA works on visibility 20

Ordered delivery TCF partners with chembid 21

Perfect sight FourKites expands with Ocean Insights 22 News bulletin – digitisation 24 STORAGE TERMINALS The terminal zone Report from the UK TSA conference 26 Success in Asia Tank Storage Asia report 31 Missed connections The importance of API couplers 34 News bulletin – terminal equipment 35 News bulletin – storage terminals 36

INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING Round and round Mauser extends recycled range Containers for Russia Greif invests in IBC capacity 38

40

COURSES & CONFERENCES Training courses Winter Gulf trip Looking ahead to GPCA Forum Conference diary 42

44 46

SAFETY Incident Log 48

Second city sights The best from Labelmaster’s event 50 In peril Responding to explosives at sea 53 Held to account China expects better compliance 54

REGULATIONS Awake at the wheel WP15 handles ADR update On second thoughts Joint Meeting revisits decisions New year, new rules Changes in IATA’s new DGR

BACK PAGE Not otherwise specified

NEXT MONTH Reporting back from EPCA Annual Meeting World markets for tank containers Plastics drum manufacturing review Focus on gas shipping and storage

Editor–in–Chief Peter Mackay Email: peter.mackay@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 7769 685 085

Deputy Editor Alex Roberts Email: alex.roberts@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4035 Campaigns Director Craig Vye Email: craig.vye@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4014

Commercial Director Ben Newall Email: ben.newall@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4036 Production Manager Binita Wilton Email: binita.wilton@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4048

Commercial Manager Serena Lander Email: serena.lander@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4006 Managing Editor Stephen Mitchell Email: stephen.mitchell@hcblive.com Tel: +44 (0) 208 371 4045

Designer Jochen Viegener

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