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INDUSTRY WATCH - Chemical World
August 2012
EDITORIAL
A green outlook for growth
T
he economy in the US seems to be on the rising part of the ‘V’ curve again and guess how? The chemical and petrochemical industry in US cities is the prime force behind this positive reversal of trend, according to the latest study commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Primarily propelled by low natural gas prices as well as proliferation of economical technologies to tap into wider energy sources, the chemical and petrochemical production has led to a rise in job opportunities, exports as well as research and development across the US, says the study.
Let’s put this development in a global perspective. Of the $ 4-trillion global chemical industry, the US accounts for nearly $ 760 billion, as per the American Chemistry Council. The numbers clearly suggest the significant bearing of it on the chemical industry at large, with of course some regional deviations. While it feels good to see the current growth trajectory, the key factor that will shape its future is the contribution coming from ‘green chemistry’ in this. Of late, although the demand for design of chemicals and industrial processes that are not only non-toxic but also eco-compatible has been north-bound, the share of chemicals and production processes is yet to acquire a critical mass of the total manufacturing of chemicals. According to a report by Pike Research last year, green chemistry stood at about $ 2.8 billion, which this study by the U.S. Conference of Mayors has projected to touch $ 98.5 billion by 2020. This would indeed mark a substantial growth of sustainable chemistry, if it comes anywhere close to $ 100 billion! That said, to have a 3600 approach, it is crucial to put in place a practical culture for ensuring chemical process safety in organisations. In this context, the latest initiatives of the European Process Safety Centre (EPSC) – an international industry-funded organisation that provides independent technical focus for process safety in Europe – appear to be quite futuristic.
Editorial Advisory Board PothenP aul Former Chairman, Aker Powergas Pvt Ltd
With one position paper on process safety culture being released, EPSC is all set to add a series of position papers and reports throughout the latter half of 2012. Given that these papers are made publicly available, and with their high level overview of a field of study coupled with EPSC’s position on best practices in that field, it should result in further reinforcement of chemical process safety.
D P Misra Director, TCE Consulting Engineers Ltd and Former Director General, ICC
P D Samudra Executive Director (Sales) & Member of the Board, Uhde India Pvt Ltd
Manas R Bastia manas@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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24 Cover visual: Mahendra Varpe
Special Focus: Safety, Health & Environment Chemical industry at the crossroads .................................. 24 Product stewardship............................................................ 26
Insight & Outlook: Bulk/Base Chemicals Commodity chemicals market............................................ 40 Bulk chemicals .................................................................... 42 Chlor-alkali industry .......................................................... 46
Personal protective equipment............................................ 30
Inorganic acids .................................................................... 48
Interface - Sanjay Choudhari, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Tata Chemicals Ltd .......................... 32
Roundtable .......................................................................... 50
Roundtable .......................................................................... 34
Mergers and acquisitions .................................................... 54
Dumping of chemicals........................................................ 52
Automation Trends
In Conversation With Anthony Wong, Managing Director, Jotun India................................................... 20
Intelligent motor management: Relaying safety to process industries ............................................................ 56
Energy Management Seal-less vane pump: Driving efficiency into manufacturing operations ................................................... 58
Policies & Regulations Facility Visit: Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd
New urea investment policy: A productive step in the right direction? ............................................................ 60
Turning towards quality valve manufacturing .................. 36
Strategy Case study – Essar Oil Ltd: Safeguarding marine eco-system while setting up refinery.................................. 62
Regular Sections Editorial ........................................................................ 5 News, Views & Analysis .............................................. 10 Technology & Innovation ............................................ 17 Technology Transfer .................................................... 18 Projects ........................................................................ 65 Tenders ........................................................................ 66 Event List .................................................................... 68 Book Review ................................................................ 71 Products ...................................................................... 72 List of Products .......................................................... 83 List of Advertisers ...................................................... 84
Tips & Tricks Volatile chemicals: Safety guidelines for handling flammable liquids ............................................................... 64
Event Preview InformexINDIA 2012: A speciality-focussed information platform .......................................................... 70
Highlights of Next Edition Special Focus: Analytical Instruments Insight & Outlook: Specialty Chemicals
Details on page no. 68
Note: ` stands for Indian rupee, $ stands for US dollar and ÂŁ stands for UK pound, unless mentioned otherwise August 2012 | Chemical World
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Business Insights Technologies Opportunities
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August 2012 | Chemical World
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NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
PAINTS INDUSTRY INDUSTRIAL GAS
PPG Industries and Asian Paints to form second JV
BOC India to build two new air separation plants in Odisha
PPG Industries and Asian Paints Ltd (APL) will form a second 50:50 joint venture ( JV), Asian Paints PPG Ltd, to serve protective, industrial powder, industrial container and light industrial coatings segments. PPG recently received the necessary approvals to create the new JV and also to expand its existing coatings JV, Asian PPG Industries. PPG and APL will expand their current JV to now serve India’s industrial liquid, marine, consumer packaging and transportation coatings customers. “The expansion of PPG’s more than 15-year successful relations with Asian Paints will position both companies for accelerated growth in non-decorative
BOC India Ltd (BOCI), a member of The Linde Group, announced that it has been awarded a major long-term industrial gases supply contract by Tata Steel Ltd. Tata Steel is progressing with the first phase of its greenfield integrated steelworks in Kalinganagar Industrial Complex in Odisha, which will come on-stream in 2014. BOCI will invest ` 5.4 billion to construct two large air separation plants, each with a capacity of 1,200 tonne per day, to supply gaseous oxygen, nitrogen and argon to meet the production requirements of Tata Steel’s new steelworks. To be commissioned in 2014, these plants will also produce liquid products to meet the growing demand for gases in the merchant market. S K Menon, Managing Director, BOCI, said, “BOCI intends to establish an extensive pipeline network through the industrial complex to meet the gases demand of the various steel production units operating there.” H M Nerurkar, Managing Director, Tata Steel, said, “Our new 3 million tonne per year (MTPY ) steelworks, which will expand to 12 MTPY in the medium term, will be the first new major greenfield blast furnace-based steelworks built in India in the past 15 years.”
coatings to take advantage of the long-term growth in the Indian economy,” said Mike Horton, President, PPG Asia-Pacific, and Vice President, Automotive Refinish and Architectural Coatings, Asia-Pacific. Both joint ventures leverage PPG’s global scale, technology and customer relations with APL’s Indian customer base, manufacturing footprint, and distribution channels. PPG will have effective management control of Asian PPG Industries, and APL will have effective management control of Asian Paints PPG Ltd to best utilise the companies’ respective strengths for capturing the growth in Indian markets, Horton said.
SUPPLY CHAIN
Tata Chemicals’ new logistics strategy to replace use of plastic bags Tata Chemicals recently announced the adoption of a green supply chain strategy. For the transportation of loose soda ash, the company is deploying Lupa bulkers, which are already in operation at Tata Chemicals’ Mithapur plant in Gujarat. Worth ` 45 lakh approximately, Lupa bulkers are vessels that are specially designed to transport unpackaged bulk cargo. Each bulker has an approximate capacity of 25 Lupa bulker tonne and can replace 3 million plastic bags each year. The company plans to incorporate 10 more bulkers in FY 12-13. The cargo is pneumatically loaded and unloaded, thereby making the complete process automatic, cost-effective and eco-friendly. On this green transportation initiative, Zarir Langrana, COO, Chemicals Business (India), Tata Chemicals Ltd, said, “As a significant global soda ash manufacturer, Tata Chemicals is committed to reducing CO2 emissions and its environmental footprint to ensure environmentally benign and responsible transportation of chemicals, thereby taking a pioneering step in the Indian chemical industry. In the near term, we are targeting 1,50,000 MT of movement of soda ash by bulkers, which will help in CO2 reduction since there will be no usage of plastic bags and material handling equipment.”
ENGINEERING
Libra Techcon to provide EPC service to Mysore Petro Chemicals Ltd Libra Techcon Ltd (LTL) has bagged an order from Mysore Petro Chemicals Ltd (MPCL) to increase the capacity of its maleic anhydride plant by 3,000 TPA. The plant is located at Taloja, Navi Mumbai. It will be designed on highly sophisticated 3D software, which will show an orbital view of the plant. The project is expected to be completed within 6 months. LTL’s scope of work includes detailed engineering, construction
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management and site construction supervision. It will also involve complete review of basic engineering package of the plant. Currently, LTL is also working on the effluent pretreatment plant of ONGC Mangalore Petrochemicals Ltd’s (OMPL) upcoming aromatics complex in Mangalore. The company is executing this project on Lump Sum Turnkey Basis. Siddharth Wazir, Director, LTL, said, “LTL has been recognised as the
right partner for providing engineering services by several companies in the Indian petrochemical sector due to its constant emphasis on quality and timely execution.” LTL has set up various projects based on their technology during past 30 years in India and abroad. Today, LTL, with offices in India, UK and the Middle East, serves clients worldwide for meeting their process and engineering needs.
NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE VALVES
BASF named world’s most transparent chemical company
UNP Polyvalves inaugurates new plant
BASF has been named the world’s most “This type of reporting responds to transparent chemical company in a new the pressing need for improvements in global ranking by non-governmental corporate transparency and helps restore organisation Transparency public trust. Companies in Asia, International. Transparency in including India are therefore Corporate Reporting scored increasingly embracing this 105 of the top publiclytrend even though there are no traded companies based on legal requirements,” said Prasad their public commitment Chandran, Chairman, BASF to transparency. Company Companies in India & Head scores were based on public Prasad Chandran South Asia. BASF India has availability of information about antibeen publishing an integrated report since corruption systems, transparency 2009. The BASF in India Report 2011 in reporting on how they structure documents the development, progress and themselves, and the amount of financial performance of the company’s activities information they provide for each in India across the three spheres of local country they operate in. influence – economy, ecology and society.
In order to meet the growing demand for corrosion-free valves, pipes and pipe fittings in the process industries, UNP Polyvalves has set up another manufacturing facility at Makarpura GIDC, Vadodara, Gujarat. Urmil Shah, Director, UNP Polyvalves (India) Pvt Ltd, stated, “We already have two plants in Makarpura GIDC and this would be the third plant of the company. With this, we aim to increase our production capacity by 35 per cent. The total constructed area is about 14,000 square feet.” He further added, “There is huge demand for such valves in chemical and petrochemical segment as these are mainly used for corrosive applications in industries.” The company has a wide product range in valves comprising ball, diaphragm, butterfly, ball check, foot, sight glass, sampling, strainers, lined valves, pipes & fittings etc. Avani Jain
RECOGNITION
Dr G D Yadav to be felicitated by IIT Roorkee Dr G D Yadav, Vice-Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology, will be presented the IIT Roorkee Khosla National Award, 2012, for his lifetime achievements in catalytic science & technology, green chemistry, multi-phase reaction engineering, nanomaterials and nanocatalysis. “The decision has been taken by the governing body of this research award,” said S K Saini, Assistant Registrar, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. Dr Yadav is honoured by a number of fellowships and awards. An active consultant to a number of industries, his research is commercialised extensively. Mahua Roy
ALLIED SECTOR
EXPANSION
Innoventive’s energy-efficient technology improves manufacturing process of tubes
Balaji Amines plans to set up new plant
Cold Pilgering technology, developed by Innoventive Industries Ltd (IIL) that was recently granted patent, can lead to quality tubes with enhanced characteristics in a most energy-efficient and cost-effective manner, claimed Sanjay Waghulade, whole-time Director, IIL. “The company enjoys gross margins in excess of 20 per cent for manufacturing tubes from this process. Other manufacturers (who enjoy gross margins of 15 per cent and under) use the conventional draw bench process, which consumes more energy & material and requires greater time and effort, thus resulting in higher labour cost,” he added. The patent, which is valid over a period of 20 years, effective from April 24, 2009, will restrict any other company
Balaji Amines is planning to set up a new plant to manufacture Di-Methyl Amine Hydrochloride and Dimethylformamide with an installed capacity of 10,800 MTA and 21,000 MTA respectively at MIDC (Chincholi, Maharashtra). The plant will be commissioned during the financial year 2012-13. The company has started manufacturing Methylamines – with 30,000 TPA – commissioned in March this year. Its net sales were recorded at ` 136.55 crore for the quarter-ended June 30, 2012, up from ` 114.08 crore in the previous year, an increase of 19.70 per cent. Its export was up by 35 per cent. “The encouraging results for the first quarter indicate a positive uptrend for this financial year,” said D Bala Reddy, Director Commercial, Balaji Amines.
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from using this process to manufacture Cold Drawn Electric Welded (CEW )/ Drawn Over Mandrel (DOM) tubes in India. The Cold Pilgering process is used to manufacture CEW/DOM tubes from Electric Welded (ERW ) tubes. Highlighting the advantages of this technology for the manufacturers of process equipment, Waghulade said, “The tubes manufactured by this process have a superior surface finish, unmatched quality and higher tensile strength. They are much more costeffective than seamless or any other tubes generally used. Manufacturers of process equipment can save costs as they will be able to source components of same or better quality at a lower cost.” Rakesh Rao
NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
TECHNOLOGY DAY PACKAGING
Eaton displays electrical and hydraulics solutions in Ahmedabad
Dow receives Ringier Technology Innovation Award in packaging industry
Eaton Corporation, a global leader in diversified power management solutions, recently hosted ‘Technology Day’ at Ahmedabad. The Technology Day is part of a strategic initiative – a series of events – to reach out to customers and end-users, and enable effective market interactions at key customer locations. As part of this, Eaton displayed its key offerings in India that come in the form of electrical solutions for IT and industrial segments, and hydraulic solutions that cater to manufacturing, construction, infrastructure and transportation industries. Eaton demonstrated its expertise in delivering uniquely designed solutions
Dow Performance Packaging received the Ringier Technology Innovation Award for its development of ROBOND L-95D, a single component water-based laminating adhesive. The award, one of the industry’s most prestigious honours, was presented to Dow at the ProPak China 2012 trade fair in Shanghai. ROBOND L-95D was developed through the joint efforts of Dow Chemical Company’s R&D centre in Buffalo Grove, USA and the Dow Shanghai Technology Center in China. It utilises Dow’s unique acrylic emulsion technology with a focus on the balance between product performance and operational convenience while creating sustainability benefits for packaging manufacturers. Dow developed ROBOND L-95D for applications on both metalised and clear film substrates. It does not require pre-mixing steps, and can be used in a broad range of applications, which enables converters to achieve much improved operational efficiency. ROBOND L-95D is the newest member of the Dow water-based laminating adhesives family that fulfills the company’s sustainability commitment by completely removing solvent emission and significantly improving workplace safety. “This adhesive was developed specifically to address the growth in Asia’s flexible packaging market where there is a direct need for sustainable packaging. Dow is the global leader for water-based adhesive technology and is leading the way towards environment-friendly packaging, exemplified through successes across the world,” said Peter Wong, AsiaPacific Commercial Vice President for Performance Plastics, Dow Chemical Company.
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to suit the varying requirements of the automotive and commercial vehicle segments. Speaking at the event, Raja Kochar, Managing Director – India, Eaton Corporation, said, “Gujarat is India’s leading industrial hub with massive investments in the areas of manufacturing, mining, oil & gas, automotive, agriculture, engineering, construction and infrastructure. Eaton is excited to be part of the ‘Vibrant Gujarat’ story. We look forward to further extend our offerings to businesses in the State, explore collaboration opportunities and play a key role in driving Gujarat’s growth and leadership more sustainably.”
APPOINTMENT
Koch Membrane Systems hires Jack Noble as EMEA Commercial Director Koch Membrane Systems’ (KMS) Division of Koch Chemical Technology Group Ltd has announced that Jack Noble has joined the company in the role of Commercial Director-Water and Wastewater for Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Noble will focus on growing the company’s customer base. Imran Jaferey, Senior Vice PresidentGlobal Water & Wastewater business, KMS, said, “We see EMEA continuing to be a significant part of our business with high growth expected in certain regions, and Noble will be working to refine and implement our water and wastewater business plan. Noble comes to the KMS group of companies with many years of experience in the field of water and wastewater treatment, and we felt it was important to have someone with such background and experience to lead the company’s growth in this region.” CORROSION TESTING
Ascott launches salt spray and cyclic corrosion test units Ascott Analytical Equipment Ltd, the UK’s leading manufacturer of corrosion test chambers, has launched the next generation of its acclaimed salt spray and cyclic corrosion test units – available throughout India from Unitron Instrumentation Technology Pvt Ltd. Ascott, which has history of successful installations in industries worldwide, has focussed on versatility and ease of use to enhance its well-established range. A choice of features – many the direct result of customer feedback – can be specified with each unit. Chamber
sizes that range from 120 litre to 2,000 litre capacity are available, each with a low loading threshold for ease of use. In all cases, the robust GRP construction features an easily opened canopy, which incorporates a large viewing window – unique to the Ascott range design. In addition to a compact bench top unit of 120 litre capacity, there are three floor standing variants, offering 450, 1,000 or 2,000 litre capacity – all can be specified in either standard or premium configuration, while users can also benefit from an extensive range of accessories.
NEWS, VIEWS & ANALYSIS
PATENT DISPU TE SET TLEMENT FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE
Efficient process operation improves bottom line for Thirumalai Chemicals in Q1FY2013 Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd, an ISO 9001/14001 certified chemical company and a major producer of petrochemicals and specialty chemicals, recorded a healthy growth for quarter-ended June 30, 2012. Its total revenue stands at ` 30,150 lakh as compared to ` 14,268 lakh in the previous year, which is an increase of 111.31 per cent. Commenting on the performance (Q1FY2013), R Parthasarathy, Managing Director, Thirumalai Chemicals Ltd, said, “A great part of the improved performance is attributable to the changes that we have made in the last one year in our operating structures and processes. Besides, we also focussed on our efficiency improvement programme, and speedy response to customer needs and the market situation.” The company also plans to increase its revenues and profitability significantly over the next few years as it works towards becoming a truly global player in scale and in reach.
Solutia, Sinorgchem and KKPC find solution for anti-degradant patent dispute Solutia Inc (Solutia), Jiangsu Sinorgchem Technology Co Ltd (Sinorgchem), and Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co Ltd (KKPC) have reached a global settlement to resolve all disputes among them involving Solutia’s patents for processes to produce 4-ADPA, a chemical intermediate used to make rubber anti-degradants. Under the terms of the settlement, Solutia grants Sinorgchem and KKPC licenses to manufacture 4-ADPA under Solutia’s patents, which do not expire until 2019. As licensees, Sinorgchem and KKPC are also granted certain rights to enforce
those patents. However, financial part of the settlement was not disclosed. “The settlement of these long-standing disputes is a milestone for Solutia and its Santoflex anti-degradant business,” said Rich Altice, President & General Manager, Technical Specialties Division, Solutia. Commenting on the development, Stephen Choi, CEO, Sinorgchem, said, “We remain committed to using our innovative chemistry to provide value to our customers and shareholders, as well as to protecting our intellectual property rights.”
FELICITATION
WACKER felicitates its researchers for innovation WACKER Chemie AG bestowed this year’s Alexander Wacker Innovation Award on Christian Daniels, John Boylan and Bruce Gruber. The researchers of WACKER have developed two novel dispersions based on vinyl acetate-ethylene copolymers. These kinds of dispersions are increasingly replacing the established coatings for paper applications, John Boylan, Bruce Gruber and especially in the US. This year’s €10,000 Christian Daniels (from right to left), with Wilhelm Sittenthaler innovation award focussed on product innovation. The new VINNAPAS EF 101 and VINNAPAS EF 575 dispersions are used mainly as coating material in paper processing. The coating ensures that the print on cardboard packaging is particularly durable and vividly coloured. “These new dispersions have conquered the North American paper market within a remarkably short period of time. That has changed the rules of the game in this market,” said Dr Wilhelm Sittenthaler, Executive Board Member, WACKER.
SAFET Y SOLU TIONS
MILESTONE
Honeywell to upgrade control and safety systems at Staatsolie Refinery
Intergraph R&D centre in India celebrates its silver jubilee
Honeywell is selected by Staatsolie Maatschappij Suriname N V, the stateowned hydrocarbon and sustainable energy company, to upgrade the safety and control system at its Suriname refinery to Integrated Control and Safety System (ICSS) solution. The upgrade is being designed and implemented within the context of the Suriname Refinery Expansion Project, which will double the capacity and expand significantly the range of products and fuels, with a special focus on the satisfaction of the domestic transportation market.
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Developed on the strengths of Honeywell’s Experion Process Knowledge System architecture, ICSS is an all-encompassing safety solution providing robust and secure control for critical applications. Built to offer simplified operations, integrated process control and safety controllers, ICSS will equip Staatsolie with best-inclass compliance, reliability and safety for its refinery production units. The upgrade includes expansion of Honeywell’s Alarm Management System, Operational Insight Software and OPC Desktop Historian solutions currently installed at site.
Intergraph Consulting Pvt Ltd (ICC), a leading engineering and geospatial software development facility for Intergraph Corp. based in Hyderabad, is celebrating 25 years of innovation. One of the first IT companies in Hyderabad and the second-largest research and development centre for Intergraph outside its American headquarters, ICC continues to innovate and grow. It develops plant design, information management and geospatial engineering solutions using the latest technologies.
TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION
Allen-Bradley FLEX I/O dualport EtherNet/IP communication adapters simplify network design Equipment manufacturers, system integrators and end-users with demanding applications look towards simplifying network design while maintaining resiliency. The new Allen-Bradley FLEX I/O dual-port EtherNet/IP adapters from Rockwell Automation help achieve this goal by enabling equipment manufacturers connect machines to their endcustomers’ IT infrastructure using a single network. With the dual ports, users can also leverage the adapter to display diagnostics via a simple web browser, helping reduce troubleshooting and downtime. The new EtherNet/IP adapters support a device-level ring (DLR) topology, which provides robust network infrastructure and fast recovery time, while keeping implementation cost down. With no need for unnecessary switches and cabling, users can reduce design time and simplify implementation. The ring also adds a measure of redundancy that is effective when a connection fails – as a single network failure, such as a cable break, will not lead to the failure of other devices in the ring. A DLR network can recover in less than 3 milliseconds for a 50-node system. During this time, the connection between the programmable automation controller and the I/O device is not interrupted. The adapters also support the daisy-chain topology for applications that involve devices located long distances from CPU subsystems. The adapters (1794-AENTR and 1794-AENTRXT for extreme environments) are compatible with Rockwell Software products RSLogix 5000 programming software version 16 and higher and RSLinx version 2.58 and higher.
Sliding vane pumps provide energy-efficient performance for lube oil applications Blackmer, a global leader in positive displacement and centrifugal pumps, and reciprocating compressor technologies, announced that its XL series sliding vane pumps can improve overall efficiency and performance in lube oil applications. The design advantages of this series have resulted in improved performance, longer service life and reduced maintenance requirements, while providing significantly reduced energy consumption in numerous transfer applications within a lube oil plant. XL series pumps are constructed of ductile iron that will withstand sudden thermal shock and stress well beyond the capabilities of cast iron pumps. All models are fitted with replaceable casing liners and end discs that allow easy rebuilding of the pump without the need to remove the pump from the piping. The XL models are available in 1.25-, 1.5-, 2-, 3- and 4-inch port sizes with capacities from 5 to 345 gpm (19 to 1,305 lpm). The 1.25- and 1.5-inch models have NPT-tapped ports and are capable of running at motor speeds up to 1,750 rpm. The 2-, 3- and 4-inch models have flanged ports. Standard elastomers including FKM O-rings with optional Buna-N or PTFE elastomers are also available. A wide variety of mechanical seal components and vane materials are optional as well.
Masterflex pump decreases the risk of heavy metal exposure Mercury, a highly reactive and toxic substance, can damage the central nervous system, kidneys, lungs and brain when one is exposed to high doses. Scientists in the Remote Systems Group of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) who have handled elemental mercury transfers are well aware of its hazards. Recently, ORNL researchers investigated the structural integrity of decades-old mercury storage flasks, which required transferring mercury into new flasks. “At the time, we investigated ‘blood pumps’ that are used in the medical and food industry. That search led us to peristaltic pumps, which resulted in the evolution of Masterflex pump,” explained Philip Spampinato, an ORNL senior engineer. Recently, when it came to transferring 76 pounds of mercury from a standard storage flask into containment vessels, the Masterflex I/P Precision Brushless Drive with Analog Remote proved to be advantageous at many levels. Along with the Masterflex I/P Easy-Load pump head and compatible Tygon long-life tubing, the pump system solved several of the group’s dilemmas at one time. “The quantity of mercury flow can be controlled by varying the pump speed and occlusion. The mechanical components of the pump do not become contaminated. The mercury only comes into contact with the tubing. This decreases the risk of exposure to elemental mercury and its vapours. We only need to be concerned about safely discarding the tubing when it becomes necessary to replace it,” said Spampinato. Finally, because the tubing is clear, the operator can visually observe the transfer. This provides an added level of confidence that the process is working well.
August 2012 | Chemical World
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TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
TECHNOLOGY OFFERED As part of our endeavour to spread the technology culture, this section provides a means to promote and facilitate exchange of select technologies. We strive to bring together suppliers of such technologies with suitable users for negotiations and industrial collaboration. Activated carbon An Iranian firm is willing to offer activated carbon from coconut shells. Areas of application Food processing, pharmaceuticals, etc Forms of transfer Technology licensing
Ethanol An Iranian company is offering ethanol from molasses using the fermentation of sacharomyces cerevisiae. Ethyl alcohol is widely used for making many organic chemicals.
Areas of application Chemical and energy industries Forms of transfer Technology licensing
Furfuryl alcohol technology An Indian firm offers technology for producing furfuryl alcohol from furfural by liquid hydrogenation as well as vapour hydrogenation, with a capacity of 6,000 tpa to 24,000 tpa. Areas of application Furan polymers, sealants & cements, urea-formaldehyde, and phenolic resins
Forms of transfer Consultancy, technical technology licensing
services,
Precipitated calcium carbonate An Indian consulting company for the chemicals, minerals & food processing industries is offering precipitated calcium carbonate and turnkey projects for the same. Areas of application Plastics, paper, paints, rubber, inks Forms of transfer Consultancy, technical services
TECHNOLOGY REQUESTED Activated carbon and sodium silicate A company from Thailand requires technology for manufacturing activated carbon and sodium silicate from rice husk & rice husk ash. Areas of application Manufacturing and construction industry Forms of transfer Others
Glyoxal An Indian company is looking to
switch the production technique for manufacturing 40 per cent glyoxal from its existing acetaldehyde-based method to the MEG-based glyoxal production. Areas of application Pharma & textile Forms of transfer Others
Inorganic chemicals An Indian company is interested in seeking the technology and process know-how for production of potassium nitrate, chromium acetate,
and magnesium hydroxide suspension. Areas of application Chemical industry Forms of transfer Others
Lime An Indian company seeks new costeffective technologies that can reduce carbon emissions for lime manufacturing. Areas of application Quick lime and hydrated lime Forms of transfer Others
Information courtesy: Dr Krishnan S Raghavan, In-Charge, Technology Transfer Services Group, Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), APCTT Building, C-2, Qutab Institutional Area, New Delhi - 110 016, Tel: 011-3097 3758 (Direct), 3097 3710 (Board), Fax: 011-2685 6274, E-mail: srinivasaraghavan@un.org, Web: www.apctt.org, For more information on technology offers and requests, please log on to www.technology4sme.net and register with your contact details. This is a free of cost platform provided by APCTT for facilitating interaction between buyers and seekers of technologies across the globe. After submitting technology offer or request to this website, you are requested to wait for at least two weeks for receiving a response from a prospective buyer/seeker through this website, before contacting APCTT for further assistance.
Share and Solicit Technology The mission of Chemical World is to spread the technology culture. Here is an opportunity to be a part of this endeavour by sending your technology on offer or technology requirements. If you belong to any of these two categories, you are invited to furnish the techno-commercial details for publication. The write-up needs to be as per the format of this section with information about the particular technology offered or requested, its areas of application and forms of transfer. Contact us: Chemical World, Network18 Media & Investments Ltd, ‘A’ Wing, Ruby House, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028 Tel: 022-3024 5000, 3003 4672, Fax: 022-3003 4499, Email: chemedit@network18publishing.com
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Chemical World | August 2012
IN CONVERSATION WITH Anthony Wong
We are optimistic that demand for water-based technology will continue to grow in paints and coatings industry …says Anthony Wong, Managing Director, Jotun India. In an interview with Mahua Roy, he talks about workplace safety and future of the paints and coatings industry. He voices his opinions about a sustainable industrial environment with growth in investments towards water-based coatings, thereby reducing the industry’s dependence on crude. What is the ideology of Jotun worldwide and how has it been extended in India?
Photo: Joshua Navalkar
We are present in four business segments – marine, protective (industrial), decorative and powder coatings in India. We strive to bring our global knowledge, technology and solutions to the customers we serve, across all continents. We conduct our business with loyalty, care, respect, in the interest of our customers, employees, owners and other stakeholders. Our company slogan is ‘Jotun protects property’, which is linked to how we safeguard our workers, environment and the communities where we are active in. This is appreciated by our customers also. Since our first year of full production in 2009 in India, we have grown 200 per cent and are 3 years ahead of our feasibility study. We are upbeat about our progress as well as opportunities in all our business segments in India.
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Chemical World | August 2012
Anthony Wong
Our customers appreciate what we can offer them in terms of quality products, services and what we stand for in terms of our core values & our relentless focus on HSE.
How strongly does Jotun stress on workplace safety? Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and display of safety charts help to spread awareness among employees regarding the importance of safety. But during times of intense stress, these measures are futile and may be ignored by employees working with hazardous chemicals or machinery. This eventually leads to accidents. In order to leave no scope for the occurrence of untoward incidents, we have employed every known principle of inherent safety design. We have paid attention to the smallest of details. For example, our Ranjangaon facility has two separate gates – one for the movement of employees and the other for materials. The entire manufacturing unit is encircled by a one-way, 9-metre wide road for the safe passage of vehicles. The material handling and forklift operation areas too are designed keeping the safety aspect in mind. In our solventbased coatings area, the employees are provided with highly sophisticated and extremely safe fire retardant antistatic overalls as PPEs. Also, we have installed high expansion foam generators in our facility. In case of unplanned emergencies, the smoke detectors would trigger these instruments, which are capable of filling the entire area with 7 metre of foam in three minutes flat. In the solventbased coatings area, low expansion foam deluge system is fitted to combat fire.
What aspects are considered while launching or innovating a product? Jotun’s strength in the development of new products has been built on the company’s technical competence and sensitivity shifts in the market demand. And with a network of nine R&D laboratories around the world, Jotun
has been successful in developing new products or tailoring existing products to meet global, regional and local customers’ preferences. In response to increased market demand for healthier, more environmentally sustainable products, Jotun launched Lady Effects, a premium, scratch-resistant matt-finish interior paint in India. In addition, Jotun has launched heat-reflective architectural coating marketed as Jotashield Extreme in paints and Cool Shades in powder coatings. In order to help ship-owners reduce fuel costs and corresponding carbon emissions, Jotun has refined its premium silyl-acrylic antifouling marine coating SeaQuantum.
What are your marketshare aspirations in India? Our decorative business segment is focussing on major cities, while for other segments, we offer the best to our customers, be it a shipyard in Dahej or a power plant in Dhenkanal, Odisha. Our focus is to have sustainable growth as per our strategic plan. We aim to be a preferred supplier and partner in all the business segments we are present in.
How do you deal with fluctuating prices of crude? The paints and coatings industry is raw material-intensive. With high percentage of the raw material linked to petrochemical sources, it is vulnerable to global crude oil price fluctuations. Besides, there are challenges regarding the availability of other raw materials. In this scenario, water-based coatings are garnering a lot of importance worldwide. Jotun has also made massive investments in the development of water-based product development. Also, we are working towards reducing our dependence on crude oil by reducing the use of solvents. For example, our factory in Ranjangaon has a state-of-the-art solvent recycling system. In addition, our R&D efforts focus on reduction of solvent in our products.
The business etiquette you don’t leave home without… I use a smile as my universal, easiest and most successful business etiquette.
The motivating factor… I am most happy when those colleagues that I work with, grow and develop to the best of their abilities.
Last motivational movie you appreciated... Taare Zameen Par, a movie that resonates with me as my son had Attention Deficiency Disorder when young. I believe that every child is special and deserves a chance to be happy.
What is the future of water-based coatings? It is just a mindset change, which is required to boost acceptance of water-based technology. There is a misconception that water-based coatings do not give the desired level of properties or are not as efficient as solvent-based ones. This issue needs to be urgently addressed, besides raising awareness about the long-term environmental benefits of water-based coatings. Once technological innovations develop further, the prices of waterbased coatings would eventually come down. Given the price sensitivity of the customer base, companies need to manage costs while continuing to invest in innovation. Globally, as of 2010, the share of waterborne technology has increased to 15 per cent in the protective coatings segment. Jotun’s Waterfine range of superior coating is pre-qualified to NORSOK, which is a Norwegian quality standard for the offshore industry. We are optimistic that demand for water-borne technology will continue to grow. Email: mahua.roy@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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SPECIAL FOCUS
SAFETY, HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT CHEMICAL INDUSTRY AT THE CROSSROADS Taking the ‘right’ turn to eco-friendliness 24
PRODUCT STEWARDSHIP A 360˚ approach to reduce environmental impact 26
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT A must for minimising workplace hazards 30
INTERFACE - Sanjay Choudhari, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Tata Chemicals Ltd “A CSO needs to make sustainability the inherent mantra for every employee” 32
ROUNDTABLE Are chemical SMEs ready for stringent safety and environment norms? 34
August 2012 | Chemical World
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SPECIAL FOCUS Chemical industry at the crossroads
where benzene, toluene, naphthalene, etc are used to manufacture several petrochemicals, use of biomass requires new approaches. Biomass could be fermented or pyrolysed or extracted to derive different chemicals based on C2-C7 materials.
Success with succinic acid
Very soon, we may see chemistry textbooks replacing traditional and conventional methods of chemical synthesis and including bio-based processing. The biggest success in this field so far has been the transition of lab-scale to large-scale manufacturing of biosuccinic acid, which is being termed as an alternative to petroleum. And this is just the beginning of a widespread industrial biotechnological revolution, which can forever change the way we look at the chemical industry, giving it an environment-friendly image. Mahua Roy
H
eadlines were made in the chemical industry with BASF and CSM exploring a JV to produce bio-based succinic acid. So did chemical major Evonik Industries’ Catalysts Business Line by joining hands with US-based BioAmber Inc towards producing the same. DSM and Roquette will soon be opening a commercial scale bio-based succinic acid plant in 2012 in Italy. DaniMer Scientific and Myriant have announced that the companies have formed a strategic alliance focussing on delivering innovative, cost-effective bio-based materials to the marketplace, which includes succinic acid. Unlike petroleum feedstocks
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Twelve significant chemicals were identified as high potential building blocks that could be produced from sugars, using biotechnology. This list was released after an in-depth study by the US Department of Energy in 2004. This research garnered international cognisance because these building blocks could be converted into a variety of high-value bio-based chemicals. And at the top of the list was succinic acid, having the chemical structure similar to maleic anhydride – a petro-based chemical that serves as a feedstock for many pharma intermediates, surfactants, plastics, fibres, and few solvents. Because of the uncanny similarity between the two chemicals and the fact that succinic acid is produced by all living things through a natural fermentation of sugars, bio-based succinic acid could serve as an attractive
RECENT GLOBAL INVESTMENTS IN WHITE BIOTECHNOLOGY o LANXESS recently announced a $ 10-million investment in US bio-butanol developer Gevo, which plans to produce isobutene, a key raw material in butyl rubber manufacturing, from sugar-based isobutanol. o DSM announced its investment in US-based Segetis, which has been developing a new monomer platform based on levulinic ketals (L-ketals) built from levulinic acid, a chemical derived from cellulosic biomass. Potential applications for L-ketals include plasticisers, polyols, solvents, surfactants and adhesives. o WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS is evaluating the scope for generating acetic acid from bio-ethanol or by direct fermentation from biomass, and the production of ethylene via dehydration of bioethanol. This could allow a sustainable production of vinyl acetate-based polymers, free of dependence on crude oil and petrochemical refineries. o DuPont’s JV with Tate & Lyle has already mastered commercial production of 1,3-propanediol via fermentation process. o Dow Chemical and Brazil’s Braskem are looking to produce polyethylene (PE) resins from sugarcane-based ethanol.
Chemical industry at the crossroads
replacement for maleic anhydride & a platform chemical for the synthesis of a multitude of compounds. “Bio-based succinic acid has the same properties as petrochemical succinic acid; it is costcompetitive and has a lower carbon footprint. The shift from test- and pilot-scale production to commercially relevant large-scale production is currently underway. Succinic acid is a building block that can be used to manufacture products such as polymers and resins,” elaborates Dr Henrike Gebhardt, Senior Project ManagerBioeconomy, Evonik Industries. And the pilot success of this project has opened way for a number of other bio-based technological processes, which are environment-friendly and the future of the chemical processing industry. The deal between Evonik Industries’ Catalysts Business Line and BioAmber Inc looks at a longterm co-operation for the development and manufacturing of catalysts for making 1,4-butanediol (BDO), tetrahydrofurane (THF) and gammabutyrolactone (GBL) from bio-based succinic acid. “BDO, THF and GBL are large volume industrial chemicals used in a wide range of applications including polymers, paints, adhesives and solvents. The global market for these products currently made from petrochemicals is estimated at $ 4 billion,” adds Dr Gebhardt. According to research by MBI International, three key markets for green succinic acid constitute firstly
Bio-based succinic acid has the same properties as petrochemical succinic acid; it is cost-competitive and has a lower carbon footprint. The shift from test- and pilot-scale production to commercially relevant large-scale production is currently underway. Dr Henrike Gebhardt Senior Project Manager-Bioeconomy, Evonik Industries
a bio-based replacement for maleic anhydride, which currently serves a global market of about 1.65 million tonne per year. Second is the 1.6 million pounds per year global market for polymers, which are currently derived out of butane. The third market of about 100 million pounds per year is for pyrrolidinones, which are used to make green solvents and eco-friendly chemicals for water treatment.
It is more of a myth that enzyme technology is always expensive. Of course, in certain areas, specifically for new applications, it might look as a costly proposition vis-à-vis the corresponding chemical process. But people have to look at the overall advantages from the environment point of view also.
Industry’s take on biotech
Regional President-India, Novozymes South Asia
Although an ancient process, commercialisation and allied research in the field of biotechnology has sprung up only recently. Termed ‘white biotechnology ’, industrial biotechnology is the specialised field of converting lab-based biotech applications into commercial processes. The main aim globally is to reduce the dependence of the industry on crude oil and other non-renewable feedstocks. A clean source, biotechnology is the future of chemical processing. Forming an integral part of this revolution is the application of enzyme technology. “It is more of a myth that enzyme technology is always expensive. Of course, in certain areas, specifically for new applications, it might look as a costly proposition vis-à-vis the corresponding chemical process. But people have to look at the overall advantages from the environment point of view also,” echoes G S Krishnan, Regional PresidentIndia, Novozymes South Asia. Small quantities of enzyme can often replace large quantities of not only chemicals, but subsequently of energy and water as well. The immediate benefits of enzyme application include huge savings in raw materials and significant improvements in quality. “In a broader perspective, enzymatic solutions help specific industries manufacture products with less toxic inputs, thereby enabling environment protection. Often, this reduced impact contributes to the sustainable development of industries as well as society as a whole. The only question that remains is, to what
G S Krishnan
extent the industry is going to adapt to biotechnology. We believe that it is going to be a slow process in India. This is because environmental concerns are slowly becoming serious in the country; while elsewhere in the world, such issues are being addressed stringently,” adds Krishnan.
A viable alternative economically? Cost-wise too, industrial biotechnology is cheaper, as per Dr Gebhardt. “Biotechnological processes, unlike chemical processes, are notable primarily for their low investment costs. This means, for example, a single bacterium can be used to perform multi-stage production sequences. The bacteria serve as ‘microbial cell factories’. Furthermore, biotechnological processes are conducted at mild pH, temperature and pressure conditions,” she adds. A recent research paper released by Michigan Biotechnology Institute concludes that, presently succinic acid is synthesised from butane, a four-carbon petrochemical. This serves a relatively small international market of about 15,000 metric tonne per year. However, the potential market for the bio-based form of succinic acid could be well over 100 times that amount. The extent of market penetration will eventually depend upon the price competitiveness of bio-based succinic acid relative to the petrochemical alternatives. Email: mahua.roy@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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SPECIAL FOCUS Product stewardship
A 360˚ approach to reduce environmental impact
Rakesh Rao
C
hemistry touches millions of lives every day and helps address many of the world’s challenges pertaining to potable water, renewable energy generation & conservation and increasing agricultural productivity. However, chemical products and chemicals must be handled in a responsible way to ensure sustainable development and operations. “Chemical companies strive to put in place relevant risk administration measures to ensure that the safety of their employees, customers, public and environment are protected from risks, which are consequential to exposure to hazardous chemicals. This has now become an industry Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and many leading chemical companies have put into place stringent Product Stewardship (PS) norms,” observes Neeraj Jain, Country EHS Head, The Dow Chemical Company.
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Growing importance of environment and safety has resulted in emergence of product stewardship concept globally. Global Product Stewardship programme aims at reducing the environmental impact of manufactured chemicals throughout their lifecycle. Even in India, companies are gearing up to this concept.
In past few years, Responsible Care concept has made rapid strides globally. In 2006, at an international conference on ‘Chemicals management under Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM)’ in Dubai, International Council of Chemical Associations (ICCA) has committed to United Nations for safe chemicals management through Product Stewardship Code of Responsible Care and introduced the concept of Global Product Stewardship (GPS). The GPS programme is committed to SAICM, a policy framework to achieve the goal agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in 2002 that by 2020 chemicals will be used and produced in ways that led to the minimisation of significant adverse affects on human health and the environment. Today, many chemical manufacturers are adopting GPS strategy to ensure sustainable growth. Frank Lelek, President - Region India, Evonik Industries, says, “Evonik is actively supporting ICCA’s
GPS programme. One of the goals of the GPS programme is to make additional information about the safe handling and use of chemical substances available in the form that can be understood by the general public. The aim of the GPS is to create a consistent process for the risk evaluation of substances so as to ensure the safe handling of chemicals. Evonik explicitly supports the GPS initiative and actively drives it forward. As a member of the GPS steering committee – the Chemical Policy and Health Group – we actively participate in shaping the working principles and framework for the strategy.”
Taking care responsibly Increased emphasis on Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) is also giving a push towards the implementation of PS programme. Since stringent regulatory norms in the developed countries (especially in Europe) were adopted much before these were legislated in other developing countries, companies having sizable exposure in the developed markets had to initiate product safety programme. Many companies incorporated this programme as part of their global growth strategy. Jain says, “As almost 97 per cent of all products that we use everyday contain chemical components, PS has long been a priority for Dow, globally. The company established its own toxicology lab in 1933 to enhance its chemical safety testing capabilities decades ahead of government regulation. A formal PS programme was established globally 40 years ago with focus on SHE stewardship. Dow has implemented throughout its entire global operations a PS programme based on the American Chemistry Council’s Responsible Care initiative.”
Sustainability in supply chain Today’s supply chain network is highly globalised and hence the success of PS strategy, to a large extent, depends on suppliers. Jain says, “By definition, whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product shares responsibility for minimising the
Product stewardship
product’s harmful impacts throughout all stages of its lifecycle. PS is a team effort, requiring the knowledge and expertise of a variety of disciplines. Within Dow, PS is one of the ten operating discipline management systems. Many people work together to protect human health and the environment through the appropriate use of Dow’s products.” As a result, chemical manufacturers are communicating with their suppliers more effectively to ensure smooth flow of requisite information so that suppliers can also adhere to their PS norms. Lelek adds, “The standards that Evonik sets for suppliers throughout the Group are set out in the corporate procurement policy. We expect our suppliers and business partners to accept our principles for responsible and fair treatment of employees, customers, suppliers and the general public, and to meet their responsibility accordingly.” In addition, Evonik has incorporated the Corporate Responsibility (CR) strategy into its general purchasing conditions. “In this way, supply chain management is aligned even more closely with the themes of health and safety, environmental protection and anti-corruption measures, as well as social aspects such as working conditions. This approach is intended to enable more sustainable procurement and contribute to risk management at Evonik,” elaborates Lelek. Nowadays, PS has become a major part of sustainability programme of chemical manufacturers to improve product information sharing with their suppliers and users. Jain says, “As part of Dow’s
By definition, whoever designs, produces, sells, or uses a product shares responsibility for minimising the product’s harmful impacts throughout all stages of its lifecycle. PS is a team effort, requiring the knowledge and expertise of a variety of disciplines. Neeraj Jain Country EHS Head, The Dow Chemical Company
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2015 sustainability goals and commitment to improved product information sharing, Dow was the first chemical company to provide online public summaries of its product safety assessments (PSAs). Written in simple language and covering a wide range of topics such as basic hazards, risk and risk management, Dow’s PSAs offer the public information about chemical products or product families, which are used, handled through the supply chain. The PSAs complement existing practices to provide material safety information to customers and other supply chain stakeholders for ensuring safe handling and offering products that will meet safe conditions in use. By 2015, Dow will have PSAs published for the company’s more than 800 chemical product families.”
On domestic front Although PS has already gained momentum in the developed countries and some of the emerging markets, in India it is still in the initial stages. One of the reasons for this is most of the Indian chemical manufacturers are still more focussed on process safety, while concept of product stewardship is still nascent among them. Many multinational companies have established dedicated set-up for product stewardship in India. “Dow’s PS guidelines cover all stages of a product’s lifecycle and are closely monitored to ensure continuous improvement. Today, all India sites of Dow are Responsible Care certified, which underlines the importance placed by Dow on ensuring safety,” opines Jain. To create awareness about PS in India, companies such as Evonik, Dow, Clariant, etc conduct seminars and training programmes. “We are part of a group of companies providing ‘capacity building’ as well as ‘train the trainer’ workshops all over the world. So far, one GPS workshop was held in India,” discloses Lelek. Companies such as Dow employs over 100 scientists, many with doctoral degrees, with expertise and/or board certification in the fields of mammalian toxicology, eco-toxicology, environmental science, industrial hygiene, human medicine and
The aim of the GPS is to create a consistent process for the risk evaluation of substances so as to ensure the safe handling of chemicals. Evonik explicitly supports the GPS initiative and actively drives it forward. Frank Lelek President - Region India, Evonik Industries
epidemiology. These scientists advise Dow’s businesses on relevant environment, health and safety aspects with regard to Dow’s products. “In India too, Dow has an active PS training programme, which regularly engages with partners in maintaining highest levels of safety when managing Dow products,” says Jain.
Let’s get started Though beginning has been made by some domestic manufacturers in India with regard to PS, experts believe there are many challenges involved in implementing PS strategy in India. To solve these challenges and improve the situation, Lelek suggests, “First, the chemical associations of a country should contact ICCA in order to get involved in the GPS activities. Second step is to increase awareness at board level of companies, to be followed by someone with chemical, toxicological background who needs to have a mandate to install a PS programme by establishing a formal PS policy with specific criteria to determine standards (eg for one’s own company, customers, suppliers, etc). Then, a small project to start with should be defined.” In order to ensure that chemicals are safely managed throughout the lifecycle, many countries will have to put in place chemical management programmes by 2020 as per SAICM. After which, selling chemicals in these countries will be highly regulated. Hence, Indian chemical manufacturers will have to gear up and take immediate steps to implement product stewardship strategy to be future ready. Email: rakesh.rao@network18publishing.com
SPECIAL FOCUS Personal protective equipment
A must for minimising workplace hazards
Mahua Roy
A
recent release by Global Industry Analysts, Inc estimates the world market for PPEs to reach $ 33.3 billion by 2015. Stricter mandates due to tight legislations, coupled with new material research by leading firms in this domain are causing the spurt towards better, new and improved protection to the family members of the chemical industry across the world. Uniformity in compliance of norms worldwide is upping the levels of safety followed by organisations in this industry. “The significance of safety and health in the chemical industry is critical towards achieving productivity and maintaining an edge in the competitive scenario. In
Ensuring workplace safety is the moral responsibility of companies. This acquires more importance in the chemical industry because of the hazardous nature of substances and processes involved. Research in the field of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is now being actively pursued to deliver enhanced features to users.
PPE market composition 2% 3% 4% 6% 29%
6%
13%
15%
22%
Hand Protective clothing Respiratory Footwear Gas detection Eye Fall Hearing Head Courtesy: Frost & Sullivan
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India, environmental rules & regulations pertaining to the chemical industry are stringent as compared to other developing countries and even some developed countries,” opines Shrikant Kulkarni, General Manager - Occupational Health and Environmental Safety (OHES) Division, 3M India.
Opportunity areas for PPE makers The chemical industry is a rich area of opportunity for the PPE industry. Although being driven towards cleaner and safer manufacturing processes, certain areas are still inherently risky. From usage of hazardous raw materials to processes where the end-product may be poisonous,
or a certain production process, which involves occupational risk, all these are areas of concern for the chemical industry. Refineries, paints & coatings, dyes, agrochemicals, etc are high-risk industrial sub-sectors. The PPE industry can make a difference by acquainting and orienting professionals in this industry about the importance of safety. “The conversion of raw materials and the production of industrial chemicals can introduce a variety of dangerous hazards on the plant floor, including toxic fumes, combustible elements and chemical splash. But we strongly believe that focussing on just PPEs will not help to bring in safety awareness and compliance in any industry. There is a need to empower safety professionals who are the lone warriors working for the safety and productivity of the workers. So 3M is working towards becoming a beacon for health and safety professionals who aspire to deliver comfortable and quality products that give workers the most effective protection available,” adds Kulkarni.
Safety as the inherent mantra Forming an essential pillar of a sustainable company, people safety is more of an ethical obligation of a company. From training, to safety week celebrations and from management discourses to display of safety charts, all strategies are adopted to orient employees towards a safety culture. Innovations in communication and high employee engagement by a company promote its positive outlook towards safety measures. And PPEs form an integral part of this drill. “An important issue towards safety strategies is mitigation preparedness. As a rule, with no exceptions, all installations handling hazardous products must be equipped with various safety & fire-fighting facilities such as fire hydrant lines, fire pumps, fire extinguishers, PPEs etc. A
Personal protective equipment
well-defined mitigation plan with duties & responsibilities of each individual in case of emergency needs to be prepared and periodic mock drills & disaster drills have to be conducted at all installations. Finally, a periodical safety audit (both internal and external) must be carried out so as to understand the deficiencies in the safety system and take corrective measures. There is strict compliance to use of PPE for not only employees but also for contractors’ personnel,” elaborates Soumen Kumar Roy, General Manager – Health, Safety and Environment (HS&E), Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL). He explains how at IOCL installations, plant and security personnel are trained to supplement firefighting/rescue operation during emergencies. Also, PPEs are designed to safeguard employees on basis of results obtained out of toxic gas monitoring on the shop floor for gases like NH3, H2S, Cl2, CO, SO2 and hydrocarbons etc. Apart from specialised PPEs, care needs to be taken to carry out biological and toxicological check-ups of personnel engaged in handling of benzene, radioactive source etc. These areas provide ample scope for R&D in the PPE industry.
PPE complementing industry agenda “Each PPE manufactured by 3M conforms to the highest levels of international and Indian safety standards. Apart from safety, strong emphasis is laid on the comfort and fit of a PPE. An ill-fitting PPE does not offer complete protection, thereby defeating the purpose of wearing a PPE. PPEs are generally uncomfortable to wear for long time. Keeping that in mind, our PPEs are designed to ensure comfort to users who need to wear those for longer periods,” says Kulkarni. In the past decade, PPE standards have evolved greatly and have kept pace with various scientific advances in detecting and eliminating workplace hazards. Besides, developments in the type of functional materials & fabrics that can be used for abatement of hazards, and the range of respiratory protection & personal protection tools, have expanded the PPE industry as a whole. It is interesting to note that growing consumer desire to combine safety with style; and protection with comfort is leading to innovations. A staggering array of products and solutions are now being offered, with an option for customisation wherever required. “We also work towards customising the fit of PPEs to suit various ethnic groups, especially in the case of eye protection. The fit of an eyewear could vary considerably from a Caucasian face to an Asian face. We factor in these scenarios through extensive research. Style is also considered in the design of PPEs without compromising on safety or protection,” adds Kulkarni. As features advance further, personal protective clothing and equipment equipped with hybrid materials, smart technology and nanotechnology will witness rising demand. Products with integrated PPE will thus generate increased revenues in the long term. Email: mahua.roy@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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SPECIAL FOCUS Interface - Sanjay Choudhari
What is the biggest challenge faced by TCL towards becoming a more sustainable company? Tata Chemicals feels proud of its 75 years of sustainable production since the inception of operations at our Mithapur plant. How to effectively neutralise and eliminate the adverse impacts of our operations, reduce carbon footprint, and grow efficiently respecting environmental restraints, have been an ongoing
The Haldia facility was acquired by TCL to become a supplier of phosphorus and potassium along with the nitrogen from urea produced at Babrala facility to provide balanced nutrients for the farms.
How does Tata Chemicals define ‘sustainability’ and how does it transcend your organisation? By setting performance targets that revolve around the metrics of sustainability, for employees, a responsible image of the company is created in the true sense. Also, community welfare forms an important part of sustainability goals and employees are encouraged to volunteer wholeheartedly. To some extent, this is a successful method to guarantee employee retention as well. Towards contributing to the environmental safety, the company as a whole needs to build and select technologies, which combat climate change problems. Financial sustainability is another significant facet where Boardroom decisions should reflect how businesses can be made carbon neutral. Apart from this, sharing the information with all stakeholders,
in greening our facilities. Apart from this, TCL lays emphasis on renewable energy. Our long-term goal is to have 10 per cent of our captive requirement from renewable sources. We have provided support to Tata Power to develop a 25 MW solar-PV-thermal power generation unit at our Mithapur plant site. In future, we are also looking at harnessing biomass and wind power.
How do you motivate the employees to be engaged in corporate sustainability initiatives on a regular basis? Making all employees conscious about the positive effects of sustainability is the first step. The strategy is to internalise the principles of sustainability in the dayto-day activities across all departments. Extending the leadership agenda and making our employees aware of the success stories of our sustainable efforts enable them to value the efforts taken by the company. And the employees thereby pride themselves in being part of such a sustainable and environment-friendly organisation.
A CSO needs to make sustainability the inherent mantra for every employee ...says Sanjay Choudhari, Chief Technology and Sustainability Officer, Tata Chemicals Ltd (TCL). In an interaction with Mahua Roy, he emphasises on the important aspects of sustainability for the entire chemical industry to take note.
engagement and taken as challenges to handle with sustainable practices. Over the years, we have put in our best efforts to excel in developing greener manufacturing processes and move closer to zero effluent discharge. We were one of the first companies, which took bold steps towards sustainability, even if that meant paying a premium towards a certain technology adoption or initiating a new strategy like the low energy urea processes at the Babrala plant in UP and effluent solids filtration & reuse in cement in our Mithapur soda ash facility.
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Chemical World | August 2012
including our customers and consumers, completes the process of encompassing the effects of sustainability.
Is TCL involved in setting specific performance targets with respect to its sustainability initiatives? If so, what metrics do you consider? We have developed the Green Manufacturing Index, which encompasses indices for water and energy consumption, waste generated, carbon emissions, etc. Besides, we are actively involved
In what ways can a Chief Sustainability Officer practically drive change? A CSO needs to make sustainability the inherent mantra for every employee of the company, whether he holds a spanner, a test tube or handles an Excel sheet. Integrating business strategies towards operational efficiency is the need of the hour. However, there needs to be flexibility in strategies to accommodate difficulties in each process, and ways determined to resolve those. Email: mahua.roy@network18publishing.com
SPECIAL FOCUS Roundtable
Are chemical SMEs ready for stringent safety and environment norms? SMEs hold a special place in the chemical industry. They contribute to a bulk of the production and help maintain market competitiveness. However, concern regarding their sensitivity towards the environment has always been a long standing issue. Mahua Roy speaks with some experts to find out their opinion about the environment-friendliness of SMEs in the chemical industry.
Dr Suneel Pandey Fellow, Centre for Environmental Studies, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
Vilas G Gaikar Professor & Head, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Chemical Technology
Mukul Gupta Managing Director, Chemtreat India Ltd
Due to their smaller size, limited finance and technical manpower, SMEs often are not able to address their environmental issues in the manner their large-scale counterparts do. In the chemical sector, SMEs generally generate complex organic and inorganic pollutants, which are not adequately treated by wastewater treatment facilities. Though many such chemical industrial clusters are provided with common effluent treatment plants funded by Central and State Governments, the technology employed in them are conventional. Possible solution for addressing pollution from such SME clusters is to actively adopt cleaner production measures, and use clean technology options for new projects. The government should incentivise the industrial units, which adopt cleaner production practices.
SMEs are mainly causing pollution due to lack of awareness, and thus need to be oriented appropriately so that the pollution level is lower in areas where they operate. Voluntary initiatives such as cleaner production, environment management systems, etc are present, but SMEs have not managed to adopt these initiatives. These companies are often short of capital and skilled manpower and have limited access to information on pollution control & prevention systems. Although India has shown remarkable improvement in technological innovation, it still lags behind international standards. The chemical industry is one sector where technological changes are rapid and needs continuous upgradation & innovation.
SMEs face different and bigger challenges than larger companies, and have to deal with their own specific problems when tackling environmental impacts while complying with environmental legislation. The chemical industry needs to accelerate its efforts towards development of sustainable products and processes by investing heavily on technology that protects the environment while stimulating growth. Emphasis on Green Chemistry is the only sustainable way forward. There is an urgent need to develop lifecycle tools for SMEs too to compare the total environmental impact of products generated from different processing routes and under different operating conditions through the full lifecycle. Also, use of renewable feedstocks should be actively pursued.
EDITORIAL TAKE The most important solution is to orient SMEs towards maintaining a balance between productivity and sustainability. The onus is on R&D activities to develop solutions enabling this.
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FACILITY VISIT Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd
Turning towards quality valve manufacturing With the growing demand for flow control solutions, industrial valves and automated systems in the Indian chemical industry, many global valve manufacturers are increasing their presence in Asia (especially in China and India). In order to meet this rising demand, Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd has opened its India Supply Centre (ISC) recently. Avani Jain
T
Courtesy: Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd
he rapidly growing chemical industry is taking the Indian industrial valves and actuators market to new heights. The rise in investments in infrastructure and prospective projects in the petrochemicals sector are opening floodgates of opportunities for flow control solutions providers. With chemical industry aiming to compete at global level, demand for highend valves and automation solutions is likely to increase in near future. This has prompted many multinational companies to relook at their India strategy. Among them is Metso, a leading valve solutions and services provider, which has recently opened its supply centre in India. It is Metso’s first supply centre in the country and second in Asia. Its flow control solutions include control valves, automated on/off and emergency shut-down valves,
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as well as smart positioners and condition monitoring. Alok Kishore, Country Manager-Flow Control, Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd, notes, “The market in India is growing and we offer products mainly to oil & gas refineries, chemical & petrochemical industries etc. Last year, we doubled our order intake for valves and related services, and expect this development to continue. Establishing a supply centre in India is a step forward for widening manufacturing and service capabilities in India.”
Manufacturing facility Housed in GIDC Por, which is approximately 40 km from Vadodara in Gujarat, the supply centre is spread over 22,000 sq ft. Kishore avers, “We have selected this location due to various reasons. We believe in having operational facilities in major industrial hubs where our clients are also nearer, and the chosen location meets this parameter.
The industrial city of Vadodara houses major customers as well as engineering, procurement and construction companies such as Reliance Industries Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation, L&T, Linde etc. Last but not the least, Por is 400 km North of Mumbai and thus can serve the industries in that region as well.” The workshop comprises various facilities like Valvescope Functional Testing Device; ValveCert (documentation storage); factory acceptance testing area; material handling section that can handle 5,000 kg of raw materials; paint room; dark room; storage section (inventory capacity – 258 pallets, finished goods – 18 pallets); manufacturing/assembly area; a section dedicated for final testing of products; and service centre. The other facilities include Valve & Smart Product Training Centre and conference rooms. The ISC is mainly an assembly shop where various components imported from the parent company in Europe are
Metso Automation (India) Pvt Ltd
Top work assembly section-1 and factory acceptance testing area
assembled and the final product sold to the Indian customers. “However, we plan to make use of various Indian components as well. So, few components will be imported from Helsinki, others would be bought in India and then the value-addition will be done in the supply centre here. That is the reason that we have named it as ISC and not a distribution centre,” says Kishore. He further adds, “The new supply centre has the capacity of assembling 1,200 pieces per annum that can be scaled up to 1,800 pieces per annum in future.”
Ensuring the quality The company is cautious about the quality of its products. The manufacturing process and technology employed is identical to the parent plant in Europe. Further, there is a separate section named ‘factory acceptance testing’, where all the
I assume that the valve market in India will be tenfold as compared to what it is today. It is due to this reason that we have grown 400 per cent in last five years and want this trend to continue even in the future. Between 2011 and 2015, we wish to grow another 100 per cent. Alok Kishore Country Manager-Flow Control
components brought to the factory are first tested and then used. Even the final products are checked before dispatching it to the customers. This is not all. Metso is working towards the mission of contributing to a more sustainable world through its conscious efforts towards environment conservation. A testimony to its environment-consciousness is the office area, which is designed in a noteworthy manner. The reception area is inspired by elements in nature such as sky, water, earth, fire, etc. The company has created a mark for itself in the market due to various reasons. “We already had a service centre in Vadodara since three years; and by setting up the ISC, we have shown our commitment towards customers and willingness to invest in this business,” Kishore adds. Global suppliers are attracted not only by the growing demand for valves in India, but also due to the advantages offered by the country such as availability of efficient manpower, engineering capabilities and world-class casting & forging facilities. Kishore says, “By using Indian components and manpower, we will also be able to bring down the cost. This will prove beneficial to our customers.”
Envisioning growth The demand for valves is constantly increasing in India, which is expected
to grow further. Kishore avers, “If I compare India with other countries such as Europe, China etc, India is a smaller market, but looking at the development of infrastructure and other factors, I assume that the valve market in India will be tenfold as compared to what it is today. It is due to this reason that we have grown 400 per cent in last five years and want this trend to continue even in the future. Between 2011 and 2015, we wish to grow another 100 per cent. Further, we already have Reliance Jamnagar as one of our biggest customers in the country. Likewise, we are looking for more such customers and opportunities in the country. We are also looking for growth opportunities in the power sector.” The new supply centre supports the company’s strategy to grow valve business globally and strengthen Metso’s service capabilities in India for major petrochemicals, energy, and oil & gas companies. Kishore states, “We are planning to expand our product portfolio to cover more applications and varied needs of the customers. And towards this endeavour, we are going to manufacture globe valves and many other products. At present, we aim to focus on India by meeting all the demands of our customers, and then move towards serving the customers outside India.” Email: avani.jain@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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An invite that rewards as well... Dear Reader, ‘Chemical World ’ solicits original, well-written, application-oriented, unpublished articles that reflect your valuable experience and expertise in the chemical process industry. You can send us Technical Articles, Case Studies and Product Write-ups. The length of the article should not exceed 1500 words, while that of a product write-up should not exceed 100 words. The articles should preferably reach us in soft copy (either E-mail or a CD). The text should be in MS Word format and images in 300 DPI resolution & JPG format. The final decision regarding the selection and publication of the articles shall rest solely with ‘Chemical World ’. Authors whose articles are published will be sent a complimentary copy of that particular edition. Published by Network18 Media & Investments Ltd, ‘Chemical World ’ is one of the leading monthly magazines exclusively meant for producers and user fraternities of the chemical process industry (CPI). Well supported by a national readership of over 80,000 and our strong network of 26 branch offices across India, this magazine reaches out to key decision makers among the Indian CPI. Moreover, it offers a broader platform facilitating effective interaction among several fraternities of these industries by enabling them in reaching out to their prospective buyers & sellers through better trade contacts and more business opportunities. So get going and rush your articles, write-ups, etc… Thanking you, Yours sincerely,
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK
BULK/BASE CHEMICALS COMMODITY CHEMICALS MARKET Creating a base for industrial growth .......................................................................................................40 BULK CHEMICALS Bio-based resources, an alternative to feedstock crisis! .............................................................................42 CHLOR-ALKALI INDUSTRY Effective ‘power play’, the need of the hour .............................................................................................46 INORGANIC ACIDS Gauging the demand-supply dynamics.....................................................................................................48 ROUNDTABLE Should exports be given priority at the cost of domestic demand for bulk chemicals? ...........................50 DUMPING OF CHEMICALS Creating the roadmap to combat cheap imports .....................................................................................52 MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS Not a ‘big’ deal anymore ..........................................................................................................................54
August 2012 | Chemical World
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Commodity chemicals market
Creating a base for industrial growth Indian chemical industry marketshare by segments, 2011
chemicals are the largest segment accounting for about 43 per cent of the total market value. In India, it accounts for over 50 per cent of the entire chemicals market. With companies such as Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) active in the petrochemicals space, commodity chemicals form the leading sector.
Commodity chemicals
55% 26% 17% 2%
Agrochemicals Specialty chemicals Pharmaceuticals & biotechnology Commodity chemicals
Source: Frost & Sullivan Analysis
Basic chemicals, also known as commodity chemicals, account for a major share in the Indian chemical market. Securing raw material supplies coupled with developing industrial infrastructure is the way forward for long-term development in the Indian commodity chemicals sector.
T
raditionall y, Europe, North America, and Asia, especially Japan, dominated the global chemical industry. However, post the economic slowdown in 2008-09, market dynamics changed. Struggling with weak economic growth and flat demand, developed nations have not been able to compete with emerging leaders of the modern chemical industry consisting of developing nations. Fuelled by high demand and availability of cheaper raw materials, countries such as China, Russia, and others are dominating the market.
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In 2011, the global chemical industry was worth over $ 3.58 trillion with a growth rate of 7.6 per cent. India is among the BRIC nations – Brazil, Russia, India, and China – that have been fuelling the growth of chemical industry over the past four to five years. The Indian chemical industry was valued at $ 100.5 billion in 2011, approximately 3 per cent of the global chemical market. The chemical industry has been divided into basic segments such as commodity/ basic chemicals, specialty chemicals, agrochemicals and pharmaceuticals & biotechnology.Globally, commodity
The Indian commodity chemicals market was valued at $ 55.3 billion in 2011. These include: Petrochemicals: Basic petrochemicals such as ethylene, propylene, benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX), and downstream products such as basic polymers, fibres, elastomers and major surfactants fall under this category. As of 2011, the Indian petrochemical market was valued at $ 10.9 billion with a total demand of 8,800 Kilo Tonne (KT) for basic petrochemicals. The overall demand for petrochemicals is expected to grow at 9 per cent until 2015. Polymers: Major polymers consumed in India are polyethylene (PE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and polypropylene (PP) with PE being the major polymer that witnessed a demand of 2,600 KT in 2011. Synthetic fibres: Key products in India are polyester, acrylic fibre, nylon, and polypropylene fibre. Current demand for synthetic fibres is estimated at 840 KT, with polyester constituting a large part of it in India. The Indian textile market is export-oriented, with one-third of its production exported. Elastomers: This relates to polymers with elastic properties. The major products include styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR), nitrile rubber (NBR), polybutadiene rubber (PBR), etc. SBR has the biggest share constituting 180 KT in 2011. Currently, SBR demand is met purely by imports. Supply of butadiene, the key feedstock, is tight in global markets, resulting in tight supply of elastomers.
Commodity chemicals market
Surfactants: Major surfactants such as linear alkyl benzene (LAB) and ethylene oxide (EO) form about 5 per cent of the downstream products market. Demand for LAB in India was 520 KT in 2011, with more than 70 per cent consumption in laundry detergents. RIL and IOCL manufacture LAB. RIL manufactures EO, which has applications in non-ionic surfactants. India Glycols has commercialised a process to produce EO from renewable sources. Moving forward, the downstream petrochemical products market is expected to grow at about 8 per cent until 2015. Due to environmental reasons, there would be a shift towards greener products such as HDPE and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE). The demand for synthetic fibres is also expected to increase by 30-35 per cent in the next two to three years, largely due to skyrocketing cotton prices. Expected growth rate for elastomers such as SBR is around 8-10 per cent in the next five years.
Organic and inorganic chemicals Organic chemicals include methanol, acetic acid, formaldehyde, pyridines, phenol, alkyl amines, ethyl acetate, and acetic anhydride that are derived from naphtha/natural gas. The demand for organic chemicals in India was around 3,000 KT per annum in 2011. However, the last five years witnessed a huge surge in imports along with reduction in domestic production. This was due to over-supply in global markets, resulting in cheaper imports from the Middle East and China forcing lower capacity utilisation of domestic plants. Indian suppliers are small-scale producers and are not able to compete with global leaders such as suppliers from the US, Germany, UK, Japan and China. Inorganic chemicals include chloralkali chemicals and other basic inorganic compounds with a total demand for
Table 2: Industry megatrends
Megatrends Globalisation Health & wellness Functionality & performance
Impact Drives demand for electronics, automotive and infrastructure; shift in production base to APAC and Middle East Drives demand for personal care products, personal protective equipment, etc Demand for polymers for light-weight automobiles, advanced packaging materials and alternative building materials Source: Frost & Sullivan Analysis
around 8,000 KT in 2011. The market is highly fragmented with large-sized and multiple medium- and small-sized players. Chlor-alkali chemicals include three major products – caustic soda, chlorine, and soda ash obtained by the electrolysis of brine.
Basic inorganic chemicals This segment includes other chemicals such as carbon black, calcium carbide, titanium dioxide and aluminium fluoride with a total market demand of 800 KT in 2011. Carbon black is the major chemical with more than 60 per cent marketshare, followed by calcium carbide and titanium dioxide with a little over 10 per cent marketshare each. With continuous demand from various end-industries such as paints, glass, automotive and paper, the market for other inorganic chemicals is expected to grow at 5 per cent in the next four to five years.
Key trends With recent changes in world macroeconomics, the BRIC countries have grown more than their developed counterparts. This has resulted in a number of changes, especially in the global chemical industry. Some notable trends are as follows: o Shift in production base from developed countries to the AsiaPacific (APAC) region to satisfy local demand o Shift in production to countries in the Middle East and Russia due to ease of access to raw materials
Table 1: Key organic chemicals demand in India, 2011
Chemicals 2011-Demand
Acetic acid 650 KT
Formaldehyde 260 KT
Methanol 1,650 KT
Phenol 270 KT
Source: Indian Chemical Industry, 12th Five-Year Plan
o Uncertainty in global markets has affected the price of crude oil to a large extent, in turn affecting prices and availability of raw materials for petrochemicals and organic chemicals o Non-performing refinery assets, especially in Europe, have been shut down due to aggressive competition from their Asian peers o In India, over-supply in global markets for basic petrochemicals and polymers resulted in lower capacity utilisation and tighter margins
Prospects ahead Current per capita consumption of chemical products in India is less than half the global average, thus offering immense potential for growth of the commodity chemicals market in India. The petrochemicals industry is the fastest growing, with 9 per cent growth followed by chlor-alkali chemicals at 7 per cent. However, the current economic standstill in developed economies, political turmoil in the Middle East, rising crude oil prices, and slowdown in the Chinese and Indian economies could dampen this growth. India’s falling GDP projections, high inflation, falling rupee value, uncertain policies, high interest rates, and lack of economic reforms in the short-term could further tame this growth. Steps by the government towards monetary easing to promote investments and strategies by companies to overcome short- and long-term hurdles are the need of the hour. Courtesy: Chemicals, Materials & Foods Practice, Frost & Sullivan - South Asia, Middle East and North Africa. For details, contact Priya George on email: priyag@frost.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Bulk chemicals
Bio-based resources, an alternative to feedstock crisis!
type of industry. In bulk chemical sector especially, feedstock is an important cost component. That is why both factors – availability and affordability – are equally important for sourcing feedstock for bulk chemicals. “Considering domestic demand as well as export potential, easy availability and affordable price of feedstock will attract significant investment in this sector,” says Karangle.
Resolving the availability crisis
Easy availability of feedstock coupled with competitive pricing could change the health of bulk chemical industry in India. If this happens, the sector will witness boom in investment and reduction in import dependence. To ensure the availability of feedstock, it is imperative to have pragmatic duty structure, efficient logistics system, and effective interaction with the government and private players, besides exploring alternative methods for feedstock like bio-based resources and coal.
Prasenjit Chakraborty
I
ndia faces significant challenges in terms of feedstock availability and its prices. Organic chemicals based on ethylene, propylene, xylene, naphthalene and their derivatives are imported in large quantities due to non-availability of cost-competitive feedstock. Apart from large imports of methanol (about 80 per cent of domestic demand in 2009), India also imports significant volumes of sulphur, urea, ammonia, phosphorous and potash, which are key raw materials for various downstream sectors. “The continuous availability of these feedstocks at the most competitive prices would ensure that India remains a major player in the manufacture of commodity chemicals and specialty chemicals in the South East Asian
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region followed by China,” opines Satish Wagh, Chairman, Chemexcil. According to H S Karangle, Director General, Indian Chemical Council, the chemical industry in India is currently valued at $ 83 billion, which is 12th largest in the world and 3rd largest in Asia. The industry is a major exporter contributing to 12 per cent of India’s exports. The basic chemical sector comprises petrochemical, chlor alkali, synthetic fibre and its intermediates, detergents and bulk chemicals required by a wide range of industries. “Most of the feedstock for the industry is derived currently from crude oil refining process or natural gas processing and separation units,” he says. In chemical industry, feedstock actually constitutes a significant component of the total cost (around 40-60 per cent) depending on the
People associated with the industry strongly feel that feedstock being the primary input to encourage value addition, duties, taxes and other levies on primary feedstock should be eliminated. “The import duty in India for some of the feedstock such as naphtha, natural gas, ethanol, reformate, etc is comparatively higher compared to other major chemical producing countries. This becomes a major handicap for development of bulk chemicals sector,” points out Karangle. Apart from this, insufficient availability of some of the critical feedstocks such as ethanol, toluene, crude C4, etc is a major challenge facing the industry. Similarly, propylene-based chemicals are not adequately developed due to inadequate supply of chemical grade propylene from refinery sources. Feedstock sourcing, where availability is not a constraint, faces logistics hurdles in the absence of physical infrastructure for handling and transportation. In the developed world, the infrastructure challenge is addressed through establishment of industrial clusters or creation of a pipeline network that are dedicated to chemical transportation. “Besides lack of physical infrastructure, fiscal policies often create bottlenecks in the movement of feedstock. This is particularly relevant for inter-state movement of naphtha, gas and reformate that attract local State-level levies and taxes, which are not neutralised by Central levies. Such local levies are often prohibitive forcing
Bulk chemicals
producers to opt for import,” points out Karangle. Unlike most of the other major chemical producing nations in the world, tariff on import of feedstock is one of the highest in India. Duties on naphtha, reformate, propane, butane are high in India. The downstream products at times have lower duty, resulting in cases with high rates of inverted duty, making local investment in production of value-added downstream chemicals economically unviable. To support the growth of chemical industry, it is necessary to eliminate duty on feedstock to provide Indian producers a levelplaying field. “Since India has limited availability of crude oil and gas, there is a need to aggressively pursue alternative sources like coal and biomass. China has developed a strong base of coal-based chemical industry and is vigorously pursuing research work in coal-based chemistry. India, with its large deposit of coal, can pursue a similar strategy,” Karangle exhorts. Similarly, research on cellulosic ethanol can address the issue of availability of this vital feedstock for Indian chemical industry. In order to encourage the initiatives in this regard, there is a need for proper policies and incentives by government in the form of providing support for setting up cellulosic ethanol plant in India and establishing effective supply chain for sustainable supplies of feedstock, ie biomass. Besides, public-private-partnership (PPP) model could be effective in addressing the problem. “PPP model
Since India has limited availability of crude oil and gas, there is a need to aggressively pursue alternative sources like coal and biomass. China has developed a strong base of coal-based chemical industry. H S Karangle Director General, Indian Chemical Council
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between government and private players is helpful for securing feedstock supply from overseas projects. And joint venture or alliance with international players for supply of feedstock could brighten the prospects of feedstock availability,” opines Savan Godiawala, Senior Director, Deloitte, India. He also feels that it is imperative to prioritise feedstock for sectors, eg gas for fertilisers, basic and organic chemicals, coal for power, naphtha for petrochemicals. “Technology tie-ups with large international players for exploring domestic reserves of feedstock, diversifying to other resources including bio-feedstock and making effective use of currently available feedstock like naphtha etc are some of the other measures that could ensure easy availability of feedstock,” states Godiawala.
Diversification to bio-based feedstock It has been often discussed that India should shift to bio-based feedstock to get rid of the present crisis. But the question is how feasible is bio-based feedstock? Wagh opines, “It is definitely feasible to diversify into bio-based feedstock in India. The climate of India provides for varied diversity of biostock. We also have got enough land to grow crops for bio-products; however, the challenges are scarcity of water and majority of the land is being tilled for edible grown commodities/agroproducts such as rice, wheat and pulses. For this purpose, India should tie up with countries like Brazil, Tanzania and Ethiopia where land and water is available.” While bio-based feedstock like ethanol is available in reasonable quantity in India, most of it is currently allocated for potable sector. “The recent mandate on blending with gasoline has created additional pressure on availability, thereby virtually depriving the chemical sector from use of this bio-based feedstock, even though the value addition is substantially higher,” points out Karangle. According to him, currently, there is a deficit of bio-
The continuous availability of feedstocks at the most competitive prices would ensure that India remains a major player in the manufacture of commodity chemicals and specialty chemicals in the South East Asian region. Satish Wagh Chairman, Chemexcil
based ethanol in the country, and use of ethanol for blending in gasoline should not be mandatory. “Rather, it should be done based on its availability after giving due preference to its existing users. Also, ethanol pricing should be market determined and not administered,” he exhorts. Other bio-based feedstocks are yet to be available on commercial scale, therefore, major initiatives tend to augment R&D activities and attain scale to satisfy process economics in the downstream sector. “The major challenge here is to avoid the conflict between food versus chemical in biobased feedstock sector,” Karangle opines. The major barriers to diversification to bio-based feedstock are economic reasons such as scaling up production and operations, continuous and longterm supply of raw materials. Palm, corn and sugarcane, etc, are raw materials for bio-based feedstock but at the same time are also consumed as food. “Therefore, the preference is to develop non-food energy crops such as jatropha, switch grass, and others as the biomass source for future bio-refineries. In addition, R&D efforts need to be strengthened in order to create a clear value proposition for bio-products across the value chain with an endeavour to achieve costeffectiveness,” says Godiawala. Also, investments and supply chain solutions related to infrastructure are essential for ensuring the production of bio-based feedstock. There is potential but lot depends on how the government and industry go about it. Email: prasenjit.chakraborty@network18publishing.com
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Chlor-alkali industry
Prasenjit Chakraborty
C
austic soda, soda ash and chlorine are the three main products in chloralkali industry. And these chemicals play a significant role towards infusing growth in several industrial segments as these find applications in number of industries such as textiles, chemicals, paper, PVC, water treatment, alumina, soaps & detergents, glass, chlorinated paraffin wax, and many others.
According to Mudit Jain, President, Alkali Manufacturers’ Association of India (AMAI), the capacity of caustic soda industry in India is 3.2 million tonne and its production is 2.6 million tonne. “The operating capacity is 80 per cent, with 98 per cent of the units operating on the latest membrane cell technology, which is environment-friendly. The balance 2 per cent operates on mercury cell technology, which also would get converted to membrane cell technology soon,” says Jain. The growth rate of the industry is around 4 per cent per annum
of scale? Jain opines, “It is not highly important to have economy of scale in the manufacturing of caustic soda. Power tariffs in India is one of the highest in the world. In caustic soda production, power constitutes over 60 per cent of the cost.” In addition, high oil prices, interest rates and other infrastructure costs involved in production, etc, negate India from being competitive internationally. “Our exports are hardly 3 per cent of our production whereas imports into India are nearly 9 per cent of our production,” he points out.
Effective
‘power play’, the need of the
Growing domestic demand and adoption of latest technologies are the two important developments being witnessed by the chlor-alkali industry in India. However, high energy cost is marring the growth prospects of the segment. Today, addressing the power cost has become far more important than focussing on economy of scale for the chlor-alkali segment.
Global caustic soda demand by usage - 2011
1%
16%
13%
4% 3%
16%
11%
Areas of concern
8% 18%
10%
Alumina Pulp & paper Soaps & detergents Textiles Organics Inorganics Water treatment Hypo Food Others Source: Tecnon OrbiChem
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for the last few years and is expected to continue to be the same in the future. Caustic soda and chlorine are produced together in the ratio of 1:0.88 (also known as Electrochemical Unit or ECU) through electrolysis of salt, whereas soda ash is produced using a different process. On account of their co-production, the market dynamics for caustic soda and chlorine are heavily influenced by each other.
Chemical World | August 2012
Clearly, the chlor-alkali industry largely depends on the domestic market. Moreover, the demand outlook from the domestic sector is not at all unsatisfactory. The demand from dye and aluminium sectors has remained strong, which are key consuming segments. This enables manufacturers to increase input costs by raising prices, hence helping in maintaining their margins. Also, an anti-dumping duty imposed on caustic soda imports led to domestic prices strengthening in the short term.
Is economy of scale important? Since the chlor-alkali industry in India is influenced by caustic soda, the question is how the industry will benefit if the caustic soda producing plants attain economy of scale? Or does the industry have other issues that need more attention than attaining economy
The high cost of power is the main challenge for the industry. “The most important issue as far as chlor-alkali industry is concerned is high power tariff. Many State Electricity Boards, apart from overcharging caustic soda units with high tariffs, also impose various cess and duties on captive power generation,” laments Jain.
Chlor-alkali industry
Even though the captive power plants do not utilise the infrastructure of the State Electricity Boards, these levies and duties are imposed, thus discouraging captive power generation by making it prohibitively expensive. “Caustic soda is in over-supply, as its installed capacity is higher than its demand, so capacity utilisation is at 80 per cent. Indian chloralkali share in global market is only at 4 per cent. In India, power rates are high for industry causing dampening effect on production, leading to imports,” points out M S Dagur, IAS, Managing Director, Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Ltd (GACL). The other major issue in the chloralkali industry is poor utilisation of chlorine. “In India, it is a caustic soda industry whereas internationally, it is a chlorine industry. Moreover, we do not utilise the by-product of chlorine properly to make value-added chlorine products as done in the developed countries,” points out Jain. This is because there is lack
of feedstock available for making valueadded chlorine products by way of gas crackers. “To compound problems further the import duties are only 7.5 per cent whereas the input costs of power, oil and interest are more than 100 per cent in India than those prevailing internationally. It is a double whammy for the caustic soda industry already suffering on account of high costs,” rues Jain.
Technology upgradation As far as technology upgradation is concerned, caustic soda segment in India has made a remarkable progress in inducting environment-friendly technology. “After Japan, India is the second country employing the latest environment-friendly membrane cell technology in caustic soda industry. Already 98 per cent of the industry in India operates on the membrane cell technology and will be 100 per cent by December 2012,” says Jain. Other developed countries in Europe operate on
mercury cell technology predominantly. Perhaps, caustic soda sector is one of the few industry segments where use of technology is at par or better than the world-standard. Dagur says, “Presently, chlor-alkali industry in India is at par with latest technologies available in the world market. However, further development of Oxygen-Depolarised Cathodes Technology is awaited, which will be advantageous for our country.” There are certain advantages for the sector. First, the segment is least dependent on export as there is high domestic consumption. Second, caustic soda segment has made remarkable progress in technology upgradation. Now, what the sector wants is policy-related support from the government especially on energy front. If the power-related issue is addressed according to the needs of the industry, then chlor-alkali segment will consolidate their position in export market as well. Email: prasenjit.chakraborty@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Inorganic acids
Gauging the
Mahua Roy
F
rom paints & dyes, fertilisers, food processing to steel, major industries heavily depend upon the availability of three important inorganic acids: sulfuric, nitric and hydrochloric. Although major companies are shifting focus towards greener methods of production and these corrosive acids are being replaced, there still is a healthy growth rate of these acids observed in the global market. Catalysts find major applications in these industries. The trick lies in optimal use of the catalysts and promoting heterogenous catalysis. “Non-catalytic processes must be rejected, effluents must be treated optimally, and more so, zero liquid, zero gas discharge processes must be encouraged. Atom economy should be taken into consideration to make the reactions achieve close to 100 per cent yield,” opines Prof (Dr) G D Yadav, Vice-Chancellor, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai.
Sulfuric acid: Creating a ripple effect The majority of sulfuric acid demand is being generated by China and India. Earlier, these two countries were selfsufficient in production of sulfuric acid. However, now due to domestic industrialisation, these countries have turned net importers. The boom in metallurgy sectors such as copper and nickel is also driving
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Inorganic acids form an integral part of industrial processes. With fluctuating prices on one hand, and substitution of these acids by greener alternatives on the other, here’s examining the real demandsupply scenario of these acids in the near future. the demand for sulfuric acid. Though smelting operations typically generate sulfuric acid as a by-product, there still is a demand-supply gap. As with many commodities, there was a long period when sulfuric acid prices went nowhere. This led to a decrease in production facilities. But, within the next 4-5 years, the global demand for sulfuric acid is projected to indicate a growth rate of about 1.5 per cent primarily due to the vast expansion of the biofuel markets, namely corn-based ones, and lavish intensification of fertiliser producers’ activities, as per Merchant Research & Consulting Ltd. Effect on end-user industries: “Phosphoric acid production is one of the major end-uses for sulfuric acid (estimated to be around 50 per cent of the global consumption). Also, production of other fertilisers (ammonium sulfate, single super phosphate etc), metal ore leaching (nickel, copper, uranium) and production of other industrial chemicals constitute the other key end-uses for sulfuric acid,” summarises Biswanath
Bhattacharya, Director, KPMG India. Another large user of sulfuric acid is the titanium dioxide (TiO2) industry, on which the paints and coatings industry heavily depends. Feedstock availability scenario: Sulfur is the predominant feedstock for manufacture of sulfuric acid. “Sulfur is produced as a by-product from natural gas extraction. Crude oil refining is the predominant source for sulfur globally and the major sulfur producing geographies are Canada, Middle East, the US, Russia and Kazakhstan,” elaborates Bhattacharya. He is positive that the production of sulfur is expected to grow, driven by increasingly stringent environmental norms and sourer crudes being processed. Effect on India: Fertiliser production is the most predominant end-use for sulfuric acid in India. According to ICRA, the Indian fertiliser industry is growing at around 5 per cent CAGR. “Expected growth in fertiliser consumption, specifically phosphate fertilisers will increase the usage of sulfuric acid. Expected growth in metal leaching and industrial applications is also likely to increase the demand for sulfuric acid in India,” adds Bhattacharya.
Nitric acid: Finding replacement in urea The biggest market for nitric acid consumption is towards the production of ammonium nitrate (AN) and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN). As of 2010,
Inorganic acids
these accounted for around 80 per cent of total global consumption of nitric acid, according to KPMG. However, the major end-use of AN, ie fertilisers, is on a decline as a result of concerns about nitrate groundwater contamination. This is leading to an increased usage of solid urea, which has higher nitrogen content (46 per cent) than AN (34 per cent) and is less costly as well as less dangerous. Besides, consumption of AN in explosives and blasting agent applications continues to grow. Effect on end-user industries: “Major end-user industries depending upon nitric acid include production of nitrophosphates and potassium nitrates (used in fertiliser applications), organic compounds like nitrobenzene, toluene diisocyanate, adipic acid, nitrochlorobenzenes and other industrial applications,” says Bhattacharya. In India, the market for concentrated nitric acid has been progressing at a steady pace (7 per cent a year). Apart from the use of concentrated nitric acid by military enterprises, this product finds use in the manufacture of nitro-aromatic compounds, acrylonitrile fibre, pesticides, medicines and pigments. All in all, the biggest market for nitric acid consumption lies in such sectors as pharmaceuticals and pesticides. And these two industries are seeing massive growth. Feedstock availability scenario: Ammonia is the major feedstock for nitric acid. Bhattacharya notes, “Given the current reserves, natural gas is expected to continue to be the main feedstock for ammonia, while electrolysis of water (for sourcing hydrogen) could also be explored as an alternative in the future. The supply of ammonia will purely be
Given the current reserves, natural gas is expected to continue to be the main feedstock for ammonia, while electrolysis of water (for sourcing hydrogen) could also be explored as an alternative in the future. Biswanath Bhattacharya Director, KPMG India
Table 1: Consumption in India
Sulfuric acid About 9-10 million tonne
Nitric acid Hydrochloric acid 0.7-0.8 million tonne About 0.9-1.0 million tonne (100% basis) (100% basis) Source: KPMG
driven by the overall demand-supply dynamics and major constraints are not expected in terms of its availability. “Green chemistry or engineering should thus be employed to develop environmentally benign technologies, which are not energy-intensive. Waste from one industry can be feedstock for another. A liability can be turned into an asset,” adds Dr Yadav. Thus, most nitric acid facilities are strategically located near ammonia plants. Effect on India: As in the case of sulfuric acid, fertiliser demand is set to create boom in the market for nitric acid as well. “Usage of nitric acid in production of low-density ammonium nitrate (LDAN), used for explosives, is expected to grow faster. Usage of nitrobenzene and other aromatics in industrial applications is also expected to drive the demand,” states Bhattacharya.
Hydrochloric acid: Seeing regulated usage Hydrochloric (HCl) acid is industrially produced by around 40 processes as co-product and consumed in about 110 chemical manufacturing processes, as per a research report by BEROE. Industries are actively attempting to increase recycling activities for HCl. This can lead to an increase in their carbon rating, which could make the HCl market tighter in future. “Replacing all liquid acid catalysed reactions and reducing the number of steps through use of catalysts or new routes will be a big challenge,” says Dr Yadav. HCl is produced as a by-product of all forms of fluorocarbons, which has been started to be regulated and controlled to prevent the depletion of the ozone layer. “Chlorofluorocarbons have been phased out and replaced by hydrocholorofluorocarbons, which are again expected to be phased out in the next 15 years. HCl has minor
applications in industrial processes as its production is limited and is hazardous to export, thus being largely used captively,” Bhattacharya adds. Effect on end-user industries: “Production of ethylene dichloride (EDC) is the predominant use for HCl globally (estimated to be about 65-70 per cent). Other end-uses include preparation of organic compounds like vinyl chloride and methyl chloride (around 7 per cent),” says Bhattacharya. In addition, there lies huge opportunity in oil well acidising operations, which are expected to grow at a CAGR of 2.5 per cent (2008-2013) owing to discovery of the new shale gas deposits. This sector accounts for about 29 per cent of the demand for HCl, as per BEROE. Also, the steel pickling application is expected to grow at a CAGR of 1.6 per cent (2008-2013). “This is also one of the major downstream sectors for HCl, accounting for nearly 19 per cent of its demand. Applications like food processing, brine treatment, calcium chloride, etc, will also drive demand for HCl,” adds Bhattacharya. Feedstock availability scenario: HCl is widely produced as a by-product of the manufacturing process of organic chemicals via chlorination reactions. Bhattacharya says, “The use as well as the production of hydrochloric acid is largely dependent on the demand for other organic and inorganic chemicals. The other common process is reaction of sulfuric acid with common salt.” Effect on India: Bhattacharya opines that consumption of HCl in production of EDC is the substantial use and is growing in India. “The other growing use is in methyl chloride production for use in chlorosilanes. However, non-organic chemical applications are small and declining,” he adds. Email: mahua.roy@network18publishing.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Roundtable
Should exports be given priority at the cost of domestic demand for bulk chemicals? Huge potential in the domestic market may tempt bulk chemical manufacturers to concentrate only on the local market. But is it prudent to do so? In conversation with Prasenjit Chakraborty, experts express their views in this regard.
Dr Kishore M Shah President, Indian Speciality Chemical Manufacturers’ Association
Pravin S Herlekar Chairman and Managing Director, Omkar Speciality Chemicals Ltd
Satish Wagh Chairman, Chemexcil
I strongly believe export of bulk chemicals should continue even though there exists huge domestic market. The market demands keep fluctuating; what is in demand today may not remain same tomorrow. Keeping this in mind, if the demand for a particular chemical dwindles in the domestic market, manufacturers can sustain by exporting the products and vice versa. About 50 to 60 per cent of our crude oil demand is met through import, so it is necessary to maintain a trade balance. Export of bulk chemicals will help us maintain trade balance. Instead of banking only on the domestic market, I feel there has to be more focus on R&D so that bulk chemical manufacturers can add more value to their products and by doing so they can earn a good margin. They can plan various types of valueadditions for different applications, and thus ensure good business.
A wide range of bulk chemicals are produced in India, with few actually required to be purchased from abroad. With over 2,000 companies producing bulk chemicals, India is well able to meet its needs and supply to various export markets. It is a fact that some of the new molecules developed in India have no domestic market. Therefore, Indian companies have no choice but to export. Moreover, most companies engaged in the manufacturing of specialty chemicals import raw materials. Hence, balancing import with export remains the only prudent option for companies, in order to hedge their currency exposure and remain afloat. The other factor that has helped the country’s development includes low capital and running costs, and an excellent pool of chemical technologists. Similarly, several new plants are being built keeping in pace with the internationally acceptable standards.
Export is essential for every industry, so is for the chemical sector. There is no doubt that domestic market offers huge potential, but depending on one market is always a risky proposition. This is because no one knows what will be the demand from a particular market tomorrow. Hence, it is imperative to maintain a balance in the business. It is always a dream for an entrepreneur to export his or her product. Most of the major players in specialty chemicals such as Godrej Industries, VVF Ltd, etc have put up their manufacturing capacity taking into account not only their Indian consumption but also the demands from overseas markets. It is a well-known fact that the scale of capacities gives one the competitive price advantage and, therefore, export is must, even if there is a huge local market.
EDITORIAL TAKE Depending on one market is always a risky proposition, especially against the backdrop of frequent changes in demand. When an entrepreneur is investing huge amount in a business, why should s/he concentrate only on the domestic market? There has to be an optimum approach in the business, which becomes possible by focussing on both domestic as well as export markets.
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INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Dumping of chemicals micals
this segment is facing the heat,” says Herlekar. Apart from specialty chemicals, bulk chemicals segment is also facing the heat of cheap import. “China has erected huge capacity
The government needs to take a practical approach while formulating its policy for the chemical industry. The issues such as high cost of power, delay in implementing anti-dumping duty etc are impacting the competitiveness of the industry, ultimately facilitating the import. Prasenjit Chakraborty
I
ndia’s chemical sector offers a huge potential for investment, despite the global economic slowdown and European debt crisis. However, the only cause for concern is in the area of exports. Competition from chemical industries in other emerging economies remains a growing concern for India. “The Indian specialty chemicals industry needs to improve its domestic production capabilities across various sectors to compete with low-cost imports from China, Korea and the Middle East. For now, the demand for specialty chemical products in India is witnessing a growth of around 10-12 per cent, which is likely to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15 per cent in the next decade,” says Pravin S Herlekar, Chairman & Managing Director, Omkar Speciality Chemicals Ltd. However, cheap import from China and other countries could create a dent in growth. A closer look tells that some of the niche segments within the chemical industry have been badly affected, while others are not much impacted. “For instance, there is a huge demand for plastic raw material and paints in the country. With raw material imports getting expensive,
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of methanol; the plants besides catering ption requirements are to internal consumption also engaged in export. Due to prevailing economic scenario in Europe, exports to the European countries have come down drastically and to fill the gap India has become an attractive destination for them,” points out an observer, who is closely monitoring the development. Citing an example of acetic acid, he says that cheap import of the product from China and the Middle East has adversely affected the companies engaged in the acetic acid production.
Finding a solution Like other sectors involved in manufacturing activity, chemical sector also has inherent strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. The government needs to seriously take up economic reforms in the interest of this industry. First, the government needs to moderate the cost of power. Currently, the industry is perturbed with the steep rise in power tariff, unreliability of supply and frequent interruption. Apart from this, finance is another issue that needs to be addressed to remain competitive in the market. “The chemical industry is highly capital-intensive and the cost of finance in India is quite high – prevailing interest
rates hover between be 14-15 per cent per annum compared to 2-6 per cent in developed countries,” countries, notes Herlekar. Moreover, rapid industrialisation industrialisa in India has created locational disadvantages; disadvantag due to this there has been further addition on transport cost for raw materials as well as finished products. “The cost of raw material in India is quite high compared to international levels,” says Herlekar. To thwart cheap imports, the government is helping the industry by
imposing anti-dumping duties. But delay in implementatio implementation compounds the problem. ur process is too t “Our slow. By the vernmen imposes anti-dumping time government rt duty on a particular product, the damage is already done to the sector,” says the observer.
R&D holds the key Apart from depending on the government, there has to be individual contribution from the companies in terms of innovation, value-addition etc. “The industry needs to enhance R&D spending substantially, from existing 1-2 per cent to at least 5-6 per cent, and also gear up to face the challenges of product patent regime,” exhorts Herlekar. It is time to act for the government as well as the companies to facilitate the reduction of cheap import. The industry needs to work towards consolidation to leverage on reducing the overall cost of production. If the endeavour becomes successful, it will help the industry significantly to regain its health. Email: prasenjit.chakraborty@network18publishing.com
INSIGHT & OUTLOOK Mergers and acquisitions
Not a ‘big’ deal anymore The revival in mergers & acquisitions (M&As) in 2012 has taken some time to catch its breath. After a strong start to the year, global deal volumes slowed as uncertainty again weighed on the markets. The volatility around the Eurozone and the uncertainty about the direction of the global economy indicates that deal-making will remain difficult. Mergers and acquisitions in the chemical industry declined
Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers
Dr Mosongo Moukwa
W
or ldwide, M&A activities are witnessing a downside. Globally, the value of M&A totalled $ 481.2 billion during the first quarter of 2012, a 35 per cent decrease from comparable 2011 levels. The global volume of deals slowed down by 21 per cent compared to last year, with fewer than 9,000 announced deals. While many deal makers feel that the number of transactions will continue to rise, the pace of the activity remains uncertain. Compared to the fourth quarter of 2011, the value of announced M&As fell 15 per cent during the first quarter of 2012 to mark the fourth consecutive quarterly decline in worldwide deal-making. Deal-making in the Americas, typically the world’s biggest market for M&A, saw values of $ 1 billionplus deals reach $ 84.9 billion by the end of February 2012, with 37 deals, the lowest level at this point in the year since 2003. Companies with relatively strong balance sheets and cash available
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have their fingers on the pause button. Executives’ confidence appears to have been shaken by fears of a slowdown in the economic recovery and persistent worry about the Eurozone. The biggest question is whether management teams can be persuaded to pursue acquisitions they have already been weighing. Companies have their cash balance increased, while debt to capital levels have declined, suggesting that potential acquirers are becoming better positioned to enter into negotiations. Some analysts suggest that unless there is a major slowdown of the world economy, there is some room to grow.
Private equity M&A The majority of deals struck have been by strategic buyers, looking to augment existing business. Strategic investors may be seeking revenue growth and access to new markets through acquisitions in the face of valuations that are low by historic standards. Worldwide, private equity-backed M&A activity totalled $ 49.6 billion during the first quarter of 2012. Private equity deal-making in
the high technology, energy & power and industrial sectors accounted for 55 per cent of activity during the first quarter of 2012. Accounting for 10 per cent of worldwide M&A during the first quarter of 2012, private equity-backed M&A decreased 16 per cent compared to 2011 levels. If the economy continues to grow slowly and interest rates remain low, an increase in M&A activity can be seen as many strategic acquirers look to make their business model more immune to cyclical volatility by investing in assets with few cyclical end-user markets. Also, financial investors could choose to sell out to strategic investors, which could boost M&A activity, if equity market performance makes initial public offering (IPO) less attractive.
Lull in the chemical industry Despite the decline in deal volume, mega deal activity (deals valued at $ 1 billion or more) was a positive note in an otherwise difficult quarter. The five mega deals announced in first-quarter 2012 drove almost $ 10 billion of the $ 12.7 billion announced for all deals. The volume of smaller deals (those valued at less than $ 50 million as well as those with undisclosed values) declined substantially to 202 in the first quarter compared with 312 deals in fourth quarter 2011. Total value for these smaller deals declined as well, falling to $ 779 million in the first quarter from $ 1.35 billion in fourth quarter 2011. Given the current economic and business climate, it appears that although fewer deals are being announced, they tend to be larger than in recent quarters. In the first quarter of 2012, most M&A activity for deals valued at $ 50 million or more involved strategic investors. Financial investors have been
Mergers and acquisitions
constrained by a need for quicker profits, while strategic investors tend to have more flexible timelines. In light of a potential slowdown in earnings, strategic investors may show more interest in M&As as a way to supplement weakening organic growth. Deal experts say that while buyout firms are poised to benefit from positive mergers environment, they face more constraints than they did in the credit boom. The resurgence of corporate buyers has made many auctions pricier. While debt financing remains cheap and plentiful, private equity firms are hardpressed to write big equity checks. Unusually, many deals announced this year have yielded rise in the stock of the acquirer. While often the buyer’s shares go down amid fears that the deal might be overvalued, advisers say that the phenomenon highlights shareholders’ approval in the right cases. One area that seems to be active is corporate divestiture. The global value of corporate spin offs, whereby a division of a company is spun off as an independent listed business or is sold, is set to rise in 2012. Over the past quarters, there is an increasing trend towards companies
refocussing on core operations and actively looking at divesting non-core ones.
Activities in coatings industry The paints and coatings industry has a long history of mergers and acquistions, driven primarily by the search of strategic positioning in the industry. In the past, financial buyers took a bigger slice of the transactions. The industry made
One area that seems to be active is corporate divestiture. The global value of corporate spin offs, whereby a division of a company is spun off as an independent listed business or is sold, is set to rise in 2012. gains in 2011, but many companies have not returned to pre-recession levels. More assets available for acquisition and low public valuation could drive increased buying. If the economy continues to show sluggish improvement, and interest rate remains low, M&A activities could
A handful of mega deals in chemical industry in 2011 & Q1 2012
Month announced Mar 11 Jul 11 Apr 11 Feb 11 Dec 11
Apr 11
Jul 11 Jan 12
Value of transaction Category (in $ billion) Lubrizol Corp Berkshire Completed 8.79 Commodity Hathway chemicals Nalco Holding Ecolab Inc Pending 8.11 Specialty Co chemicals Rhodia SA Solvay SA Completed 4.64 Specialty chemicals Sued Chemie Clariant AG Completed 2.63 Specialty AG chemicals Taminco NV Apollo Global Completed 1.43 Specialty Management chemicals LLC EvonikInvestor Completed 1.30 Specialty Carbon Black Group chemicals Business Arch Lonza Completed 1.20 Specialty Chemicals Group Ltd chemicals Solutia Inc Eastman Pending 3.40 Specialty Chemical Co. chemicals Target
Acquirer
Status
increase as strategic buyers pursue growth by acquisition in the face of economic uncertainty. Indeed, M&A activity in the coatings sector has started to intensify in recent months. For example, DuPont has hired Credit Suisse Group AG to lead the potential sale of its performance coatings unit. Valspar Corp, the US paint maker, has recently ruled itself out of bidding for the $ 3 billion coatings business that DuPont Co is looking to sell. Mergers and acquisitions have played a significant role in the paints and coatings industry. Today, the global paints and coatings market represents about $ 106 billion. The top five producers of paints and coatings represented about 40 per cent of the industry value in 2011 and mostly operated in multiple segments and regions. Akzo Nobel ($ 13 billion), PPG ($ 10 billion), Sherwin Williams ($ 6.5 billion) and DuPont Performance Coatings ($ 4.3 billion), and Valspar ($ 3.7 billion) are leading the pack.
The better picture A recovery in M&A is expected to ultimately resume, but the current anaemic pace may continue until equity markets regain their footing. Until then, the M&A environment might not be conducive to large strategic deals and unsolicited transactions. Analysts are predicting a 10 per cent decline in M&A activity in 2012, based on the historical relationship between mergers & acquisitions and performance on the S&P 500, the main share index in the US. The estimate would imply around $ 40 billion in equity value of deals done in 2012 in North America. Dr Mosongo Moukwa is Vice President (Technology), Asian Paints Ltd, Mumbai. He was Vice President (Global Technology), Reichhold, North Carolina. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, the Commercial Development and Management Association and the Licensing Executive Society. Email: mosongo.moukwa@asianpaints.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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AUTOMATION TRENDS Intelligent motor management
Relaying safety to process industries
Courtesy: Siemens Ltd
Safety of working personnel and health of equipment are of paramount importance to any manufacturer. Generally, automation systems and components are responsible for safety-related tasks in many applications (process industry, machines, conveyor systems etc). In this context, the advent of intelligent motor management systems has come as a boon to process industries due to its advantages galore.
in a single device such as standalone motor protection; motor control logic (DOL, R-DOL, Star-Delta etc); monitoring of motor feeder data; data measurement, evaluation and storage; and communication with a DCS system. Since the volume of data from MCC to DCS and back from DCS to MCC is high and a fast response is required, the most preferred communication protocol followed in process industry is Profibus. Intelligent motor management offers multiple protections like overload, over& under-current, over- & under-voltage, stalled rotor – almost all protection needed for a LT motor. In addition, it provides data transparency, low maintenance cost, Profibus communication, low downtime etc. The known benefits of iMCC are numerous; but at the same time one should ensure that basic requirements that were considered in conventional MCC are also met in iMCC. One of these key requirements is Type-2 co-ordinated feeder.
Type 2 co-ordination in iMCC
Mayank Nigam
T
he operations in process industries such as power, cement, steel, oil & gas, etc, are increasingly getting more complex where various small processes are closely linked with each other. In a process industry, each motor is a critical part in the production chain and its tripping, failure or sudden shutdown can lead to a huge monetary loss. In conventional Motor Control Centres (MCC), these failures are caused due to limited motor protections like overload and short-circuit, massive control wiring from MCC to control room, no alarm or diagnostics and so on. In order to prevent these failures, there is need for more sophisticated control and protection system. At the same time, plant operators should have more information, early warnings and enhanced data transparency from the individual motor feeders.
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Above requirements are nowadays achieved by Intelligent Motor Control Centre (iMCC), which has become popular since last few years and is now a standard for process industry.
Intelligent systems In iMCC, intelligent motor management relays are used on which a communication port is available. This communication port is directly connected to a Distributed Control System (DCS) by a single communication cable. The communication cable replaces numerous control and signalling cables of a conventional MCC. Features such as multiple protection, monitoring and logical functions are integrated into a compact communication capable intelligent relays. The motor management relay is the main component of iMCC and it comprises various essential functionalities
Two protections are necessary in all conventional MCC. One is overload protection by overload relay and another is short circuit protection by a circuit breaker. Overload relay (OLR) is used to save motor from burning due to overload and short circuit protection device (SCPD) from short-circuit. Since both the faults are a form of over-current, it is important to ensure that OLR operates in overload zone and SCPD operates in short circuit zone. In iMCC, intelligent relay replaces OLR, which provide overload protection whereas SCPD remains the same. Like conventional MCC, it is also recommended to use tested Type-2 co-ordinated feeder in iMCC. Recommended and tested Type-2 charts are published by the manufacturers of intelligent motor management relay, which provides tested combination of SCPD, intelligent relay and contactor. These charts should be adhered to for complete motor protection and safety of plant & personnel.
Intelligent motor management
Safety integrated in iMCC Today, the proper functioning of systems and components is covered by the term ‘functional safety’. This is especially documented in Standard IEC 61508 ‘Functional safety of electrical, electronic and programmable electronic safetyrelated systems’ and IEC 62061 ‘Safety of machinery - Functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and programmable electronic control systems’. Functional safety relates to the principles of machine or plant safety that depends on the control and protective equipment functioning properly. The health and safety of personnel as well as protecting equipment and the environment depends on the correct functioning of the relevant systems and components. Every person who comes into contact with the system must be protected against the hazards emanating from the machine. But the machine must be protected against hazards to avoid damage and production losses. The safety system implies use of safety relays or safety automation systems, which monitor critical components of a machine or plant. Some of these critical devices are E-stop, pull-cord switch, limit switch, etc, and if these malfunction, it may lead to accidents. Monitoring of these devices will help in safe disconnection of feeder during accidents. Depending on the application, the component of safety system can vary widely. Safety system always comprises a chain of sensors, evaluation devices and actuators. In safety technology, the requirements regarding cost-saving potential can be especially fulfilled by selecting the appropriate installation system. In standard technology, the move to distributed concepts and the use of modern Fieldbuses have already resulted in significant cost savings. Further, cost savings in the future will be achieved by transferring additional safety-related signals alongwith existing standard Fieldbuses, eg PROFIsafe. Flexibility of integrating safety system in iMCC is now possible and the same can be followed to ensure personnel
and plant safety. In iMCC, an intelligent device is integrated with safety circuit by using Digital Expansion Failsafe Module (DMF) of an intelligent relay. The critical inputs of field are taken to DMF inputs and the failsafe DMF outputs are used to disconnect control supply of the switching device (contactors). The safety signals are taken from iMCC to PLC or DCS through Profibus or if required PROFIsafe. These failsafe signals sent from DMF through intelligent device are then processed at automation level. It goes without saying that iMCC is already influencing today’s automation environment; new trends in this field will soon be found with Type-2 co-ordinated feeders and safety integration.
Relevance of iMCC in chemical industry An essential requirement in industries like chemicals, oil & gas etc is the high availability of the motors, and thus the availability of the whole process. Plant downtimes caused by faults frequently result in high costs and pose security risks in many cases. For this reason, it is important to detect potential faults early on for initiating preventive measures. Reliable and proven iMCCs have so far proven effective in increasing the motor
and process availability in a plant. Also, the ability of integrating safety modules with the intelligent modules is beneficial in safe shutdown of motors, locally or remotely. Such integration avoids unnecessary need of separate system to achieve such failsafe disconnection. It makes the logic and circuits inside MCC much simpler and less error- & fault-prone. However, the integrated safety relays and their communication protocol (eg PROFIsafe) must match the relevant Safety Integrity Level (SIL) – up to SIL 3. The chemical plants are typically hazardous areas because of the presence of corrosive gases and chemicals. By following the ATEX directives, iMCC manages this risk safely and helps in increasing safety and preventing plant downtimes through detailed operational, service and diagnostic data. Mayank Nigam is the Senior Marketing Executive, Business Development - Control Products at Siemens Ltd. He has been instrumental in promoting new technologies from the house of Siemens for process plants. For more details, contact Punit Karnik at punit.karnik@loweandpartners.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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ENERGY MANAGEMENT Seal-less vane pump
Paul Cardon
C
onfronted by rising energy costs, manufacturing operations around the globe are implementing energy management processes and procedures that seek to control energy expenses by
this goal is instituting a systems approach to energy efficiency and conservation in manufacturing plants, ie turning the focus away from individual components and, instead, analysing both the supply and demand sides of the system as a whole. However, while it is easy to establish thresholds for energy consumption,
The challenge Poor design and improper system operation are the root causes of inefficient pumping systems. As rotating equipment, pumps are subject to wear, erosion, cavitation and leakage. These problems can be exacerbated through improper pump selection and operation.
Driving efficiency into manufacturing operations reducing power consumption without compromising output while simultaneously increasing production levels. Left unmanaged and unchecked, rising energy expenditures can quickly erode a company’s stability, performance, productivity and, ultimately, its competitiveness and viability. In order to address energy consumption, many nations are developing and implementing new climate and energy policies that have been designed to create behaviours to moderate energy usage. It has been shown that industrial sector can improve its energy intensity by 25 per cent by the end 2017, or an average of 2.5 per cent per year leading up to that deadline. The key to meeting
ENERGISING OPPORTUNITIES Energy management procedures aim at : o Driving product improvements that increase financial performance o Increasing operational reliability and process integrity by emphasising the use of energy-efficient technologies that also support enhanced mechanical efficiency o Reducing vulnerability to energyprice volatility
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Courtesy: Mouvex
Throughout the world today, high energy prices pose an unprecedented profit-robbing threat to every manufacturing operation, large or small. Seal-less drive technology incorporation in pumps has proved to reduce energy consumption and increase environmental protection to a whole new level without sacrificing performance. identifying and implementing the most efficient means to meet those thresholds can be much more problematic. Using the industrial sector as an example, since pumps account for anywhere between 27 per cent and 33 per cent of total electricity used in this sector globally, improvements in pump system performance can play an important role in minimising energy costs.
The pump selection process can be complicated by the fact that many different types of pumps can be applicable in a single operation. And when making the final choice about the type of pump, the list of crucial factors that need to be taken into account can be daunting – required flow rate, differential pressure, temperature, viscosity, shear sensitivity, corrosiveness of the liquid being handled, etc to name a few. As manufacturers work to align their energy-efficiency initiatives with their business goals, pump system improvements will play an increasingly important role in this effort. Since there is no ‘one pump fits all’ solution, attention to proper pump selection will become increasingly important to select the right pump that will not only deliver productivity gains, but will also control energy consumption. By virtue of their inherent energy- and mechanically-efficient designs, positive displacement sliding vane pump technologies are uniquely suited to offer manufacturers immediate, high-value advantages and solutions in fulfilling their energy-saving initiatives.
Sliding vane pumps Of the leading positive displacement technologies, sliding vane pumps are generally among the most energy-efficient.
Seal-less vane pump
Significant design advancements have given sliding vane technology a decisive advantage over gear pumps, specifically with regard to optimised performance, low-shear capability, lowest lifecycle cost and best energy efficiency. For the sliding vane pump, this is due in part to the self-adjusting vane-design feature that eliminates energy-robbing slip and promotes high volumetric efficiency even after substantial time in service. This design makes sliding vane pumps much more efficient and desirable for use than gear pumps. Gear pumps use the meshing of gears to pump fluid by displacement. Because of this style of operation, from day one gear pumps wear constantly as the pump’s gears mesh together in order to move fluid. This constant wear increases the internal clearances between the gear teeth, in the process reducing flow capacity and volumetric consistency while increasing the possibility that ‘slip’ will occur. All these operational deficiencies result in not only decreased pump performance and increased maintenance occurrences, but also in wasted energy use, which can increase costs. On the other hand, sliding vane pumps operate through the use of a number of vanes that are free to slide into or out of slots in the pump rotor when it is driven by the pump driver. The turning of the pump forces the vanes to move outward and ride against the inner bore of the pump casing, in the process forming pumping chambers. As the rotor revolves, the fluid enters the pumping chambers from the suction port. The fluid is transported around the pump casing until it reaches the discharge port where it is forced out into the discharge piping. This type of design guarantees fixed displacement volume with minimal pressure variance, meaning that energy-wasting slippage and turbulence are minimised and high volumetric efficiency is maintained. The effectiveness of pump-shaft sealing can have a direct influence on a pump’s power consumption in various ways. By its basic design, the more friction a pump generates, the more of a ‘power eater’ it will be. From that standpoint,
shaft packing is a less efficient solution. In many cases, a pump’s shaft-sealing system may need additional cooling, either by a separate fluid (a mechanical seal flush, for instance) or by diverting part of the pumped liquid flow (magnetic drive). This additional cooling requires more energy to work and decreases the pump’s energy efficiency. Most of the shaft-sealing solutions are heat generators. When choosing a pumpshaft seal, this parameter must be mastered, especially in a potentially explosive atmosphere. Therefore, temperature sensors, flow meters and power monitoring often have to be added, which cause other energy consumption concerns. When shaft packing or a basic mechanical seal cannot be used for any reason in a pump’s design, the main alternatives include doubleflushed mechanical seal, magnetic drive, and seal-less drive.
Efficiency mode Realising that the most energy-efficient solution to the pump-shaft sealing challenge is a seal-less vane pump, a leading pump manufacturer has developed a rotary vane positive displacement pump that is not based on magnetic drive, but, rather, a seal-less, leak-free design that features no magnets, no mechanical seals and no packing. Instead of magnets, these pumps have double stainless-steel bellows that houses an eccentric shaft. This shaft, which is rotated by a crank system, drives the bellows in a circular movement. The pump’s design and operation addresses each of the concerns of shaft sealing mentioned earlier. The seal-less drive is needle/rollerbearing mounted with separate sources of lubrication, meaning that frictions are reduced to a minimum. The pump’s entire flow rate crosses the seal-less drive chamber, meaning that the shaft does not need any additional cooling, while none of the flow rate is diverted. In most cases, power monitoring is not necessary, an optional temperature sensor can be added for use in extreme applications. The result is a decrease in energy consumption with a corresponding
Source: Mouvex
increase in operational efficiency, all without added installation complexity. Compared to magnetic drive pumps, the seal-less rotary vane pumps ensure up to a 40 per cent reduction in absorbed power and up to a 20 per cent higher return in energy efficiency.
Seal of approval Sliding vane technology is being used worldwide to reduce energy cost and consumption, and create a more efficient pumping system. While world-renowned for its ability to offer the best in increased suction, reduced product shear and consistent volumetric efficiency, this technology has been taken to the next level with the introduction of seal-less drive technology for use in positive displacement rotary vane pumps. Simply put, this technology offers even more advantages over gear pumps in the quest to reduce energy consumption and cost without sacrificing performance and reliability, making them a perfect positive displacement pump choice in these increasingly energy-conscious times. Paul Cardon is the Industrial Products Manager for Auxerre (France-based) Mouvex, an operating company within Dover Corporation’s Pump Solutions Group (PSG) and the leading manufacturer of eccentric disc pump technology. Email: cardon@mouvex.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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POLICIES & REGULATIONS New urea investment policy
The implications
Prasenjit Chakraborty
T
he government has approved a draft policy for urea sector, which is aimed at attracting investments worth around ` 40,000 crore to boost production of urea – the most widely-used fertiliser in India. The new policy aims at giving urea manufacturers a minimum 12 per cent post-tax return on capital. The Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers also proposed that the government should compensate companies if the price of gas exceeded $ 14 per million British thermal units (mmBtu). Once implemented, it could add as much as 7-8 million tonne to domestic urea production capacity and offset the current shortfall. It is important to mention here that the government had made similar attempt in 2008 (2008 investment policy), which failed to attract investment. This time, the government has taken certain steps to make the initiative successful. As per the draft policy, the floor price and ceiling price for cost of production would vary for greenfield and brownfield projects. For greenfield investments, floor price is fixed at $ 310 a tonne and ceiling price at $ 340 a tonne. Likewise, for brownfield investments, the price will be $ 290 a tonne and $ 320 a tonne, respectively. This will be more than the $ 250 and $ 425 per tonne price fixed in the 2008 policy. In the new policy, the government proposes to fix the gas cost only up to $ 14 per mmBtu. If the price of gas rises, the profitability will go down because urea price is not decontrolled.
plays an important role. “Feedstock could be available in two ways – LPG or coal. The costs of both the feedstock have to be recognised in the pricing cost. At present, we are depending a lot on import,” opines Karangle. New capacity has not been added in more than one decade due to lack of an appropriate policy framework resulting in widening demandsupply gap. At present, it is pegged at 7 million tonne. The domestic production is around 22 million tonne, while consumption is 29 million tonne. The government is all set to introduce new The shortfall is mainly urea investment policy to infuse growth met through imports. in the urea sector and reduce demandUrea is the largest supply gap. If everything goes in the right finished nitrogen direction, it will attract huge investments fertiliser product and as well as generate employment. is traded globally. Even though many markets prefer other nitrogen fertilisers for better agronomic properties, urea is the commodity reference product with an important influence on most other nitrogen fertiliser prices. Many players who main feedstock for urea, accounting for are currently sitting on fence may go 80 per cent of the cost of manufacturing, for capacity expansion once the policy ensuring the availability of feedstock is implemented. For example, IFFCO Ltd, Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd, Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Urea is the largest finished Ltd, Indo Gulf Fertilisers Ltd and Zuari Industries Ltd plan to set up or expand nitrogen fertiliser product and urea manufacturing units. The government is traded globally. Even though is also looking at reviving as many as many markets prefer other eight closed urea manufacturing units. nitrogen fertilisers for better “We expect the policy will help revitalise the sector and also generate employment. agronomic properties, urea Often, we have witnessed difficult is the commodity reference situations due to non-availability of product with an important fertilisers. Once the demand-supply gap is reduced, it will benefit the industry as well influence on most other as all stakeholders,” Karangle concludes. nitrogen fertiliser prices. The success of the policy, to a large extent, depends on the returns on investment. “If everything is taken care of, it will go a long way to attract investments,” opines H S Karangle, Director General, Indian Chemical Council. With gas being the
A productive step in the right direction?
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Email: prasenjit.chakraborty@network18publishing.com
STRATEGY Case study – Essar Oil Ltd
Safeguarding marine eco-system while setting up refinery Through its efforts towards environment conservation, the integrated petroleum refinery of Essar Oil Ltd (EOL) at Vadinar near Jamnagar that process crude oil and condensate to produce quality products – fuels – has set an exemplary example for other refineries. Its initiatives offer insights on how to ensure environmental protection amid industrialisation. Dr Jayaraman Gopal and Dr Pratik Mehta
P
orts are strategic locations for chemical and oil & gas (O&G) facilities. However, the environmental sensitivity of such locations puts the onus on the companies operating from these facilities to nurture and safeguard the surroundings. Essar Oil has put forward four important strategies to promote its green image.
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Translocation of corals
The project site falls within close vicinity of Marine National Park (MNP) and Marine Sanctuary (MS). Many varieties of corals and other unique marine life exist in the area. All coral species categorised under schedule 1 are threatened species. There are only 3 such MNPs recorded in India, among which the Gulf of Kachchh MNP is considered as second richest as far as coral diversity is concerned. Essar being a responsible and environment-friendly organisation engaged National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) to carry out the translocation of subtidal as well as
intertidal corals to conserve and protect the existing marine environment. This was planned for the first time in India, initiated by Essar for more than 15 species. Considering the importance, it was planned to carry out the work in two main phases. In the first phase, the experienced scientists assessed the extent of corals to be removed and identified the new site for translocation. In the second phase, the logistics needed to be quantified and designed plan of action to be followed. Total 319 live corals from intertidal area with a size range of 5-30 cm length were carefully transplanted, whereas 160 live corals were carefully translocated to the designated site after tagging. The recovery of tagged corals suggests survival of 70-90 per cent of translocated corals. Essar has spent ` 1.52 crore for the entire project including post-project monitoring for three years. The sole objective of the project was to conserve and protect the sensitive schedule 1 organisms in an environment-friendly manner. The methodology used for the same was indigenously developed and emphasis was laid on survivability, growth and health of the corals.
ESSAR’S INITIATIVE IN NATURE CONSERVATION The Nature Conservation Centre is being set up in the green belt of refinery area with following prime objectives: o To protect and conserve the local flora & fauna of the Saurashtra region, which are getting extinct o To undertake activities dedicated towards development of innovative techniques to protect natural areas of particular ecological and cultural importance o To provide training on conservation for surrounding local villagers o To involve local communities in all aspects of management and conservation of nature o To provide opportunities to experience, inspire passion for nature and promote environmentally responsible choices through education
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The extent of the success of the research-based programme initiated by Essar has opened the door for more positive approach for the conservation and preservation of endangered species. It has also proved beyond reasonable doubt the safe existence of industrial development in close association with fragile environmental condition, without adverse impacts, if proper planning and execution are applied.
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Mangrove afforestation
The mangrove habitats of the Gulf of Kachchh have been degraded due to various anthropogenic pressures such as clearing of mangrove areas for salt production, cutting of trees for firewood and other uses, camel grazing and encroachments. Hence, it has been considered appropriate by the government to increase mangrove areas in the Gulf through plantations on suitable mudflats, which abound in the intertidal zone of the Gulf. During 2009-2011, Essar initiated voluntary plantation of mangrove in 150 hectare of the land identified by the Forest Department. Total 60,000 raised beds were made and each bed was planted with 60-80 Avicennia marina seeds. Essar has spent more than ` 50 lakh for the entire mangrove afforestation project including post-project monitoring over the last three years. The monitoring of the same afforested mangrove for its health, status and survival rate still continues and being done on regular basis by Essar.
Case study – Essar Oil Ltd
3
Marine environmental monitoring
The coastal environment of Vadinar forms an integral part of the Gulf. Hence, the knowledge of the general hydrography and ecology of the Gulf is necessary for comparing the sitespecific environmental conditions with that of the parent body. Large number of industrial establishments has been set up along the Jamnagar-Okha coastal area on the Gulf of Kachchh, which include mega refineries such as Reliance, Essar, existing and upcoming power plants of Essar, Fertiliser unit of Gujarat State Fertilizers Company (GSFC), cement plant of Digvijay Cement at Sikka, Tata Chemicals at Mithapur, various salt pans and commercial ports etc. NIO and Gujarat Institute of Desert Ecology (GUIDE) have been engaged to carry out yearly as well as monthly monitoring respectively. The main components of marine environment
such as water quality, sediment quality and biological parameters are being monitored and reported. The water quality was monitored at several stations from April 1994 to April 2010. Overall, the operations of marine facilities of Essar have not resulted in the enhancement of levels of phenols in marine waters off Vadinar. The biological assessment revealed no gross changes in marine ecology off Vadinar due to operations of EOL.
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Green belt
Green plants play a key role in maintaining ecological balance. Apart from their unique ability of harvesting solar energy through photosynthesis, they also play a vital role in shaping our environment, which includes improvement of air quality, microclimate, and water availability and soil fertility. It functions as sink for air pollutants too, particularly in industrial and urban areas. Essar has undertaken
tree plantation on a large scale in wellorganised manner for refinery and power plant. Thus, surrounding areas of refinery and power plant have been converted into green belt. Apart from other advantages, green belt also helps in removing certain pollutants from the atmosphere. Essar has various plans to maintain ecological balance through the development of new green belts and mass tree plantation depending upon the suitability of the plant species. Also, plantation of Saru (Casuarina equisetifolia) is being considered largely due to it being a wind breaker because of high wind velocity experienced at site. Dr Jayaraman Gopal is Head-HSE, Energy Business, at Essar Oil Ltd. Email: jayaraman.gopal@essar.com Dr Pratik Mehta is Deputy General Manager at Essar Power Gujarat Ltd. Email: pratik.mehta3@essar.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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TIPS & TRICKS Volatile chemicals
Safety guidelines for handling flammable liquids Flammable and combustible liquids (such as gasoline, solvents, paints and thinners) are widely used across industries. Flammable liquids can increase fire hazard potential at a chemical plant, and hence, it is important to handle these chemicals safely.
F
lammable liquids have a flash point of less than 100˚F. Flash point is defined as the lowest temperature at which volatile material generates enough flammable vapours to ignite. Careless mistakes and safety shortcuts can lead to serious problems when it comes to flammable liquids, which can cause a fire or explosion. And like many other substances, they can also cause severe health effects from overexposure. Given below are some of the useful guidelines that can reduce the hazards associated with the handling of flammable liquids.
When not in use, containers of flammable liquids needed for current work activities should be kept closed and stored in suitable cabinets or bins of fire-resisting construction, which are designed to retain spills. These should be located in designated areas that are away from the immediate processing area and do not jeopardise the means of escape from the workroom/working area.
3
It is recommended that the maximum quantities that may be stored in cabinets and bins should not exceed more than 50 litre for highly flammable and those flammable liquids with a flash point below the maximum ambient temperature of the workroom/working area.
4
Vapours of a flammable liquid often present the most serious hazard as vapours can easily ignite or explode. Flammable liquid vapours are heavier than air and may settle in low spots, or move a significant distance from the liquid itself. Hence, steps should be taken to avoid vapour formation.
1
It is important to store flammable liquids in cool, well-ventilated areas away from corrosives, oxidisers and ignition sources. The indoor storage of flammable liquids should be controlled by elimination or by reducing the quantities of such substances in the workplace to a minimum and providing mitigation to protect against foreseeable incidents.
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The flammable liquids should be stored separately from other dangerous substances that may enhance the risk of fire or compromise the integrity of the container or cabinet/bin; for example energetic substances, oxidisers and corrosive materials.
Cupboards and bins used to store flammable liquids should provide a physical barrier to delay the involvement of these materials in a fire and limit the passage of flame and hot gases. This will provide sufficient time for people’s safe evacuation.
7
Materials used to form the sides, top, bottom, door(s) and lid of storage container (cupboards and bins) for flammable liquids should provide the required fire resistance (ie 30 minutes integrity). All containers and cabinets should have appropriate ‘flammable material’ signs. Use only approved safety cans to store flammable liquids.
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9
5
For mixed storage, the worst case situation should be applied, ie all materials in the storage cupboard or bin should be considered as being the same material as the one that has the lowest flash point.
6
While handling flammable liquids, one should wear appropriate personal protective equipment such as splash aprons and goggles.
Always check the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for the volatile material while using to understand the specific hazards involved. MSDS for the material will list the allowable exposures.
10
Reference o
Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the Government of UK o Web World Inc Email: rakesh.rao@network18publishing.com
PROJECTS
New projects and expansion activities are the barometers of industrial growth. These also present business opportunities to service providers like consultants, contractors, plant & equipment suppliers and others down the value chain. This feature will keep you updated with vital information regarding new projects and capacity expansions being planned by companies in the chemical and allied industries. Agrochemicals & specialty chemicals
Fertiliser
Specialty chemicals
Indofil Chemicals Company
Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation
BASF India Ltd
Project type New facility Project news Indofil Industries is planning to set up agrochemicals synthesis and specialty chemicals manufacturing facilities in Gujarat. Project location Gujarat Project cost ` 150 crore Implementation stage Planning Contact details: Indofil Chemicals Company 17, Sreeman Srinivasa Road, Alwarpet Chennai 600018 Tel: 044-24990976 Email: ajaywant-icc@modi.com ---------------------------------------Di-ammonium phosphate
Gujarat State Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd Project type Facility expansion Project news Gujarat State Fertiliser and Chemical (GSFC) would expand the capacity of its di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) facility in Sikka by 0.4 million tonne at an investment of ` 250 crore. Project location Sikka, Gujarat Project cost ` 250 crore Implementation stage Planning Contact details: Gujarat State Fertiliser and Chemical P.O. Fertilizernagar - 391750 Dist. Vadodara, Gujarat Tel: 0265-2242051/2242451 Fax: 0265-2240966/2240119 Email: info@gsfcltd.com
Project type Feedstock conversion Project news Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation is planning to invest around $ 57,829,987 (` 300 crore) to convert its urea plant at Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, to run on gas from naphtha. Project location Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu Project cost $ 57,829,987 (` 300 crore) Implementation stage Planning Contact details: Southern Petrochemical Industries Corporation 73 Armenian Street Chennai 600001, Tamil Nadu Tel: 044-22350245, Fax: 044-22352163 Email: spiccorp@spic.co.in ---------------------------------------Fertilisers
Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Project type New facility Project news Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation plans to set up a brownfield urea plant in Assam at an investment of ` 3,600 crore. Project location Nampur, Assam Project cost ` 3,600 crore Implementation stage Planning Contact details: Brahmaputra Valley Fertilizer Corporation Namrup, P.O. Parbatpur – 786623 Dist. Dibrugarh Tel: 0374-2500317/2500524 Email: bvfclnam@bsnl.in
Project type New facility Project news BASF India Ltd will invest €150 million to set up a new chemical production site at the Dahej Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Region in Gujarat. Project location Dahej, Gujarat Project cost ` 1,000 crore approximately (around $ 10 billion) Implementation stage Planning Contact details BASF India Ltd Unit I, Plot No. 6214/6216, GIDC Phase IV Ankleshwar - 393002, Gujarat Tel: 02646-221890, Fax: 02646-250464 ---------------------------------------Petrochemical facilities
Al Jubail Petrochemical Company Project type Expansion Project news The project aims at expanding Kemya petrochemical facilities through increased production capacities in Jubail. The expansion includes building new units for producing rubber, thermoplastic polymers, styrene butadiene rubber, etc. Project location Jubail, Saudi Arabia Project cost Not available Implementation stage Ongoing Contact details: Al Jubail Petrochemical Company P.O. Box 10084, Jubail Industrial City, 31961 Tel: +966 3-357-6000 Fax: +966 3-358-7858
Information courtesy: Tendersinfo.com 1, Arch Gold, Next to MTNL Exchange, Poisar, S V Road, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067, Maharashtra, India Tel: 022 28666134 • Fax: 022 28013817 • Email: parmeet.d@tendersinfo.com August 2012 | Chemical World
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TENDERS
Latest Popular Tenders brought to you by www.tendersinfo.com Electrochlorinator Org : Eastern Railways TRN : 11848882 Desc : Operation and maintenance of electrochlorinator BOD : August 21, 2012 Loc : Asansol, West Bengal BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Electrochlorination plant
TRN : 11882392 Desc : Annual maintenance contract for micro-processorbased dissolved gas analyser BOD : August 28, 2012 Loc : Mumbai, Maharashtra BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Conical mixer
Org : Western Railway TRN : 11766027 Desc : Providing electrochlorination plant BOD : August 22, 2012 Loc : Bhavnagar Para, Gujarat BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Org : Ordnance Factory TRN : 11666927 Desc : Supply, erection, commissioning and testing of conical mixer BOD : August 29, 2012 Loc : Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Oil cooler/heat exchanger
Dissolved gas analysis equipment
Org : Rail Wheel Factory TRN : 11777856 Desc : Supply of oil cooler/heat exchanger for quench tank of heat treatment unit BOD : August 22, 2012 Loc : Bengaluru, Karnataka BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Org : South Central Railway TRN : 11874091 Desc : Supply of set of items required for dissolved gas analysis equipment BOD : August 30, 2012 Loc : Tirupathi, Andhra Pradesh BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Carbon composite titanium pressurant tank
Flare gas recovery compressor
Org : Department of Space TRN : 11874263 Desc : Supply of carbon composite titanium pressurant tank BOD : August 27, 2012 Loc : Bengaluru, Karnataka BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Org : Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd TRN : 11656423 Desc : Provision of flare gas recovery compressor BOD : September 03, 2012 Loc : Surat, Gujarat BT : ICB _______________________________________________
Gas detector system
Titanium-lined urea synthesis reactor
Org : Chennai Petroleum Corporation Ltd (CPCL) TRN : 11931351 Desc : Supply of gas detector system BOD : August 27, 2012 Loc : Chennai, Tamil Nadu BT : Domestic _______________________________________________
Org : National Fertilizers Ltd (NFL) TRN : 11619480 Desc : Design, engineering, manufacturing inspection, testing and supply of titanium-lined urea synthesis reactor BOD : September 03, 2012 Loc : Bathinda, Punjab BT : Domestic
Micro-processor-based dissolved gas analyser Org : Central Railway
Org: Organisation’s name, TRN: Tendersinfo Ref No, Desc: Description, BOD: Bid Opening Date, Loc: Location, BT: Bidding Type Information courtesy: Tendersinfo.com 1, Arch Gold, Next to MTNL Exchange, Poisar, S V Road, Kandivali (W), Mumbai - 400 067, Maharashtra, India Tel: 022 28666134 • Fax: 022 28013817 • Email: parmeet.d@tendersinfo.com
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EVENT LIST
NATIONAL AHMEDABAD
PUNE
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Gujarat, Oct 5-8, 2012
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Tamil Nadu, Nov 22-25, 2012
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INDORE
AURANGABAD
RUDRAPUR
HYDERABAD
Madhya Pradesh, Jan 11-14, 2013
Maharashtra, Feb 1-4, 2013
Uttarakhand, Feb 23-26, 2013
Andhra Pradesh, May 31- June 3, 2013
India’s premier industrial trade fair on products and technologies related to Machine Tools, Hydraulics & Pneumatics, Process Machinery & Equipment, Automation Instrumentation, Packaging & Auxiliaries, IT Products, Electrical & Electronics, Material Handling and Safety Equipment.
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Ruby House, 1st Floor, J K Sawant Marg, Dadar (W), Mumbai 400 028. • Tel: 022 3003 4651 • Fax: 022 3003 4499 • Email: engexpo@network18publishing.com
India Oil & Gas Review Summit 2012 International conference and exhibition showcasing latest trends in oil & gas industry; September 06-07, 2012; at Hotel Taj Lands, Mumbai For details contact: Oil Asia Publications Pvt Ltd 530, Laxmi Plaza, Laxmi Industrial Estate New Link Road Andheri (W), Mumbai 400 053 Tel: 022-6681 4900, Fax: 022-2636 7676 Email: oilasia@vsnl.com
Automation 2012 Conference and exhibition showcasing latest technologies in the fields of factory automation, process automation and control systems, robotics & drives, field instrumentation & smart sensors bus technologies, software solutions, wireless technologies, etc; September 07-10, 2012; at NSE Complex, Mumbai For details contact: IED Communications Ltd 64, Empire Building D N Road, Fort, Mumbai 400 001 Tel: 022-2207 9567, Fax: 022-2207 4516 Email:arokiaswamy@iedcommunications.com
InformexINDIA 2012 A tradeshow for bringing together buyers and sellers of chemicals, chemical technologies and related services; September 12-14, 2012; at Nehru Centre, Mumbai For details contact: UBM India Pvt Ltd
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Chemical World | August 2012
Sagar Tech Plaza A 615-617, 6th Floor Andheri-Kurla Road Saki Naka Junction, Andheri (E) Mumbai 400 072 Tel: 022-6612 2600, Fax: 022-6612 2626/27 Email: info.india@ubm.com
India Chem 2012 Premier tradeshow for the chemical industry in India; October 04-06, 2012; at NSE Exhibition Complex, Mumbai For details contact: Mehul Tyagi, FICCI Federation House, 1 Tansen Marg New Delhi 110 001 Tel: 011-2376 5081/2373 8760 Fax: 011-2335 9734 Email: mehul@ficci.com
Watertech Expo & Conference An event to be held concurrently with Wastetech, Cleantech and Pollutech focussing on technologies for waste, wastewater and recycling; November 02-04; at Ahmedabad For details contact: Exhiference Media Pvt Ltd B-2 Basement, Kalyan Tower Near Vastrapur Lake, Ahmedabad 380 015 Tel: 079-4003 9444, Fax: 079-4003 9431 Email: marketing@exhiferencemedia.com
Indian Petrochem 2012 An interactive knowledge forum for manufacturers, traders, buyers, technology licensors, consultants, strategists, financial intermediaries and investors; November 08-09, 2012; in Mumbai
For details contact: Sahil Shah Elite Conferences Pvt Ltd 606, Bhagyalaxmi, Kennedy Bridge, Mumbai 400 004 Tel: 022-2385 1430 Fax: 022-2385 1431 Email: sahil@eliteconferences.com
CPhI India 2012 International exhibition on pharmaceutical ingredients, machinery, equipment, outsourcing and biosolutions; November 21-23, 2012; at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai For details contact: UBM India Pvt Ltd Sagar Tech Plaza A 615-617, 6th Floor Andheri-Kurla Road Saki Naka Junction Andheri (E) Mumbai 400 072 Tel: 022-6612 2600 Fax: 022-6612 2626 Email: info.india@ubm.com
IPVS 2012 A trade show for industrial pumps, valves and systems; December 14-16, 2012; at Auto Cluster Exhibition Centre, Pune For details contact: Orbitz Exhibitions Pvt Ltd 202, Navyug Industrial Estate T J Road, Sewri (W), Mumbai 400 015 Tel: 022-2410 2801 Fax: 022-2410 2805 Email: shital@orbitz-world.com
EverythingAboutWater Expo 2013 An international exhibition and conference on water & wastewater management; February 28-March 2, 2013; at Chennai Trade Centre, Nandambakkam, Chennai For details contact: EA Water Pvt Ltd A1/152, Neb Sarai IGNOU Road, New Delhi 110 068 Tel: 011-4310 0568/0572 Fax: 011-4310 0599 Email: enquiry@eawater.com
INTERNATIONAL GasSuf 2012 An exhibition on latest technologies for distribution and effective use of gas; September 04-06, 2012; at EcoCentre Sokolniki, Moscow, Russia For details contact: Raisa Gazaryan, Exhibition Director MVK 15, Bldg 1, Zubarev Pereulok 129164 Moscow, Russia Tel: +7 (495) 935 8100 Fax: +7 (495) 935 8101 Email: gazaryan@mvk.ru
ICIF China 2012 An event to facilitate the growth of petroleum & chemical industry of China and also to encourage international exchange & co-operation; September 10-12, 2012; at Binhai International Convention & Exhibition Centre, Tianjin For details contact: CCPIT Sub-Council of Chemical Industry Bldg 16, Block 7, Hepingli Beijing 100013, China Tel: + (86)-(10)-6422 2898 Fax: + (86)-(10)-8429 2180 Email: mokai@ccpitchem.org.cn
For details contact: WAHAexpo Company Ben Ashour Road PO Box 83433, Tripoli, Libya Tel: (00) (218)-(21) 7269417 Fax: (00) (218)-(21) 3622360 Email: hanan@wahaexpo.com
Analytica China 2012 A trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, biotechnology and diagnostics; October 16-18, 2012; at Shanghai New International Expo Centre, Shanghai
For details contact: Paul Sinclair, Sales Director DMG Events, Northcliffe House 2 Derry Street, London, W8 5TT, The UK Tel: +44 203 180 6576 Fax: +44 203 180 6550 Email: paulsinclair@dmgevents.com
Fulham Green, Bedford House 69-79 Fulham High Street London, SW6 3JW, The UK Tel: +44 (0)207 384 8028 Email: e.huiban@theenergyexchange.co.uk
VIETWATER 2012 An event dedicated to water, wastewater and industrial wastewater treatment & purification; November 06-08, 2012; at Vietnam Exhibition & Fair Centre, Hanoi, Vietnam
For details contact: Susanne GrĂśdl, Exhibition Director Messe MĂźnchen GmbH, Munich, Germany Tel: (+49 89) 949 20 380 Fax: (+49 89) 949 20 389 Email: info@analyticachina.com
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Environmental Management in Oil, Gas and Petrochemical Industries
OSEA 2012
Conference and exhibition focussing on the future of environmental engineering technologies, environmental management practices, instruments and solutions for challenges facing the petroleum industry; October 17-18, 2012; at Radisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait
Gastech 2012 Focussed event showcasing the latest innovations, technologies and developments across the gas value chain; October 8-11, 2012; in London, the UK
EVENT LIST
For details contact: ProMedia Post Box 1242 , Dasman 15463 , Kuwait Tel: (+965) 2531 7601 Fax: (+965) 2531 7604 Email: info@promediakw.com
Central and Eastern European Refining and Petrochemicals 2012
TOG Expo 2012
An event providing strategic insights and invaluable intelligence on the latest regional developments and tips to capitalise on opportunities; October 23-25, 2012; at Bucharest, Romania
Event focussing on latest technologies in the oil and gas industry; October 16-18, 2012; at Pavilion 58, Tripoli International Fair, Tripoli
For details contact: Elodie Huiban, Conference Director The World Refining Association
An event showcasing innovations in oil & gas exploration and production; November 27-30, 2012; at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore For details contact: Singapore Exhibition Services Pte Ltd 1 Jalan Kilang Timor #09-02 Pacific Tech Centre Singapore 159303 Tel: +65 6233 6638 Fax: +65 6233 6633 Email: new@sesallworld.com
Dye+Chem Asia 2012 A trade fair for dyes and fine & specialty chemicals industry; December 08-10, 2012; at Sands Expo & Convention Center, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore For details contact: CEMS-Global Asia Pacific Pte Ltd 8 Temasek Boulevard, # 42-00 Suntec Tower Three, Singapore 038988 Tel: + (65) - 6829 - 2144 Fax: + (65) - 6829 - 2145 Email: contact@cems-dyechem.com
The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective organiser. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World
August 2012 | Chemical World
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EVENT PREVIEW InformexINDIA 2012
What to expect?
Prasenjit Chakraborty
“We are excited to be returning to India Around 100 exhibitors will showcase with a specialty focussed event,” says he second edition high value chemistry in a range of Jim Buckley, Brand Director, UBM of InformexINDIA industries, from fuels to personal care. Live’s Informex. (conference & exhibition), Running alongside the exhibition will He further adds, “According to a to be held in September at be a conference that will highlight key recent study by global consulting firm Nehru Centre, Mumbai, McKinsey, India’s specialty is all set to exhibit chemicals industry has the latest developments and potential to grow from opportunities in the the present $ 22 billion to thriving specialty chemical $ 80-100 billion by 2020. sector. It is organised by The Indian Government the team of InformexUSA, In a bid to provide a fillip to the specialty chemicals industry, is putting in place plans North America’s leading InformexINDIA 2012 is scheduled to be held in Mumbai from and regulations to support networking event for September 12-14, 2012. Around 100 participants from the this growth, and our buyers and sellers of specialty chemical arena are expected at the three-day event. event will cover the latest high value chemistry, and Support from prominent industry bodies speaks volumes about developments in this fertile managed in conjunction market while acting as an the importance of the event. with the UBM team in international networking India. The three-day event platform designed to will witness participation cater to those involved in from renowned companies sourcing, R&D and topsuch as Gujarat State level management.” Fertilisers & Chemicals Connecting people Ltd, Supriya Lifesciences, UBM Live connects people Neogen Chemicals, and creates opportunities Calyx Chemicals & for companies across five Pharmaceuticals, TCI continents to develop new Chemicals among business, meet customers, others. InformexINDIA launch new products, is supported by the promote their brands and Basic Chemicals, expand their markets. Pharmaceuticals and Visitors actively interacting with the exhibitors at the 2009 maiden edition Through premiere brands Cosmetic Export such as MD&M, CPhI, Promotion Council, issues in the Indian specialty market. IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Gujarat Chemical Association and Topics will include the regulatory Miami, and many others, UBM Live the Indian Speciality Chemical climate, ‘green’ strategies for success, exhibitions, conferences, awards Manufacturers’ Association (ISCMA). export opportunities in Western and programmes, publications, websites and emerging markets and adapting to training and certification programmes CONFIRMED changing consumer demands. Industryare an integral part of the marketing PARTICIPATION specific tracks will look at developments, plans of companies across more than FOR 2012 EDITION opportunities and challenges in 20 industry sectors. construction, agrochemicals, personal UBM India is part of UBM Plc, o Gujarat State Fertilisers & care, paints & coatings and water which is one of the world’s leading global Chemicals Ltd treatment segments. business media companies. Its portfolio o Supriya Lifesciences The maiden edition of includes exhibitions and conferences o Neogen Chemicals InformexINDIA held in 2009 was quite across a wide range of industries successful. According to the organiser, including medical technology & o Calyx Chemicals & the first event attracted 100 exhibitors pharmacy, construction & infrastructure, Pharmaceuticals and over 3,200 professional visitors, 41 IT, and food, among others. o TCI Chemicals Email: prasenjit.chakraborty@network18publishing.com per cent of whom were decision makers.
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A speciality-focussed information platform
Chemical World | August 2012
BOOK REVIEW
Surfactants in personal care products and decorative cosmetics Edited by: Linda D Rhein; Mitchell Schlossman; Anthony O’Lenick; P Somasundaran Price: ` 3,795
One of the fastest expanding markets, the FMCG segment, is seeing new product launches across all categories. From anti-ageing creams to make-up, surfactants play a key role as delivery systems for skin care and decorative cosmetic products. This exhaustive resource book provides a scientific basis in surfactant science. It compiles all relevant recent advances in the industry necessary for understanding, formulating and testing surfactant-based cosmetics and cosmeceuticals. This book details the function of emulsions, microemulsions, micelles and nanostructures in the formulation of personal care products & decorative cosmetics and examines their ability to deliver specific benefits to the skin. The 23 integrated chapters cover assessment, including a review of skin structure and stratum corneum lipid, colour measurement, non-invasive techniques to measure cutaneous effects and consumer research. The USP of this book is the inclusion of the role of surfactants in finished pigmented products and optimal formulation strategies & surfactant raw materials for enhancing pigmented products. It will assist formulators to identify and overcome the challenges involved in developing new applications and enhancing the benefits of cosmetic products.
The unique phenomenon of chirality plays a significant role in modern chemistry and applied fields. This book offers practical, industrially relevant methods for the synthesis of optically active compounds. It takes note of biological effect of chirality. The book furnishes hands-on guidelines for the development of economically viable synthetic compounds; explains optical isomerism and stereochemistry; gives a general overview of various methods of synthesis; supplies detailed explications of specific techniques, including fermentation, crystallisation, the chirality pool, enzymatic methods and catalytic asymmetric synthesis. Along with lucidly illustrating and comparing approaches, with examples taken directly from industry such as the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, flavours & fragrances, this book clarifies the importance of determining an appropriate approach to use for the synthesis of particular molecules. The book includes extensive literature citations, tables and figures. It will prove to be a resourceful reference for chemical engineers, industrial, organic & medicinal chemists, and also bioprocess technologists. Students in this field can also make the most out of this book.
Chirotechnology: Industrial synthesis of optically active compounds Author: Roger A Sheldon Price: ` 3,195
Reviewer: Tejas Padte, Lecturer, Department of Chemistry, Ramnarain Ruia College, Mumbai
Available at: Wisdom Book Distributors, Hornby Building, 1st floor, 174, D N Road, Mumbai 400 001 Tel: 022-2207 4484/6631 8958, Telefax: 022-2203 4058, Email: thadam@vsnl.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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PRODUCTS
This section provides information about the national and international products available in the market
PVC cable tray The rigid PVC perforated cable tray is an ideal replacement to MS tray. This PVC tray is not affected by any corrosive chemicals and is waterproof. It is used outside for prolonged periods as it is UV stabilised to resist ultraviolet rays of sun. It is available in width ranging from 50 mm to 300 mm, flange heights of 25 m and 50 mm and with a standard length of 2.9 m. The cable tray is lightweight and maintenance-free. It is joined by socketed jointing system, which means no coupler plate is required. Supreme Electroplast Industries Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-28873428, Mob: 09820306252 Email: supshitl@vsnl.com Website: www.supshitl.com
runs to calculated results. The system performs a variety of specific titrations, such as pH, thermo titration, optical, conductometric and on-line titrations. It also includes four titration endpoint-sensing methods available with rapid multiplexing between thermometric, potentiometric, conductometric and chemiluminescence. Multiflo Instruments Pvt Ltd Navi Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-27780880 Email: sales@multifloinstruments.com Website: www.multifloinstruments.com
Gas detector strips
Side channel blower The side channel blower works on the following principle. In the chamber set, in the periphery of the impeller, air is accelerated due to centrifugal force created as the impeller turns and is thrown into the next chamber and is again similarly accelerated, thus continuously increasing compression as the impeller turns until it reaches the outlet part. Features include: non-pulsating continuous airflow, compact and lightweight, no metal-to-metal contact, oil-free air, rugged construction, maintenancefree, low noise level, additional filter system (optional), and construction of cast aluminium alloy. Vacunair Engineering Co Pvt Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-22910771, Mob: 09824036375 Email: info@vacunair.com Website: www.vacunair.com
Multi-titration system The FACTS Ce2010 automated multi-titration system is equipped with a comprehensive Windows-based titration operating system, and is capable of multiplexing. With a PC and user-friendly software, the system controls every aspect of titration analysis, from real-time
These are paper strips impregnated with specific gas sensing chemicals by a special process. Gas is detected with the change of colour of the strip. The gas detector strips are designed specially after keeping in mind the requirements of diverse industries. These are used for H2S, HCN, PH3, AsH3 and mercaptan. Uniphos Envirotronic Pvt Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-40371646 Email: cel@uniphos.com
Filter presses These are sparkler-type filter presses (model BPSF–8) that consist of stainless steel shell and top cover, which use bolts to give pressure-tight enclosure. The filter cartridge assembly inside the shell consists of several horizontally arranged disc-type filter plates with perforated supporting screens, filter media and interlocking cups. Bombay Pharma Equipments Pvt Ltd Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-28594877 Email: bombaypharma@vsnl.net
Looking For A Specific Product? Searching and sourcing products were never so easy. Just type CW (space) Product Name and send it to 51818
eg. CW Pump and send it to 51818 72
Chemical c World | August 2012
PRODUCTS
Mass spectrometry systems The Agilent 5975E GC/MSD is a bundled system, which provides outstanding value for routine analysis. These systems consist of 7820A GC, 5975 series GC/MSD, PC loaded with MSD ChemStation software and printer. An optional 7693A automatic-liquid sampler and 150 vial tray, or Headspace sampler can be added for increased productivity. Agilent Technologies India Pvt Ltd New Delhi Tel: 011-51496664 Email: cag_india@agilent.com
Turbine blowers These are designed to suck or to compress gases/non-explosive air mixtures. These blowers are absolutely oil free with air flow capacities that range from 42 to 1100 m3/hr with maximum vacuum up to 500 mbar and maximum pressure up to 550 mbar. These are light-weight due to Al construction and have 100 per cent oil-free non-pulsating continuous air flow. These blowers require practically zero maintenance and
have silencers on both suction as well as discharge ports. These find applications in areas such as pneumatic conveying systems, industrial vacuum cleaners, printing & paper handling, air pollution monitoring equipment and dental suction equipment. Shree Siddhi Vinayak Industries Thane - Maharashtra Tel: 0250-28458372 Email: response@minivacpumps.com
Wear plate and wear pad Rollon Turcite-B wear plate and wear pad overcome the problems of wear in critical sliding surfaces of machinery. It is used in sugar mills, cement plants and other engineering applications. It is a modified bronze-sintered PFE material with inherent characteristics of self-lubrication, low friction and high load-bearing capacity. The wear-resistance property is enhanced by special wear-resistance additives. Turcite-B can withstand high working pressure of 115 kg/cm² and temperature of –218°C to +260°C. It is fungusresistant and not affected by weather/moisture and most chemicals. Rollon Bearings Pvt Ltd Bengaluru - Karnataka Tel: 080-22266928 Email: rollon@rollonbearings.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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PRODUCTS
Hydraulic test pump The motorised hydraulic test pump comes in sturdy crankcase, completely sealed and made from graded cast iron. Heavy-duty bearings are used to provide support to the alloy steel, hardened and ground crankshaft at both ends. The lubrication of power-end parts and bearings are done by splash lubrication system from reservoir oil in the crankcase. Hardened stainless steel and ground plunger offer corrosion- and abrasion-resistance for longer life. Dev Engineers Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-26403839 Mob: 09824012742 Email: info@devpumps.com
Lubricant additives and reactive surfactants The ADEKA lube S series is an organo-molybdenum compound developed with original technology by ADEKA Corporation. These additives can reduce friction and help save fuels, minimise metal wear &
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extend machine life. The additives give good lubricity performance even under severe conditions, prevent degradation of oil, and extend oil life. Adeka India Pvt Ltd Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-40263301 Email: info@adekaindia.com
Laser particle size and shape analyser The laser particle size and shape analyser is available in wet and dry mode feeding. Low-cost particle sizers for small-scale industry and colleges, mid-range models for quality control, and top-of-the-line models for large-scale industry and research institutes are available. These analysers find applications in pharmaceuticals, cement, pesticides, battery material, graphite, petrochemicals, metallic powders, catalysts, etc. MeasureTest Corporation Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-22027982, Mob: 09869012701 Email: measuretest@yahoo.com
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Rotary evaporator The RV10 rotary evaporator is used for distilling a wide range of liquids. This has an attractive appearance backed by innovative features in the areas of safety, functionality and ergonomics. The evaporator automatically lifts the receiving flask out of the heating bath if the power cuts off. This means that the ongoing test and any distillate already produced are unaffected by the stoppage. The patented geometry of the IKA distillation condenser also provides a larger cooling surface area for distillation. The associated heating bath is ergonomic and safe. IKA India Pvt Ltd Bengaluru - Karnataka Tel: 080-26253925, Mob: 09845387684 Email: usha@ika.in
Industrial plastic components A wide range of industrial plastic components is available in ABS, polycarbonate, EVA, polyacetal, nylon, HDPE, PP, HIPS, PVC and PET. Also offered are rings, closures, spacers, bushings, gears, lids, clamps, housings, handles, brackets, caps, connector brackets, electrical switch boxes, pumps and valve components, etc. A S Engineering Works Mumbai - Maharashtra Mob: 09833617762 Email: moulds.plastic@gmail.com
Magnetic coupling This magnetic coupling is mainly used in providing solutions of leak proofing pumps and agitators handling hazardous and difficult-touse chemicals. The technology involves use of permanent magnets to transmit motor torque to the pump without contact. This enables sealing of the pump shaft hermetically, thus preventing leakage of fluid medium from the pump seals. It finds applications in isocyanate and polyol pumps in polyurethane machines, pharma and chemical process industries, food applications, biotechnology, industrial ovens and batching machines, bottom-mounted agitators for blenders and mixing vessels, etc. BEDA Flow Systems Pvt Ltd Noida - Uttar Pradesh Tel: 0120-4329990, Mob: 09212289411 Email: info@bedaflow.com
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PRODUCTS
Diesel and gasoline nozzles The FuelMaster and Big Mouth diesel and gasoline nozzles are designed for use on farm and consumer pumps. The lightweight Tensalloy aluminium FuelMaster diesel nozzle provides high flow capacity required by truck stops and terminal operations. Micro-touch valve provides smooth operation and exceptional flow control. Super tough nylon hose guard and holdopen clip and easy-to-change lockout style spout assembly are other important features. The lightweight Big Mouth diesel nozzle offers efficient refuelling. Dixon Asia Pacif ic Pvt Ltd Mumbai – Maharashtra Tel: 022-40931555 Email: salesindia@dixonvalve.com.au
Energy saver Sensor-based energy saver (model ACES) automatically switches the air-conditioners On and Off when the temperature in the room is achieved. There is a 3-minute compressor protection time interlock between each On/Off operation. The existing air-conditioner has a crude non-sensitive thermostatic control, which senses the grill
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Chemical World | August 2012
temperature to switch the air-conditioner On/Off, whereas ACES has a precision sensor, which can be placed, in any part of the room to switch the air-conditioner On and Off. This helps in maintaining the comfort temperature in most used part of the room. Gautam Enterprises Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-28750421 Email: gautament@vsnl.net, Website: www.gautament.com
Electronic dosing pump The electronic dosing pump is available from 0-20 lph. It is compact in size and lightweight. The pump is diaphragm-type solenoid-operated pumps. The diaphragm is made of PTFE and backed by hyphalon. It can also be provided with automatic flow switches and level controllers. The pump is suitable for applications in water and wastewater treatment, fuel metering and other chemicals dosing in many process industries. Positive Metering Pumps (I) Pvt Ltd Nashik - Maharashtra Tel: 0253-2381993, Mob: 09326781757 Email: sales@positivemetering.com
PRODUCTS
Cooling tower
Fasteners and steel metal components
This evaporative Fibreglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP) cooling tower is of vertical induced draft counter flow design with uniform water distribution and optimal heat transfer. The tower casing is made of tough FRP and has sufficient structural strength to withstand high wind velocities and vibrations. The fill splits the air and water into several streams, increasing the time of contact. Automatic rotary sprinkler system is made of nylon 66 material; rotary head and sprinkler pipe distribute the hot water over the entire space of the filler. Sprinkler pipes are non-clogging, require low pressure to operate and assure uniform water flow with minimal operating pump head. The performance of cooling tower greatly depends upon the water distribution over the fills. The water is distributed evenly through a wide spray angle without any dry pockets.
The fasteners and sheet metal components are useful in plastic injectionmoulding machines and rubber industries. The components include full thread spindle, HTS hex head bolt, nuts, washers, spiral pin, plugs etc. These materials are offered as per ISO, DIN, IS, BS, JIS and ASTM standards. The materials are made from MS, carbon steel, alloy steel, stainless steel, brass, copper, PVC, nylon, fibre and spring steel. These components are used in hydraulic-pneumatic pumps & valves, electrical, electronics, machine tools, materials handling equipment, home appliances, washing machines, refrigeration and air-conditioning plants, etc.
Gem Equipments Ltd Coimbatore - Tamil Nadu Tel: 0422-2363800, Mob: 09366631697 Email: sales@gemindia.com Website: www.gemindia.com
Zenith Industrial Products Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-28470806 Email: zenith@zip-india.com Website: www.zip-india.com
August 2012 | Chemical World
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PRODUCTS
Simulator The simulator is an apparatus that provides (for testing purpose) conditions like those, which are encountered in real operation or replica of real plant with real-time data. Realtime simulators are offered for refinery: VDU, CDU, FCCU with emulated TDC-3000 console, fertiliser: ammonia and urea plant simulation with emulated Yokogawa DCS console, power plant 210 MW on KWU and LMZ turbines. Triangle Simulation Pvt Ltd Mumbai - Maharashtra Tel: 022-24095682, Mob: 09969074960 Email: triangle_simulate@yahoo.com
Swing check valve The swing check valve comes in sizes ranging from 65 to 300 mm. This valve meets the design requirements as per BS 1868/API 6D/ASME B16.34 and testing requirements as per API 598/EN 12266-1. Face-to-face and end-to-end dimensions (Dim A) conform to ASME B16.10; and drilling & flange dimensions conform to ASME B16.5, while butt weld end dimensions conform to ASME B16.25. To ensure long and trouble-free valve performance, seating surface is accurately machined, precisely aligned and perfectly lapped. Materials of construction are carbon steel and stainless steel. Met-Flow Controls Pvt Ltd Hubli - Karnataka Tel: 0836-2332599, Mob: 09345886999 Email: info@metflowindia.com
High-pressure piston pump The high-pressure piston pump and packages are ideal for transfer and supply of medium-to-high viscosity materials. This line of extrusion ram/pump packages includes single-post and two-post extrusion pump rams and complete ram/pump packages for 5-gallon containers. Featuring superior down-force in a compact footprint, the new ARO ram/pump packages are especially suited to high-viscosity material applications including inks, caulks, mastics, lubricants and more in market segments such as automotive, automotive tier suppliers, printing, packaging and more. Ingersoll Rand Industrial Products Pvt Ltd Ghaziabad – Uttar Pradesh Tel: 0120-4389200 Email: brijesh_mulik@irco.com
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PRODUCTS
Basket centrifuge This product is useful for handling highly corrosive and foodgrade chemical for full vacuum to 25 kg/cm² press and up to 250°C temperature. Halar-coated basket centrifuge is suitable for bulk drugs, fine chemicals and pesticides. An industrial advantage of the halar coating is its smooth surface. FDA approved, non-sticky and chemical resistant, it is available from 14” laboratory machines to 24”, 35” and 48”, three pendulums or up to inertia plate construction. Elasto Polymer Processors (Gujarat) Pvt Ltd Rajkot - Gujarat Tel: 0281-2361623, Mob: 09898344774 Email: epp@sify.com Website: www.atikagroup.com
Steam boiler The non-IBR smoke tube vertical package steam boiler is a custom-built unit for high temperature and heat output rating, fitted with fully automatic oil/gas burners. This boiler comes in the range of 100 to 300 kg/hr smoke tube construction, seamless ASTM 106 GR-B pipes; thermal efficiency is 86.2 per cent on NCV. The unit is easy and economical in operation. Aero Therm Systems Pvt Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-25890158, Mob: 09825008720 Email: contact@aerothermsystem.com Website: www.aerothermsystem.com
Acid fume extraction system The Anticor acid fume extraction system is specially developed for extraction and neutralisation of hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid fume. This system is highly successful in the plants using acids of higher concentration up to 30 per cent. The system mainly consists of polypropylene scrubbing tower with heavy-duty centrifugal fan. Completely made from anti-corrosive materials, the system ensures compilation of stringent environmental conditions stipulated by pollution control authorities and a long working life. Arvind Anticor Ltd Ahmedabad - Gujarat Tel: 079-32918016, Mob: 07878883400 Email: arvindanticor@hotmail.com Website: www.picklingplant.com The information published in this section is as per the details furnished by the respective manufacturer/distributor. In any case, it does not represent the views of Chemical World
August 2012 | Chemical World
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LIST OF PRODUCTS
Sl. No.
Product
Pg. No.
Accelerated ageing test .......................................... 33 Acid fume extraction system ....................................... 81 Acoustic enclosure ......................................................... 2 Agitator .................................................................11, 85 Agitator tank ............................................................... 73 Air-cooled heat exchanger .......................................... 19 Air-cooled steam condenser ........................................ 19 Analytical instrumentation .......................................... 86 Atomiser ...................................................................... 78 Automatic and contained discharge ............................ 31 Bag filter .............................................................. 78 Ball valve ..................................................................... 35 Ball valve-teflon-lined ................................................... 4 Basket centrifuge ......................................................... 81 Batch disperser ............................................................ 11 Bellow & dip-pipe ........................................................ 4 Biodiesel ...................................................................... 33 Butterfly valve ............................................................. 35 Butterfly valves-teflon-lined .......................................... 4 Cake pressing ....................................................... 31 Calorimeter ................................................................. 11 Centrifugal fan ............................................................ 53 Check valve ................................................................. 35 Check valve-teflon-lined ............................................... 4 Chemical & pharmaceuticals ..................................... 80 Chemical equipment ................................................... 47 Chemical tank ............................................................. 81 Column & chemistries ................................................ 86 Compositional & trace metal analysis ........................ 33 Continuous or batch filtration .................................... 31 Cooling tower .......................................................19, 79 Diesel and gasoline nozzle .................................... 78 Disperser ..................................................................... 11 Distillation column ..................................................... 73 Drawer magnet............................................................ 80 Drum type magnetic separator.................................... 80 Dry van pump ............................................................... 2 Dryer .......................................................................... 51 Electronic dosing pump ........................................ 78 Empower ..................................................................... 86 Energy saver ................................................................ 78 Envirotrack-air monitoring ......................................... 77 Etallography ................................................................ 33 Evaporator .................................................27, 51, 78, 85 Exhibition - InformexINDIA 2012............................ 82 Failure analysis ..................................................... 33 Fastener and steel metal component........................... 79 Filler compositional analysis ....................................... 33 Filter press .............................................................72, 74 Finishing machine ....................................................... 80 Flash dryer.............................................................51, 78 Fluid ............................................................................ 8 Fluid bed dryer ............................................................ 78 Forged steel valve ........................................................ 35 FRP piping.................................................................. 61 Fuels-diesel.................................................................. 33 Gas detector strip.................................................. 72 Gase .......................................................................... 33 ................ Gate valve .................................................................... 35
Sl. No.
Product
Pg. No.
Gear ............................................................................ 8 Gear box ........................................................................ 8 Gear motor .................................................................... 8 Gear oil ....................................................................... 33 Geared & flexible coupling ........................................... 8 Globe valve .................................................................. 35 Hastalloy .............................................................. 35 Heat exchanger .....................................................73, 85 Heat transfer equipment ............................................. 53 Heating bath ............................................................... 11 Heating solutions ........................................................ 63 High intensity roller type magnetic separator ............ 80 High pressure blower .................................................. 53 High pressure homogeniser ........................................ 11 High-pressure piston pump ........................................ 80 Hot air generator ........................................................ 78 Hot plate ..................................................................... 11 HPLC ......................................................................... 86 Hydraulic test pump ................................................... 74 Industrial machinery plant & equipment ............... 80 Industrial plastic component ....................................... 77 Informatic .................................................................... 86 Inline disperser ............................................................ 11 Inline magnetic separator ............................................ 80 Inorganic ceramic adhesive ........................................... 3 Kneading machine ................................................ 11 Laboratory reactor ................................................ 11 Laboratory software..................................................... 11 Large diameter welded pipe ........................................ 81 Laser particle size and shape analyser ......................... 74 Lined valve .................................................................. 35 Lined valve & pipe fitting ............................................ 4 Lubes-engine oil.......................................................... 33 Lubricant additive and reactive surfactant .................. 74 Magnetic coupling ................................................ 77 Magnetic drum pully................................................... 80 Magnetic stirrer ........................................................... 11 Mass spectrometry system........................................... 73 Material identification................................................. 33 Mechanical vibratory feeder ........................................ 80 Membrane system ....................................................... 78 Mills .......................................................................... 11 Mixing & drying ......................................................... 27 Modern Pharma magazine .......................................... 22 Modular system pump ................................................ 79 Monel .......................................................................... 35 Multi-desk vibrating screening machine..................... 80 Multi-stage cake washing ........................................... 31 Multi-titration system ................................................ 72 Nickle aluminium bronze ...................................... 35 Non-return valve ........................................................... 4 Over band type magnetic separator ........................ 80 Overhead stirrer .......................................................... 11 Petrol & fuel oil.................................................... 33 Pilot plant.................................................................... 11 Piping system from polypropylene ................................ 6 Plastic part................................................................... 45 Plug valve .................................................................... 35 Pneumatic & hydraulic accessory................................ 43 Pollution control equipment ....................................... 85
Sl. No.
Product
Pg. No.
Polymer characterisation ............................................. 33 Polypropylene filter plate ............................................ 74 Polypropylene recess plate ........................................... 74 PP-recess chamber type filter press ............................ 74 PP-recess chamber type fully automatic filter press ... 74 Pressure and vacuum filtration.................................... 31 Pressure vessel ............................................................. 73 Process gas blowers ..................................................... 53 PTFE-lined valve & pipe fitting .................................. 4 Pump ............................................................................ 2 Pump for chemical equipment .................................... 29 PVC cable tray ............................................................ 72 Reactor ................................................................. 67 Roots blower ................................................................. 2 Rotary atomiser ........................................................... 51 Rotary dry vacuum pumps .......................................... 53 Rotary evaporator ..................................................11, 77 Rotary valves ............................................................... 78 Sampling valve-teflon-lined .................................... 4 Seamless pipe .............................................................. 81 Shaker.......................................................................... 11 Side channel blower ................................................... 72 Silence flow packages .................................................. 53 Simulator ..................................................................... 80 Solid-liquid mixer ....................................................... 11 Specialised storage & transport................................... 15 Spin flash dryer .....................................................51, 78 Spiral cum helical gear box ........................................... 8 Spray cooling system ................................................... 78 Spray dryer ......................................................51, 78, 85 Spray pyrolysis system ................................................. 78 Stainless steel pipe....................................................... 81 Steam boiler ................................................................ 81 Storage tank ................................................................ 73 Strainer-teflon-lined...................................................... 4 Super duplex................................................................ 35 Suspension magnet...................................................... 80 Swing check valve ....................................................... 80 Teflon-lined valve & pipe fitting ............................. 4 Tefzel HHS isotactic PP material ................................ 6 Testing ........................................................................ 33 Thermoplastic valves ..................................................... 6 Thermostat & vacuum dryer/mixer ............................ 11 Titanium ..................................................................... 35 Transmission fluid....................................................... 33 Transmitter.................................................................. 13 Trap magnet ................................................................ 80 Truck blowers.............................................................. 53 Tube .......................................................................... 81 Turbine blowers .......................................................... 73 ‘U’ tube ................................................................. 81 UPLC .......................................................................... 86 Vacuum booster pump ............................................ 2 Vacuum or hot gas drying........................................... 31 Vacuum system ............................................................. 2 Vibration motor .......................................................... 80 Vibratory fluid bed dryer............................................. 78 Wear plate and wear pad ....................................... 73 Welded pipe ................................................................ 81 Worm gear .................................................................... 8
BC - Back Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, FIC - Front Inside Cover
Looking For A Specific Product? Searching and sourcing products were never so easy. Just type CW (space) Product Name and send it to 51818
eg. CW Pump and send it to 51818 August 2012 | Chemical World
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LIST OF ADVERTISERS
Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details
Pg No
Anup Engineering T: +91-2646-250025 E: sales@megamachineryindia.com W: www.megamachineryindia.com
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BASF India Ltd T: +91-22-66618000 E: contact-us-india@basf.com W: www.basf.com
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BHS-Sonthofen (India) Pvt. Ltd. T: +91-40-23315341/45 E: neelesh@bhs-sonthofen.in W: www.bhs-sonthofen.in
31
Chemical Process Piping Pvt Ltd. T: +91-22-67230600 E: salescbg@cppiping.com W: www.cppiping.com Damco India Pvt Ltd T: +91-22-33088249 E: Commercial.India@damco.com W: www.damco.com
Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details
Pg No
11
Network18 Media & Investments Limited T: +91-22-30034650 E: b2b@network18publishing.com W: www.mphonline.in
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Jaykrishna Magnetics Pvt Ltd T: +91-79-22870071 E: info@jkmagnetics.com W: www.jkmagnetics.com
15
Jyoti Ceramic Industries Pvt Ltd T: +91-253-2350120 E: info@jyoticeramics.com W: www.jyoticeramics.com
Pg No
Samson Extrusion Ind Pvt Ltd T: +91-22-23422238 E: samson7@vsnl.com W: www.samson-grp.com
43
Satjyot Enterprises T: +91-09810403546 E: satjyotenterprises@yahoo.co.in W: www.satjyot-enterprises.com
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Satyam Industries T: +91-09881204322 E: satyaminds@yahoo.co.in W: www.satyamindustries.com
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Shachi Engineering Works T: +91-20-66546900 E: shachi_engineering@vsnl.com W: www.shachiengg.com
33
Kwality Process Equipments Pvt Ltd T: +91-250-2453438 E: pdmakwana@vsnl.net W: www.chemicalequipments.com
67
Shiva Analyticals (India) Limited T: +91-80-27971322 E: gupta@shivatec-india.com W: www.shivatec-india.com
81
Lan Marketing Pvt Ltd T: +91-09920780721 E: jai@lanengg.com W: www.maag.com
79
Suraj Limited T: +91-79-27540720 E: suraj@surajgroup.com W: www.surajgroup.com
53
63
2
Litel Infrared Systems Pvt Ltd T: +91-20-66300639 E: nmshah@litelir.com W: www.litelir.com
Swam Pneumatics Pvt Ltd T: +91-120-4696222 E: swamatic@airtelmail.com W: www.swamatics.com
78
19
Food & Pharma Specialities T: +91-120-4236204 E: info@foodpharma.in W: www.foodpharma.in
27
Paharpur Cooling Towers Ltd T: +91-33-24792050 E: pctccu@paharpur.com W: www.paharpur.com
Triveni Engineering T: +91-79-25830411 E: sales@trivenieng.com W: www.trivenieng.com
82
29
G M Engineering T: +91-2827-287658 E: valve@gmengg.com W: www.gmengg.com
35
Pentair Water India Pvt Ltd T: +91-120-4199444 E: marketing.india@pentair.com W: www.pentair.com
UBM India Private Limited T: +91-22-67692415 E: axeena.alex@ubm.com W: www.informexindia.in
77
Heattrans Equipments Pvt.Ltd. T: +91-79-25840105 E: info@heattrans.com W: www.heattrans.com
74
Raj Process Eqpts & Systems(P) Ltd T: +91-20-40710010 E: sales@rajprocessequipment.com W: www.rajprocessequipment.com
85
Uniphos Envirotronic Pvt Ltd T: +91-22-6123500 E: singhrv@uniphos.com W: www.uniphos-she.com UNP Polyvalves India Pvt Ltd T: +91-265-2649248 E: mktg@polyvalve.com W: www.polyvalve.com
6
S S Engineering Corporation T: +91-09310264856 E: ssengg_co@yahoo.co.in W: www.ssenggcorp.com
47
Waters (India) Private Limited T: +91-80-28371900 E: waters_india@waters.com W: www.waters.com
86
Elecon Engineering Company Ltd T: +91-2692-236469 E: infogear@elecon.com W: www.elecon.com
IKA India Private Limited T: +91-80-26253900 E: process@ika.in W: www.ika.in
Advertiser’s Name & Contact Details
8
Emerson Process Management 13 T: +91-22-66620417 E: Enquiry.Rosemount-IN@emerson.com W: www.emersonprocess.com Everest Blower Systems T: +91-11-45457777 E: info@everestblowers.com W: www.everestblowers.com
Hi-Tech Applicator T: +91-79-25833040 E: hitech@ptfeindia.com W: www.ptfeindia.com
4
BC - Back Cover, BIC - Back Inside Cover, FIC - Front Inside Cover
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Chemical World | August 2012
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