C O M P A N Y O V E R V I E W
Allnex
Underlines Ambitious Growth Plans with New Joint Venture in China Written by: Tom Wadlow Produced by: Alex Barron
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ALLNEX
Having become an independent company in April 2013, the specialist resins manufacturer is driving continuous improvement and innovation as part of its plan to grow alongside its customers across numerous industries
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lobal resins producer Allnex has been on a journey of growth since becoming an independent operator last year and is showcasing its ambition by entering a joint venture in China to boost its crosslinker (amino resins) presence in the Asia-Pacific region. Awaiting final clearance to team up with Taiwanese company Eternal Materials, Allnex is looking to bring its specialist products and technologies to geographies which can benefit from its expertise, which now has the company hitting the $1.5 billion mark. The company has more than 2,500 customers being served by its 2,000 employees over 16 manufacturing sites in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, with Europe accounting for around half of business (48 percent). These include big industry names such as PPG, AkzoNobel, Michelin, BASF and Axalta, with more than 500 suppliers feeding into Allnex’s operation. Francois Thys, Vice President Operations outlined the key pillars to the business furthering its success going forward. He said: “Three important elements to us moving forward are growth, operational excellence and people and culture.” “The growth will be achieved both through acquisitions and organically as we strive for continuous improvement. Growth is going to drive success and we want to grow with our customers – we have ambitious plans to grow the top line and our service, products and processes.”
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Pilot plant
The Advent of Allnex Becoming an independent company in April 2013 and making a quick, seamless transition without losing market position has been one of the headline achievements made by the business in recent times. Allnex came into its own after being bought by private equity firm Advent International, a company with 20 years in the chemical sector and with a matching focus on growth. The move brought with it a need for Allnex to rebrand itself externally and internally, with finance, IT, HR and manufacturing departments having to adjust and become centralised. “To the outside world we were continuing as we
Key Personnel
Francois Thys VP Operations Allnex
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We bring chemistry in your organsation
DO-HOW
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It’s all about the right combinations TriFinance is a unique and contemporary organisation in finance consulting. We offer solutions in do-how: the new combination of consulting and secondment resulting into pragmatic advisory. How can we support you? Together we discuss your challenges: a big change project in your organisation, the set-up and organisation of a shared service center, a carve out or merger, ERP-implementations, … All big projects where you need a partner who understands your needs and who can deliver. That’s exactly what we do. The unique part of our approach is how we look at solutions and how we are organized. Our Business Units each have a specific focus and the power of our approach is based on the unique combinations we can make. We go beyond classic consulting and do not think in boxes. By making the right combinations we will bring chemistry in your organisation.
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ALLNEX were, but we had to reassure customers that our operations would not be disrupted and that the new owners would help us to raise the bar even higher,” Thys said. “We also had to find a new name, research its availability and identify ourselves with clients, which was not an easy task.” Allnex is among the leaders in the $35 billion coating resins industry, thanks to its four specialist products lines which include Liquid Resins & Additives, Radiation Curable Resins, Powder Coating Resins and Crosslinkers. Key technologies across these lines respectively include Alkyds and Acrylics, various Oligomers and Lamination, UV powder Resins, and Formaldehyde-Free Crosslinkers and Technical Phenolics.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
M A N U FA C T U R I N G
Radcure synthese lab
TRIFINANCE
TriFinance is a unique and contemporary organisation in finance consulting. We offer solutions in do-how: the new combination of consulting and secondment resulting into pragmatic advisory. Today, we employ more than 600 professionals. Our people have the necessary conceptual know-how and are eager to share their broad practical experience. TriFinance is a single point of contact for CFOs, CCOs, CIOs and CEOs and other company managers looking to solve several issues within their organisation. The unique part of our approach is how we look at solutions and how we are organized. Website: www.trifinance.com
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Aditya Birla Chemicals - Epoxy Division
Asia’s first Germanischer Lloyd accredited Mechanical & Analytical Test laboratory
With manufacturing capabilities in Thailand, India & Germany we are able to deliver our products globally Infinite Applications...One product range... Epotec for all your epoxy needs Epotec resin systems are well established in the industry and used by leading manufacturers. The product portfolio includes a wide range of Epoxy Products based on Bisphenol A, Bisphenol F, Multifunctional Epoxy Phenolic Novolac, Reactive diluents, Cycloaliphatic epoxies, Epoxy blends, water based epoxies and curing agents are offered for various applications in Composites, Coatings, Adhesives, Construction, Electrical and Electronics.
For more information please visit us at www.epotec.info or www.adityabirlachemicals.com
Innovating epoxies for a better world
Composites
Coatings
CeTePox® As individual as you are
Adhesives
Construction
Electricals & Electronics
ALLNEX
M A N U FA C T U R I N G
The front-end applications of these products vary enormously with such resins being used in automotive, industrial, packaging, consumer electronics and architectural products among many others. Driving Growth Allnex’s new owners very quickly demonstrated their vision for growth and continue to back expansion plans. In October 2013, only months after the takeover, Allnex acquired Desmolux from Bayer MaterialScience, a series of nonwaterborne radiation curing resins. The company has also formed a joint venture in China with Taiwanese crosslinker producer Eternal Materials subject to final clearances from the competition authorities.
SUPPLIER PROFILE
Radcure synthese lab
ADITYA BIRLA CHEMICALS
A US $40 billion corporation, the Aditya Birla Group is in the League of Fortune 500. It is anchored by an extraordinary force of over 120,000 employees belonging to 42 nationalities. The Group has been ranked Number 4 in the global ‘Top Companies for Leaders’ survey and ranked Number 1 in Asia Pacific for 2011. ‘Top Companies for Leaders’ is the most comprehensive study of organisational leadership in the world conducted by Aon Hewitt, Fortune Magazine, and RBL (a strategic HR and Leadership Advisory firm). Website: www.adityabirla.com
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ALLNEX
If approved, this will result in the construction of a state-of-the-art manufacturing plant, and will combine Allnex’s specialist technology with the local business knowledge of Eternal, creating a mutually beneficial partnership. Thys added: “We have the technology to go into a market which is asking for it, but not easy to penetrate. Eternal has a presence in the base end of the market and we can help steer a lot of new developments. 10
M A N U FA C T U R I N G
Radcure application lab
Crucially their expertise in operating plants in China is invaluable – partnering with somebody who has this local knowledge of business and the authorities will help us thrive in the market much quicker than going alone.” This plan represents an important step in the wider goal of extending Allnex technologies to parts of the world where they are currently unseen. In February this year it opened an Americas HQ and Technology Centre at Alpharetta in Georgia,
“We have the technology to go into a market which is asking for it, but not easy to penetrate.” – Francois Thys
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Allnex runs SAP, powered by Delaware Consulting
In today’s challenging business environment, companies are continuously looking for ways to optimize their end-to-end processes, with only one goal: create Operational Excellence. Creating a business that is agile enough to respond to customer demand, anytime, anywhere and under any operating condition. We examine various aspects of processes and technology, make recommendations to optimize the efficiency and we implement IT-solutions. We understand the need to keep pace with technology and take advantage of the tremendous opportunities, offered by technological innovation. www.delawareconsulting.com
You operate across Europe. So do we.
Sylmar Technology is dedicated to the supply of high quality solid surface products for domestic and commercial use. In addition to the supply of its key brands maia, minerva and Avonite, Sylmar Technology also offers turnkey solutions for all your solid surface needs. The range of work undertaken ranges from one-off individual retail projects to the full design and fabrication of components delivered to your production line. Whatever your requirements – we can help. Contact Sylmar or visit our website now for more details. sales@sylmar.co.uk | 01773 521300
t: Your contac er Bernd Labugg 452, 8055 Graz sse Alte Poststra 900 ) 5 7686-231 Phone: +43 (0 er.at nk he sc @ az gr nker.com/at www.dbsche
You do business throughout Europe. And we have the network to match. In fact, we have the continent’s densest land transport network, with more than 720 locations in roughly 40 European countries. No one can offer you more ground coverage in Europe or comparable options for transporting your goods. Whether it’s packages or general cargo, partial or full load – we deliver Europe-wide from everywhere to anywhere. The fast lane directly to us: www.dbschenker.com/at
www.sylmarsolidsurfaces.com
ALLNEX
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USA, one of several important research hubs across the company’s network that prides itself on developing innovations hand-in-hand with customer requirements and dialogue. “If you want to ensure growth you need to come up with innovative solutions in what is a quickly changing world with new demands surfacing across sectors,” Thys said. “The natural way to grow for us is with our clients and tracking the evolutions in their markets. “Transforming to a customer focus as part of our continuous improvement is very important; our project called Commercial Excellence involved our sales people mapping our customers and improving the way we work with them.” Customers can also be assured that Allnex operates to high certified standards, with the company’s manufacturing sites up to OHSAS 18001 (health and safety), ISO 9001 (management systems) and ISO 14001 (environment management) levels.
48% Of employees were seconded from the business into the Phoenix ERP project
Phoenix Internally Allnex is harmonising processes across all departments thanks to its two-year Phoenix ERP project; 48 employees from various units including finance, manufacturing, procurement and marketing were seconded from the business to the project team to ensure the new ERP was based on best in class business processes. Having started this in November 2013, Thys is hoping the system will become fully operational w w w. a l l n e x . c o m
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ALLNEX
Pilot plant
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in November 2015 with pilot tests now being conducted. The system will provide vital enhanced visibility, from top floor to shop floor, allowing the company to unify processes and ultimately better serve customers. This project is a leading example of Allnex stepping up its efforts to bring the whole workforce working towards one common objective. “Internally we are communicating to engage our workforce across the whole business, the best ambassadors for the business are our own people,” Thys added. Projects like Phoenix are part of the company’s training initiatives for new and existing employees, which also include on-the-job training and work with outside consultants. Thys said: “We want to develop listeners, communicators and networkers, both for
MANUFACTUR I N G
Company Information INDUSTRY
Manufacturing HEADQUARTERS
Brussels FOUNDED
2013 (became Allnex) EMPLOYEES
activities inside and outside the business. Leadership is vital because the cycles we operate in are becoming shorter and shorter so we need people who can guide us through that.� Another important part of staff development is in Safety, Health and Environment (SHE). The SHE management system adopted by Allnex ensures the protection of Allnex employees, customers, and also enables the company to positively interact with the communities neighbouring its facilities and to preserve the natural environment for now and future generations. The past 18 months have been an exciting one for Allnex, and with bold and ambitious new owners, fruitful joint ventures and ongoing continuous internal improvements, the company can continue to bring its resins to parts of the world yet to benefit from its specialist technologies.
2,000 REVENUE
$1.5 billion PRODUCTS/ SERVICES
Resins Manufacturing
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Square Marie Curie 11 1070 Brussels Tel. +32-2-5604511 Fax. +32-2-5604521 info@allnex.com www.allnex.com