Manali Petrochemicals (MPL), an integrated manufacturer of polyols and a member of the AM International group, has recently executed a long-form agreement with Econic Technologies, a UK-based company. The two organizations signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) last year with the goal of introducing more environmentally friendly, CO2-containing polyols into the $28 billion global polyol market.
The 1,300 liter reactor at the MPL plant would undergo a scale-up over the course of two years. The long form signifies the commencement of MPL-Econic's partnership. The company would concentrate on the industrial scale-up of the technology of its 12,000+ reactors and the commercialization of CO2-containing polyols over the next three years.
Ashwin Muthiah, chairman, MPL, and founder-chairman, AM International Holdings, said, “Science and innovation would play a key role in ensuring that our manufacturing plants implement eco-friendly and cost-efficient technology. MPL’s partnership with Econic Technologies brings significant R&D-led improvements to the production process. Alongside delivering a greener product to our customers, it reaffirms our ESG commitment towards a carbon neutral planet.” Throughout MPL's business value chain, the partnership between Econic and MPL, which is unparalleled in India, presents significant opportunities.
Econic's processing technology and catalyst are patented, and they employ waste CO2 as a feedstock to manufacture polyols. The green polyols strategy would also improve the company's prospects in the USD 28 billion global polyols market, which would be advantageous in a world that is becoming more environmentally conscious.
Keith Wiggins, CEO of Econic Technologies, said, “We appreciate this next development in our partnership with MPL and the opportunity to work with them as a pioneering licensee of Econic’s technology in one of the world’s biggest and fastest growing geographies. It’s an exciting time to be implementing solutions that meet consumer demand for more sustainable products made using waste CO2.” The MPL and Econic teams would collaborate during the initial phase to design the retrofit equipment that is required, as well as to engineer, procure, and construct the retrofit.
The commissioning and operation of the demonstration plant would be conducted. During the industrial scale phase, companies would collaborate to prepare for the provision of front-end engineering design, FEED and EPC work, industrial plant commissioning, and operation. In order to ensure the project's success, the companies would establish a joint decision committee to oversee all decision-making processes.
Muthukrishnan Ravi, MD, Manali Petrochemicals, and CEO, Petrochemicals, AM International Holdings, said, “At MPL, we are continuously introducing sustainable technologies in our operations. Through this, we envision not just financial savings but also serving our customers with eco-friendly solutions. The collaboration with Econic would add further impetus to our efforts to build a cleaner future by using alternate energy resources.”
The fundamental components of polyurethanes are the polyols. They are employed to create adhesives, sealants, coatings, elastomers, and foams that are both flexible and rigid. These products are indispensable for a diverse array of everyday items, such as automotive interiors and mattresses, building insulation and refrigeration, sports and footwear, protective coatings, and industrial products. Customized quantities of CO2 are incorporated into polyols by Econic's proprietary catalyst technology to meet the exacting specifications of material properties, such as strength, water resistance, flexibility, and processability. Consequently, the polyurethanes produced using catalyst technology would be tailored to accommodate the diverse requirements of MPL's clients.
Source: Construction Week
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