TAGS: Flame Retardants Formulations and Transparency Sustainability / Natural Solutions
UniteChem Group presented a complete portfolio of high-quality additives with a dedicated local footprint in all major markets of the plastics industry. The company’s ambitioned expansions in production capacity, new products, R&D and customer support logistics were featured during K 2022.
“Our investments extend across all levels to make sure that we will be uniquely positioned to serve our customers’ current and future needs with maximum reliability and security of supply,” says Junyi Lin, CEO of UniteChem Group.
HALS for Engineering Polymers
UniteChem Group showcased various new performance additives at K 2022, spearheaded by its recently commercialized HALS LS-2020 for fibers and webs of polyolefin and other polymer materials and HALS LS-119 mainly for agricultural, greenhouse and engineering polymer applications in automotive etc.
Novelties in the portfolio include LS-4050, a low-molecular weight HALS to be officially launched in 2023 for thick-wall items, as well as several halogen-free bisphenol A bis-diphenyl phosphate (BDP) and piperazine pyrophosphate (PAPP) flame retardants for demanding applications such as multi-fiber push on (MPO) connectors, and two high-heat polyamide (PA) stabilizers for automotive parts and fibers.
Moreover, UniteChem also shared a first glimpse on new chemistries in the pipeline, such as N-OR HALS products to meet the demands of the important European agricultural films industry, and various
nucleating agents for polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), engineering polyester (PBT) and polylactic acid (PLA) formulations.
UniteChem will continue expanding its local presence worldwide, with new operations to be established in the U.S. market through a new sales office in New Jersey and warehousing capabilities in Savannah, Georgia becoming operational by end of 2022.
A second European warehouse in southern Europe (Italy) is planned and will complement the existing logistics hub at Antwerp, Belgium. The security of supply is backed by shipments from several different key ports in China, including Guangzhou, where UniteChem operates a major warehouse, as well as Shanghai, Qingdao, Tianjin and Lianyunyang. In order to secure the funding of all these and future investments, the Group has filed for initial public offering (IPO) at the Shanghai Main Stock Exchange and expects to become officially listed by end of 2022.
Investments in Sustainable Global Production
Putting safety and environmental protection first, UniteChem is continuously monitoring, optimizing and upgrading the sustainability of its production infrastructure, implementing dedicated recycling, reuse and reduction initiatives in line with the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
This includes extensive DCS automatic control and SIS safety instrumentation systems, wastewater treatment plants capable of managing up to 1,800 m³ of COD, salt, ammonia and nitrogen loads per day, and state-of-the art hazardous waste management with a capability of 8,800 tons of solid chemical waste treatment per year and 280,000 m³ of waste gas treatment per hour using regenerative thermal oxidization (RTO) technology.
Besides regular third-party audits, a new ESG team has been set up to incorporate and oversee the Group’s sustainability, circular economy and environmental protection initiatives across all operations. Highlights among these are the adoption of a novel, environmentally-friendly and more sustainable technology for synthesizing benzotriazole
UV absorbers in a proprietary catalytic hydrogenation reduction process at UniteChem’s expanding Suqian (Jiangsu) site.
With the construction of two new plants at Shengjin and Shengrui in Jiangsu province and another at Nanchong in Sichuan province proceeding as planned, the capacity for HALS (hindered amine
light stabilizers) and
UV absorbers will be increased by 16,000 and 15,000 tons, respectively – plus 20,000 tons for other key performance additives, including flame retardants, anti-oxidants and
nucleating agents.
Source: UniteChem