Tuesday, 17 May 2022 11:49

Cepsa Quimica introduces chemical products based on recycled raw materials and biomass

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London-based leading global chemicals business Cepsa Quimica has introduced the first two products in a new line of sustainable chemicals: NextLAB and NextPhenol.

  • NextLAB and NextPhenol: first products in a new line of sustainable chemicals

Cepsa Quimica, a market leader in sales of solvents in the UK, has tanks in Tees and Dagenham and distributes its products from those two terminals.

NextLAB and NextPhenol, which are used primarily for the production of cleaning agents and engineering plastics, are now made from renewable and recycled raw materials.

2022 05 17 114910The introduction of the new product lines is not only part of Cepsa Química’s ambitions to make its own business activities fossil-free in the long term, but it also helps Cepsa customers to make their products and production processes more sustainable.

Cepsa Quimica is one of the world's leading producers of LAB (linear alkylbenzene) and phenol. LAB is mainly used in the production of biodegradable, household laundry and cleaning products. Phenol is used in the automotive, construction and pharmaceutical industries among others as a raw material for the production of engineering plastics, nylon, polycarbonate, methyl methacrylate (MMA) and coatings.

“Cepsa Quimica has formulated clear objectives to make the company sustainable and fossil-free in the long term,” explains Jose Maria Cuadro, Head of Cepsa Química’s division for Feedstocks, ESG & HSEQ. “To achieve this, we not only look at our own production processes, energy consumption and the supply chain, but above all we also look at the origin of the raw materials, replacing traditional fossil sources for renewable feedstocks and wastes.

Product specifications

“Although the new range of products, marketed under the NextLAB and NextPhenol brands, contains at least 68% of sustainable (or alternative) carbon sources using the mass balance approach, we are ultimately still supplying the same molecules,” explains Jose María Cuadro. “The only difference is that we no longer get them from fossil sources, but from waste and biomass. The product specifications, performance and applications of the new products are basically the same and the REACH perspective does not change either. We do have to adapt our production processes, because renewable and recycled raw materials need additional treatment.

“From a production point of view the customer however will not notice any difference between the traditional and new products. In addition to increased efficiency in the processing systems, the biggest benefit is that the customer will be able to increase the sustainability of its products and production processes thanks to our sustainable raw materials and thus reduce their ecological footprint. Buyers and consumers are increasingly demanding this.”

ISSC+ certification

The new NextLAB and NextPhenol product lines are currently being produced at factories of Cepsa Quimica in the Spanish provinces of Cádiz and Huelva, but also in Shanghai. These plants have been certified according to the ISCC Plus standard, which focuses on the sustainability and traceability of recycled materials, waste products and biomass for the production of recyclable plastics and chemical raw materials. The ISCC Plus certificate proves that a company meets globally recognised requirements for ecology and sustainability, voluntary reduction of greenhouse gases and traceability. ISCC Plus certifications are also in the pipeline for the production of LAB and LABSA at the plants in Detén (Brazil) and Bécancour (Canada).

Next steps

Cepsa's portfolio of sustainable raw materials and sustainable products will be expanded in the coming years. The development of the new product lines is a logical result of the continuous focus of the company on innovation and sustainability of both products and production processes as Cepsa Química, together with Universal Oil Products (UOP) developed the Detal technology, the most modern and environmentally friendly production process currently available for the manufacture of LAB

About Cepsa Quimica

Cepsa Química is a world leader in its sector and is leading the shift towards sustainable chemistry, with a clear commitment to the fight against climate change and the transition to a circular, non-fossil economy. The company leads the worldwide production of LAB, the main raw material used in biodegradable detergents, where Cepsa Química is a pioneer player. It is also number one in the production of cumene, an intermediate product used in the production of phenol and acetone, which are the main raw materials for the manufacture of engineering plastics and of which it is the world's second largest producer. Cepsa Química currently employs more than 1.000 people and has plants in seven countries around the world (Spain, Germany, Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia and Nigeria).

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