Sheffield Forgemasters’ shareholders have agreed to sell its entire share capital to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to support a substantial recapitalisation of its defence-critical plant, equipment and infrastructure necessary to secure the delivery of components into future MoD programmes.

The intervention will secure Sheffield Forgemasters’ role as a key supplier into the MoD for the long-term and is structured to invest substantial new capital into the modernisation of defence-critical assets, including plans for a replacement heavy forge line and building, a flood alleviation scheme and major machine tool replacements.

The company’s main driver of revenue and profitability over recent years has been manufacturing specialist forgings and castings Afor submarine platforms and surface vessels as a supplier to Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Babcock International, who have provided guarantees to support the financing of the company. With the company’s existing credit facilities due to expire in December and significant investment required for it to a reliable supplier into MoD, the intervention provides the financing necessary to place the company on a secure footing.

David Bond, CEO at Sheffield Forgemasters, said: “The agreement to bring the company under the ownership of the MoD provides a more secure future for the business and its people. The MoD’s intention is to invest up to £400m over the next 10 years to replace defence-critical equipment and infrastructure as we recapitalise our productive capacity, positioning the company to retain and create new highly skilled manufacturing jobs within the Sheffield City region.”

“Sheffield Forgemasters and its shareholders are not able to fund an investment of this size and so this acquisition marks the culmination of a process, started two years ago, that enables us to be a reliable and secure supplier to defence for the long-term. I am grateful to my colleagues on the Board and throughout the business who have supported us on this journey.”

The intervention heralds a new chapter in the long history of Sheffield Forgemasters and is expected to benefit the local economy.

Steve Hammell, CFO, added: “The board of directors at Sheffield Forgemasters is unanimous in its support for the terms of the acquisition and is strongly of the view that the deal is in the long-term interests of all stakeholders of the business, including shareholders, employees, customers, suppliers, the local community and the Sheffield City region.

“We have secured the support of our major shareholders, who have agreed to sell their shares to the MoD at a price of 121 pence per share, equating to total consideration of £2.56m.”

“The transaction also involves a refinancing of the company’s credit facilities with the financial guarantees provided by Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Babcock falling away. We will now enter an approved offer period with completion of the deal to follow in 3 weeks time.”

Mr Hammell added: “We recently announced the purchase of a second hand 13,000 tonne forging press from Japan and will move forward with the recapitalisation programme to renew defence-critical infrastructure.”

Sheffield Forgemasters will operate under the leadership of its current executive directors and senior management, supplemented by the appointment of two further non-executive directors including one from UK Government.

Mr Bond highlighted the future ambitions of the business: “Although the MoD’s priority is to secure defence outputs, we will continue to operate in commercial markets with our existing equipment and will also look to exploit opportunities that may arise from the UK Government’s net zero carbon agenda, including Off-shore Wind projects and the Civil Nuclear market.

He concluded: “Sheffield Forgemasters has now established a base for a sustainable future. These are exciting times for the company as we enter a new chapter in its 200 year history alongside the Ministry of Defence.”

Following completion of the acquisition, the following Board arrangements shall apply:

• David Bond has entered into an extension of his secondment arrangement with the Company and BAE Systems plc to continue acting as Chief Executive Officer for a period of 3 years;

• Colin Smith CBE will continue as Chairman, Stephen Hammell will continue as Chief Financial Officer, Gareth Barker will continue as Chief Operating Officer, Janice Munday CBE remains as a Non-Executive Director;

• David Duggins will step down as a Non-Executive Director by 31 December 2021 and will be succeeded by a newly appointed replacement with appropriate financial expertise and experience;

• A new Non-Executive Director will be appointed by the Secretary of State for Defence to represent the interests of the Ministry of Defence and a new Non-Executive Director will be appointed to provide oversight of the recapitalisation programme with appropriate infrastructure development expertise and experience.

The company provides casting and forging solutions for the world’s most complex engineering challenges.

Sheffield Forgemasters specialises in the design and manufacture of high integrity forgings and castings offering end-to-end manufacture for steel production from a single site in the UK.

Global markets served include UK Defence, Global Defence, Civil Nuclear, Oil & Gas, Power Generation, Renewables and Steel Processing.

The company also offers design, project management, steel melting, forging, casting, machining, testing and delivery. In addition, a number of specialist services are available onsite and through an extensive supplier network.

Some of the largest bespoke engineered steel products in the world are produced at the Brightside Lane facility with capacity for castings of up to 350 tonnes and forgings of up to 175 tonnes finished weight.

Brenntag, the global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution, made further important steps in strengthening its business in China with the closing of two acquisitions within its Specialties division. On July 23, the acquisition of the first tranche (67%) of food ingredients specialist Zhongbai Xingye has been closed. The closing of the second tranche and thus the full acquisition of Zhongbai Xingye is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. In addition, end of June, Brenntag has completed the acquisition of pigments and additives specialist Wellstar Group by acquiring the remaining 49% of shares of the joint venture.

Henri Nejade, Member of the Management Board of Brenntag SE and COO Brenntag Specialties, comments: “Strengthening our Brenntag Specialties division, particularly in China, as well as in the Asia Pacific region in general, is a central pillar of our company’s M&A strategy. I am particularly delighted that we stuck exactly to our timing in both cases and were able to successfully close the important acquisition steps in the dynamic and growing Asian markets as planned.”

The Chinese company Zhongbai Xingye is dedicated to the distribution of a wide range of specialty food ingredients, including dairy products and proteins. The acquisition of the leading player in mainland China is an important step for Brenntag to become a full-line distributor of food ingredients in the Asian market. Closing of the second tranche is expected at the end of 2024. 

The Wellstar Group is headquartered in Hongkong and operates three subsidiaries in Mainland China located in Shenzhen, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. Since Brenntag acquired a majority stake of 51% with a first tranche in August 2017, the business was operated and successfully developed as a joint venture servicing a broad range of industries. With the closing of the second tranche, the Wellstar Group is 100% owned by Brenntag.

About Brenntag:

Brenntag is the global market leader in chemicals and ingredients distribution. The company holds a central role in connecting customers and suppliers of the chemical industry. Headquartered in Essen, Germany, Brenntag has more than 17,000 employees worldwide and operates a network of more than 670 sites in 77 countries. In 2020, Brenntag generated sales of around 11.8 billion EUR. The two global divisions, Brenntag Essentials and Brenntag Specialties, provide a full-line portfolio of industrial and specialty chemicals and ingredients as well as tailor-made application, marketing and supply chain solutions, technical and formulation support, comprehensive regulatory know-how, and digital solutions for a wide range of industries. In the field of sustainability, Brenntag pursues specific goals and is committed to sustainable solutions in its own sector and the industries served. Brenntag shares are listed at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and are included in the MDAX and DAX 50 ESG. For more information, visit www.brenntag.com.

Xaar officially opened its new global headquarters in Cambridgeshire with a ceremony presided over by Chairman Andrew Herbert, CEO John Mills, CFO Ian Tichias and General Manager of the printhead business unit Graham Tweedale, alongside members of the team.

The move builds on Xaar’s recent rebrand and launch of its ImagineX platform as it continues to focus on the development of inkjet technology for printing and manufacturing applications worldwide.

Located on the Cambridge Business Park, in Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, the new facility houses Xaar’s finance, HR, legal and marketing functions, as well as a new purpose-built R&D laboratory. Specifically configured to enhance the working environment for the team the new offices also embrace Xaar’s commitment to flexible working for employees.

Importantly, the offices also provide a significantly reduced carbon footprint for Xaar as it focuses on its sustainability objectives across the business.

Whilst the Waterbeach headquarters contains most of the corporate functions, the Huntingdon manufacturing facility will remain a key part of Xaar’s commitment to innovation, client collaboration and embracing new market opportunities.

On opening the new headquarters, John Mills, said; “We are proud of our heritage in Cambridgeshire and our new offices will provide the best working environment to help us continue to drive the global development of industrial inkjet technology use worldwide.”

About Xaar

Together with our partners and customers, Xaar has been transforming the world of inkjet technology for 30 years – and we’re just getting started.

With a new leadership team, new technology and new products, we have an exciting roadmap for the future – that will help our partners unleash the true power of inkjet printing and open up a world of opportunities for their business.

We believe true innovation comes from collaboration, which is why all our teams work together in Cambridgeshire where industrial inkjet was born.

Collaboration is at the core of our global partnerships too - whether we’re helping customers enhance their uptime or create production efficiencies from high-speed digitisation - we’re always innovating together.

We know that inkjet technology can not only maximise the efficiency of our partners’ businesses but help them evolve too. That’s why we go on a journey with our customers - offering expert insights and technical support every step of the way. Just like our printheads, Xaar’s partnerships are built to last.

Welcome to a whole new Xaar.
www.xaar.com

HBK has created a robust force sensor to provide long-term stability and exceptionally precise measurement results, even in harsh applications and difficult environments where traditional load cells would struggle to function reliably – the U10F.

Featuring flange connections on both sides, the sensor is easy for engineers to install without the need for any special tools. Compact dimensions and the availability of transducer electronic data sheets (TEDS) facilitate the setup of measurements even further.

The sensor’s built-in technology is protected against external influences, including dirt and moisture, thanks to the hermetically sealed stainless-steel housing. The U10F series fixed-cable version meets requirements for the IP68 degree of protection - and has been tested for shock and vibration resistance, as well as compliance with EMC international standards.

U10F force sensors are available with several capacities, connection plugs or cable options so they can be adapted to the measuring task at hand. A double bridge variant is also available, making the U10F a safe choice for classical test-bench tasks, as well as production applications like press monitoring or other measurement tasks in production.

More information about HBK’s U10F is available on the company’s website: https://www.hbm.com/en/10337/new-u10f-tensile-compressive-force-sensor/

About HBK – Hottinger Brüel & Kjær
Industry market leaders HBM and Brüel & Kjær have joined forces as HBK - Hottinger, Brüel & Kjaer to form the world’s foremost provider of integrated test, measurement, control and simulation solutions.

HBK – Hottinger, Brüel & Kjaer provides a complete portfolio of solutions across the test and measurement product life cycle, that unites the physical world of sensors, testing and measurement with the digital world of simulation, modelling software and analysis. By creating a scalable and open data acquisition hardware, software and simulation ecosystem, product developers can cut time-to-market, drive innovation and take the lead in a highly competitive global marketplace.

For more information visit www.hbkworld.com

Augmented reality (AR) has replaced artificial intelligence (AI) as the most disruptive emerging technology, according to a survey by GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

GlobalData’s latest report, ‘Emerging Technology Sentiment Analysis Q2 2021’, reveals that 70%* of industry professionals surveyed stated that AR would disrupt their industry most out of a selection of  seven emerging technologies AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, IoT, blockchain, and 5G, in addition to AR. This was a sharp increase from the previous quarter, where only 51% selected AR. In addition, 58% said they had become more positive towards the technology over the last 12 months.

Filipe Oliveira, Senior Analyst at GlobalData, commented: “This change in how people see AR will likely be long term, and not just a temporary blip. It is clear that people are warming towards the technology, even if they don’t believe that it will make a big difference tomorrow.”

When asked when AR will disrupt their industries, survey respondents were cautious. They expect the impact to be felt later in the decade. While more than half of Q2 respondents said that cybersecurity and cloud computing are already disrupting their industries, only 24% said the same about AR. Moreover, only 10% think that the disruption will come in the next 12 months.

The same pattern was observed when respondents were asked which technologies would live up to all their promises. More than 60% expected cloud computing and cybersecurity to deliver fully, but only 26% expected the same from AR. Further, 50% of respondents said that the technology was hyped, but they could see a use for it.

Oliveira added: “The contrast between the large share of respondents that said AR is disruptive and the low share that said AR was already disrupting their industry suggests that there is some way to go before AR becomes ubiquitous in business. However, several conditions are aligned to make the promotion of AR as a business tool easier.”

COVID-19 has put some AR use cases in the spotlight, namely in healthcare and ecommerce, and new uses are continuing to emerge. For example, in April, Delta Air Lines announced that it would equip all flight attendants with AR technology delivered via 5G to enhance training and help staff with in-flight catering.

• ‘slight’ or ‘significant’ responses combined

GlobalData’s quarterly “Emerging Technology: Sentiment Analysis” report is based on six polls that received 2,341 responses from participants that work across over more than 30 business sectors. The polls were conducted online in Q2 2021 on the Verdict network of B2B websites, which have 49 million unique visitors a year. The polls were designed to help GlobalData understand current sentiment of the business community towards emerging technologies and evaluate how sentiment is likely to evolve in the near future. The questions asked are a snapshot of GlobalData’s annual Emerging Technology survey.

Quotes provided by Filipe Oliveira, Senior Analyst at GlobalData,

About GlobalData

4,000 of the world’s largest companies, including over 70% of FTSE 100 and 60% of Fortune 100 companies, make more timely and better business decisions thanks to GlobalData’s unique data, expert analysis and innovative solutions, all in one platform. GlobalData’s mission is to help our clients decode the future to be more successful and innovative across a range of industries, including the healthcare, consumer, retail, financial, technology and professional services sectors.

Selecting appropriate product data in engineering is often time consuming. However, the new EPLAN Data Portal, with a new user interface and improved search algorithms, makes it easier and faster than ever before. Expanded search parameters mean that users can quickly find exactly the components they are looking for. Individualised solutions based on configurators can be intuitively generated – as demonstrated by the Lenze product configurator.

More than one third of all the data in the EPLAN Data Portal – for instance, those from Rittal – already conforms to the new, high quality Data Standard.

The new EPLAN Platform is on the verge of being released and will also mark the moment when the EPLAN Data Portal will exclusively be available for use in the EPLAN ePulse cloud environment. The platform’s updated user interface offers numerous enhancements for searching for and finding device data. Improved search algorithms and parameters make it much easier for users to quickly find the appropriate components to download. Increased system performance also ensures greater speed when selecting components. Another new feature is the integration of the Lenze product configurator.

Configurators streamline product selection
Lenze Director of Team Processes and Data Bernd Spiegel explains: “The direct integration of our product configurator into the new EPLAN Platform lets customers very quickly find the product they need. There’s no need to search for devices in extensive lists and customers get the devices that match their requirements. Aside from which, this cooperation also provides benefits for Lenze as a manufacturer of many products and variants. Maintaining the data for the configurator in EPLAN Electric P8 is much easier for us than doing that for all the distinct variants of a product series.”

A real life example: A user needs a frequency inverter. Using the Lenze Easy Product Finder, said user needs just a few steps to find a suitable device from the company’s i550 series of devices. The defining characteristics such as rated power, supply network type, and the type of fieldbus network are included as selection criteria. Once users have decided on a particular device based on these parameters, the associated EPLAN data can be generated in the detail view and then imported into the CAE solution’s device management.

Portal users need only a few step to be able to find a suitable i550 series device using configurators such as the Lenze Easy Product Finder.

Around three million data sets available on the portal
The configurators of additional manufacturers, including Endress+Hauser, Bosch Rexroth and Rittal, all work in a similar way. This makes each manufacturer portfolio easily accessible to design engineers. Selecting devices and acquiring high quality data is easy and intuitive. The data is up to date and can be transferred directly into projects. Similarly to configuring features for a new car, users are guided through the various product families of the assorted manufacturers. Integrating configurators doesn’t just expand the data available in the portal (more than 1 million data sets) by approximately two million configurable variants, it also makes it easier for users to compile high quality device data.
In addition, there are selectors from Aventics, IPF and Schneider Electric that ensure fast product selection. There’s no question that the data is correct thanks to the targeted narrowing of selections via search parameters. This portfolio will soon be expanded with the offerings from two additional well known global players – meaning users have even more to look forward to.

EPLAN Data Standard becoming entrenched
More than one third of the data on the portal already conforms to the new, high quality Data Standard, and solutions provider EPLAN has set further ambitious goals: half of all the device data should meet the Data Standard by the end of 2022, if possible. This calls for further commitments from device manufacturers, many of whom are recognising the benefits of having 100 percent digital data. Big players that have been pioneers in this in the international arena include Chint (China), IFM, Pilz, Rittal and SMC (Europe), Numatics (USA) and Omron (Japan).

Pilz Vice President Customer Support International Arndt Christ says: “We’re pleased that we can now offer our customers high quality engineering data. In 2020, we decided to create our Pilz product macros to conform with the EPLAN Data Standard. The data standardisation that is currently possible, which makes using the macros easier, benefits our inhouse engineering departments in our affiliated companies and, externally, our customers around the globe. While macros previously had to be inserted into designs using value sets, today it can be accomplished using a functional template. The benefits include improved networking of data – for instance between 2D and 3D – fewer errors because the wiring connections are precisely defined, and time savings above all because the macros are standardised. The new Data Standard, particularly the functional template, is a mark of quality for our macros and meets our expectations for high quality data. We have a dependable partner for the future in EPLAN, someone we can work with to continue advancing this approach.”

EPLAN Director Cloud Business Master Data Timm Hauschke says: “The aspiration for high quality from the manufacturers coincides with the demands of our users. After all, only comprehensive, integrated, end to end data forms the foundation for the digital twin, which provides information for processes and to machines along all the stations of the process, from design engineering to manufacturing. The EPLAN Data Standard is being implemented worldwide since its introduction. Our goal is for device data to be available 100 percent digitally, thus providing the ideal foundation for highly efficient engineering.”

Eplan Software & Service
EPLAN provides software and service solutions in the fields of electrical, automation and mechatronic engineering. The company develops one of the world’s leading design software solutions for machine and panel builders. EPLAN is also the ideal partner to streamline challenging engineering processes.

Both standardised as well as customised interfaces to ERP and PLM/PDM systems ensure data consistency along the whole value chain. Working with EPLAN means boundless communication across all engineering disciplines. No matter whether small or large enterprises: Customers can apply their expertise more efficiently. Worldwide, EPLAN supports 61,000 customers. EPLAN wants to grow further with customers and partners and pushes integration and automation in engineering forward. Within the EPLAN Partner Network, open interfaces and seamless integrations are realised together with partners. „Efficient engineering“ is the focus.

EPLAN was founded in 1984 and is part of the owner-operated Friedhelm Loh Group. The Friedhelm Loh Group operates worldwide with 12 production sites and 94 international subsidiaries. The entire group employs 11.600 people and generated revenues of around €2,2 billion in 2020. For the 13th time in succession, the family business has won the accolade “Top German Employer” in 2021. In addition, Friedhelm Loh Group was recognized as “Top vocational trainer” according to a study of Deutschland Test and Focus Money.
For more information visit:

www.eplan.de and www.friedhelm-loh-group.com

Solenis, a leading global producer of specialty chemicals, recently launched an informative new blog to help customers and organizations in water-intensive industries. Located at www.solenis.com/en/newsblog, the blog features tips and educational articles for sustainable water treatment and process improvement.

From the use of artificial intelligence in papermaking, to the impact of legislation on sustainable food and beverage packaging, Solenis’ blog covers a range of today’s most pertinent topics for both consumer and industrial markets.

Content will be updated regularly and is authored by Solenis team members, including technical experts and members of the leadership team. Subjects will include sustainability and social responsibility, artificial intelligence in papermaking, changes in food and beverage paper packaging, graphic paper development, tissue and towel production, industrial water treatment, wastewater management and more.

Readers can easily filter articles by industry or browse by themes such as digital solutions, process enhancement, barrier coatings and sustainability.

“Solenis has long been a trusted partner with the resources to help solve the most complex sustainability challenges,” said Christoph Adami, vice president, Technology and Global Marketing for Solenis. “This new blog allows us to better share our expertise with plant managers, brand owners and others who work in consumer and water-intensive industries so they can manage their resources more efficiently — and more sustainably.”

The blog adds to Solenis’ expanding portfolio of resources for decision-makers. The company also recently launched a new website at www.solenis.com/explore, which offers greater transparency into its sustainability efforts plus easy access to product and solution information, like the Solenis safety data sheet (SDS) library.

For more information, visit the new blog at www.solenis.com/en/newsblog. 

About Solenis

Solenis is a leading global producer of specialty chemicals focused on delivering sustainable solutions for water-intensive industries, including the pulp, packaging paper and board, tissue and towel, oil and gas, petroleum refining, chemical processing, mining, biorefining, power and municipal markets. The company’s product portfolio includes a broad array of water treatment chemistries, process aids, functional additives as well as state-of-the-art monitoring and control systems. These technologies are used by customers to improve operational efficiencies, enhance product quality, protect plant assets and minimize environmental impact. Headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, the company has 41 manufacturing facilities strategically located around the globe and employs a team of approximately 5,000 professionals in 120 countries across five continents. Solenis is a 2021 US Best Managed Company.

For additional information about Solenis, please visit www.solenis.com

While investment in clean energy plays a huge part in achieving global climate goals, it must coincide with the further electrification of industrial processes. Even in the oil and gas industry, there is significant room for the decarbonization of processes, particularly in thermal applications. Innovative technologies have solved many of the challenges that previously hindered the implementation of electric process heating, making it an obvious area where companies should focus their efforts. Here, Dennis Long, director of global marketing energy and environmental technologies at industrial technology company Watlow, explains more.

In May 2021, a Dutch court ruled that Royal Dutch Shell must reduce its carbon emissions by 45 per cent, compared to 2019 levels. What makes this significant? The ruling marks the first time that a company has been legally obliged to align its practices and policies with the 2015 Paris climate accord. And it’s believed that more will follow suit.

As producers of traditional fossil fuels, oil and gas companies are recognizing the need to reduce their own carbon footprints. Even as it continues to process and distribute fossil fuels for the world’s energy consumption, the oil and gas sector is limiting its own use of them.

The Paris Climate Conference and IEA report

Often perceived as the catalyst for action on climate change, the Paris Agreement set the goal of keeping global temperature rise contained to two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.

The agreement also contained measures for the monitoring, verification and reporting of progress toward those targets. In May 2021, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a new report detailing the steps to achieve net-zero carbon emissions (NZE) by 2050. The report sets out 400 milestones, including steps such as ceasing new construction of coal and oil power plants, phasing out unabated ones by 2040 and calling an end to investment in fossil fuels.

While reactions to the report have been mixed, it is clear that organizations are working hard to envision themselves in the picture that the IEA has painted of the future. For example, the Qatar-based trade organization Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) has agreed on the need to attain NZE, but re-emphasizes its belief that natural gas has a central role to play in energy transition, especially as developing countries move away from coal-fired plants. We won’t completely say goodbye to fossil fuels immediately, but there are several steps oil and gas companies can take to clean up their own operations.

Decarbonizing fossil fuels processing

It is still an open question as to where in a process companies should start making changes. Process heating is one obvious area. However, there are factors to consider when switching to electric process heaters.

First, electric heaters need to be able to accommodate the larger wattage and amperage necessary to hit specific temperature requirements. Furthermore, adequate control of the heater is needed to ensure that processes can be performed safely. Another consideration is the potential for coking and fouling, which is often a result of hot spots in a process heater created by so-called ‘dead-zone’ areas with little flow.

But challenges can be overcome. Newer technologies incorporated into electric heat exchangers allow for designs that take advantage of increased heat flux — i.e. watt density — for a given gas composition and a set of application conditions. Higher watt densities can help make processes more efficient and less costly, while still meeting critical temperature requirements, reducing overall footprint and providing safer operation. To deliver better control, two separate control systems should be used: one for process temperature control and one for high limit control. PID-type process temperature controllers offer more stable control and faster response than on/off switching controls or thermostats.

To dimmish fouling rates, heaters with Continuous Helical Flow Technology™ do not have these dead zones, which delivers a more uniform temperature across the heating surface. Material is always in motion and does not have time to collect and degrade. The result is near-elimination of fouling. Heaters with this technology, like Watlow’s own HELIMAX™, boast a much smaller footprint, allowing for a more efficient use of space.

Electrification of thermal processes will play a key role in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Companies in this industry have been taking significant steps to reduce their overall carbon footprint by electrifying their processes. However, making the switch to modern electric process heaters is key to helping the industry achieve its goals.

To find out more about Watlow’s range of electric heating equipment, visit watlow.com.

About Watlow:

Watlow is a global industrial technology company that uses its world-class engineering expertise, advanced thermal systems and manufacturing excellence to enrich everyday life. Many of the world’s leading companies leverage our technology in vital applications such as semiconductor processing, environmentally-friendly energy solutions and lifesaving medical and clinical equipment, to name a few. Founded in 1922, Watlow’s culture is driven by our purpose of “Enriching Lives Through Inspired Innovation,” enabling us to deliver high-impact solutions that improve our customers’ competitive advantage.

Markku Korvenranta, M.Sc. (Eng), has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Oil Products business unit and member of the Neste Executive Committee. He will join Neste in January 2022, at the latest, and will report to President and CEO Peter Vanacker. Korvenranta will transfer to Neste from Marquard & Bahls, Germany, and will be based in Finland.

Markku Korvenranta, M.Sc. (Eng), has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Oil Products business unit “I am pleased to welcome Markku to lead our Oil Products business unit and strengthen our Executive Committee with his extensive leadership experience. He has a solid track record from successful transformational strategy execution in an international business environment,” says Peter Vanacker, Neste’s President and CEO.

“I am thrilled to join Neste, and excited to lead the Oil Products to reach its full potential aligned with the company strategy of becoming a global leader in renewable and circular solutions,” says Markku Korvenranta. 

“I want to express my warm thanks to Marko Pekkola who has been leading our Oil Products business unit through turbulent times of the global pandemic and carrying out a major turnaround of Porvoo refinery in very challenging circumstances. I wish him all the best in his future career,” continues Vanacker.
 
Marko Pekkola has decided to continue his career outside Neste. Sami Oja, Vice President, Supply Chain Management and Business Development of Oil Products, will take up the role as an interim leader of the Oil Products business unit as of today.

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. We refine waste, residues and innovative raw materials into renewable fuels and sustainable feedstock for plastics and other materials. We are the world’s leading producer of renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel, developing chemical recycling to combat the plastic waste challenge. We aim at helping customers to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with our renewable and circular solutions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030. As a technologically advanced refiner of high-quality oil products with a commitment to reach carbon-neutral production by 2035, we are also introducing renewable and recycled raw materials such as waste plastic as refinery raw materials. We have consistently been included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices and the Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2020, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 11.8 billion, with 94% of the company’s comparable operating profit coming from renewable products. Read more: neste.com

Metso Outotec is introducing a comprehensive portfolio of thickening and clarifying solutions to achieve new levels of operational reliability and performance in minerals and metals processing. The solutions continue to set the industry standard with state-of-the-art High-Rate Thickeners, High-Compression Thickeners, Paste Thickeners, Inclined Plate Settlers, and Clarifiers. 

“We are excited to launch our combined thickeners and clarifiers portfolio to the market. This portfolio is designed to help our customers unlock the full potential of their dewatering process. Our solutions provide high process performance, facilitate efficient operation, and feature a robust design, enabling increased uptime,” says Brian Berger, Vice President, Thickening and Clarifying solutions at Metso Outotec. “With the combination of these features in the portfolio, our customers can align their profitability and sustainability targets.”

HCT 925

The thickeners and clarifiers offering is supported by a global network of service experts to ensure that maximum efficiency is continuously delivered by the equipment and plants. Metso Outotec's services offering includes everything from comprehensive onsite tailings management audits, engineering, spare and wear parts, maintenance services, and remote operation capabilities.

The solutions feature a sustainable design and capabilities to provide safe and reliable operations. They also comply with the highest safety standards, are easy to operate and maintain, and can easily be combined with a complementary automation offering to improve performance by controlling key variables of the thickening process.

MO IPS 02

Key benefits

• High-performance, robust solutions to meet a wide range of applications
• Industry-leading innovation in thickening and clarification equipment
• Exceptional experience in meeting and exceeding customer expectations in all phases of the equipment buying, operation, and decommissioning lifecycle

Discover more about Metso Outotec thickening and clarification solutions on our website.

Metso Outotec is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing and metals refining industries globally. By improving our customers’ energy and water efficiency, increasing their productivity, and reducing environmental risks with our product and process expertise, we are the partner for positive change.

Metso Outotec is committed to limiting global warming to 1.5°C with Science Based Targets. We ranked 8th on the 2021 Global 100 list of the world’s most sustainable companies.Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Metso Outotec employs over 15,000 people in more than 50 countries and its sales for 2020 were about EUR 3.9 billion. The company is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. mogroup.com, twitter.com/metsooutotec