Coatings World - April 2016

Construction of the new facility will secure the long-term future of the Ibbenbüren site and that of the chemical cluster, helping to prevent a further withdrawal of industry from the region. The plant will have an annual nameplate capacity of around 130,000 metric tons of potassium hydroxide solution and 82,000 metric tons of chlorine, ensuring a reliable supply for customers.

Commenting on the partnership, Ralph Sven Kaufmann
said: “This joint venture will secure Evonik’s future position
in the potassium derivatives business. We have found an ef-
ficient and sustainable solution to keep on delivering for
our customers.”
Both Fuhrmann and Kaufmann also applauded the close
cooperation between the two partners: “It’s a source of
great pride,” they said “particularly the excellent work of
the joint project team, who achieved great success in a very
tight timeframe.”
AkzoNobel will commercialize the chlorine and hydrogen
at the new plant, or will process these products directly at the
Ibbenbüren site. Evonik will take the new plant’s potassium
hydroxide solution for commercialization and processing at
its own site in Lülsdorf, which is where it processes potassium
hydroxide solution into various products, including potassium
carbonate (potash).

All production of chlorine, potassium hydroxide and caustic lye using mercury-based amalgam electrolysis has to stop by the end of 2017 due to legislative requirements. The planned new membrane electrolysis plant will use a sustainable process which has a more positive environmental profile.

Chlorine is an essential ingredient for the manufacture of a wide variety of products including paper, disinfectants, medicines and plastics used in the construction, automotive and electronics industries. Hydrogen has many applications and is used, for example, as an energy carrier, for the upgrading of fossil fuels and in the production of ammonia.

GBCI to Administer Green Garage
Certification Program

GBCI, the certification body for USGBC’s global LEED green building rating system, announced it will now administer the Green Garage Certification Program through its acquisition of the Green Parking Council.

The Green Garage Certification Program is the world’s only rating system defining and recognizing sustainable practices in parking structure management, programming, design and technology. The program applies to both new and existing parking structures and was developed by experts from a range of related fields, including parking, architecture, engineering, technology, property management and academia.

It assesses 48 elements of parking facility sustainability, including management practices that maximize performance while minimizing waste; programs encouraging alternate modes of transportation and community engagement; and efficient and sustainable technology and structure design. CW

Superior in Clear Coats MINEX® delivers unique physical and photochemical properties ideally suited for clear coats. Its low refractive index is best utilized in transparent wood and furniture coatings, where MINEX can be loaded up to 20% without excessive haze to improve hardness, light stability and moisture resistance.