Evonik Becomes a Member of the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab

ESSEN, Germany — Evonik announced that it is expanding the company’s cooperation with IBM in the field of digitization. The two companies are extending their strategic partnership ahead of schedule until 2025. Making this decision early creates more opportunities for longer-term projects.

Furthermore, Evonik announced it will be involved in the research and development of artificial intelligence (AI) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Evonik reports that it is the world's first chemical company to participate at the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab.

In this unique interplaying at the MIT campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts, experts from academia and industry are investigating the potential uses and effects of artificial intelligence. "Bright minds from science and business are working jointly together on digital progress. We are delighted to be part of it," said Henrik Hahn, Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of Evonik.

AI is a useful tool for innovation and improvements in the chemical industry. Evonik looks forward to joining the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab and its advisory board to contribute its ideas and applications across materials discovery, formulation technology, knowledge management and market analysis to advance overall applications of AI in the chemical industry. "The work on artificial intelligence is also a litmus test of what digital systems can do. For example, we are looking at how decisions can be made better, more systematically and faster with the help of algorithms," said Hahn. "Ultimately, it's about the value AI can add to the company," he said.

Hahn takes a positive view of the strategic partnership with IBM, which has been active since 2017. "The joint work has helped to drive forward digital transformation in a targeted manner. Evonik sees itself as a pioneer in digitization in the chemical industry. Our partnership with IBM and our new commitment to the MIT-IBM Watson AI Lab further substantiate this claim," he said.

As part of the partnership, Evonik and IBM have already investigated new possibilities to create a collaborative intelligence between humans and machines in pilot projects. Experts no longer have to search for valuable information like looking for a needle in a haystack. Instead, decades of knowledge are now easy to search and to analyze intuitively. New connections between data can now be found. Chemists can intuitively explore and compare formulations and their related properties to come up with ideas for new products.

Evonik and IBM have also succeeded in building AI that will further accelerate the research for new materials. In close collaboration with IBM Research, a Deep Neural Network was developed and trained that predicts properties or new formulations for high-performance polymers. These predictions help researchers like a compass pointing them in promising directions for new products and customer solutions.

SONGWON Enters Distribution Partnership with Chemo International

ULSAN, South Korea — Songwon Industrial Co. Ltd., a manufacturer of polymer stabilizers and key global player in specialty chemicals, announced that it has entered a distribution partnership with Chemo International Inc. for its Business Unit (BU) Coatings. Chemo International is now the exclusive distributor in the Caribbean, Central America and northern parts of South America of SONGWON's BU Coatings product families, which includes SONGNOX^® antioxidants, SONGSORB^® UV absorbers and light stabilizers, and SONGCURE^® photoinitiators.

Israel de la Torre, Purchasing Manager, Chemo International, said, "We are honored to enter a long-term relationship with SONGWON. Its technology, excellent support and product portfolio creates the perfect complement to Chemo's existing lines. We are looking forward to growing the business together and introducing SONGWON's products to our customers across our assigned territories."

Headquartered in Miami, Florida, Chemo International has been a leading distributor of chemicals, raw materials and equipment to the paint and coatings industry in Central America and the Caribbean for 50 years.

"We are delighted to have such an established and well-known distributor representing SONGWON," said Sean Steres, Sales Manager, Americas. "With their history and expertise, Chemo International is a great addition to SONGWON's global distributor network and is positioned to help us to respond to the increasing customer demand in this region while advancing SONGWON's position in the market."

The Shepherd Color Co. Opens New Sales Office in China

CINCINNATI — The Shepherd Color Co. recently announced the opening of its new sales office in China, Shepherd Color (Shenzhen) Limited Co. Shepherd Color Shenzhen will import, stock and sell The Shepherd Color Co. and Shepherd Technologies products in China.

The main office will be in Shenzhen, with three additional staff members based in Shanghai. Shepherd Color will continue to hold stock in both Shanghai and Shenzhen warehouses and will continue to provide service to its customers.

The company also announced that many of its distributor's staff have joined Shepherd Color Shenzhen, under the leadership of Ms. Wing Ye. Shepherd Color will continue to use Eastway (Shanghai) as its preferred distributor in China for some customers. The Shepherd Color Co. has been selling pigments in China through Eastway (Shanghai) for the past 14 years.

AkzoNobel Launches Second Global Startup Challenge

AMSTERDAM — AkzoNobel announced that the second global startup challenge of Paint the Future will launch May 18. Led by AkzoNobel and powered by thousands of connections around the world, Paint the Future contributes to a global collaborative innovation ecosystem. Participating startups can look forward to accelerating their innovations by leveraging AkzoNobel's expertise, knowledge, resources and connections. For some participating startups, the program will help open doors with new partnership opportunities and investments.

The 2021 program builds on the success of the 2019 Paint the Future launch event, two regional startup challenges in Brazil and China, two supplier programs, and other AkzoNobel collaborations. These programs have already resulted in 18 successful solutions.

"Paint the Future is our dedicated ecosystem designed to accelerate innovation in paints and coatings," said Klaas Kruithof, Chief Technology Officer. "Our first global startup challenge was a first for our industry, and our ecosystem has grown amazingly since then to include 2,137 active members. It's a launch pad for great ideas that's attracted a diverse group of startups, suppliers, academia and customers."

Startups are invited to submit solutions addressing five challenge themes: enhanced functionality, customer experience, smart application, circular solutions, and smart manufacturing and supply chain. Following the May 18 launch, exploration and enrichment of the submissions will continue through July 20. Then, select finalists will be invited to a collaboration event in late 2021, where the challenge winners will be announced.

"Our new company strategy is all about building on our strong foundation and pioneering ways to grow and innovate," said AkzoNobel CEO, Thierry Vanlancker. "That’s why it's the perfect time for round two of our global startup challenge. We're excited to see what potential collaborations the startups have in store for us that will help us bring surfaces to life for our customers."

The office building has open office and meeting spaces with a clear view on the waterside and the Düsseldorf skyline. In the new showroom, the company displays its materials and solutions for the automotive industry, ranging from sustainable microfiber materials for interior seat and headliner coverings to innovative foam products and separators for battery applications. The adjacent hall building is home to the Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center, with laboratory space for various materials, such as engineering plastics, synthetic rubber, as well as for battery and coating materials.

"The new office spaces will further foster the cross-divisional communication within Asahi Kasei Europe, but also the cross organizational communication with other European Asahi Kasei Group companies. Naturally, this will also be of great benefit to our customers," said Tsutsumi.

After the establishment of Asahi Kasei Europe and its sister company, Asahi Kasei Microdevices Europe at Am Seestern in Düsseldorf in April 2016, the companies have been accelerating the activities serving the European automotive industry. Following the establishment of Asahi Kasei Europe, Asahi Kasei opened the Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center in CHEMPARK Dormagen in October 2017, which provided local technical support and strengthened the cooperation and joint development with European companies and universities.

In the five years since its establishment, Asahi Kasei Europe has built a strong network in Düsseldorf. The annual "Asahi Kasei Europe Business Forum" has become a well-established conference and networking event for customers and partners. Furthermore, Asahi Kasei Europe is a strong supporter of Sports City Düsseldorf and is actively promoting the traditional Japanese Judo sports by conducting annual Judo Workshops in Düsseldorf.

Tsutsumi continued, "Düsseldorf is a great hub for business activities in Europe and in close proximity to technical universities. With this relocation we are further committing ourselves to our home base Düsseldorf — a very important sign in times of COVID-19. We are very much looking forward to create this next chapter of Asahi Kasei Europe together with our customers and partners."

Asahi Kasei Europe Unites Sales, Marketing and R&D Activities in Düsseldorf

DÜSSELDORF, Germany — Asahi Kasei announced that in March of this year the company relocated the Asahi Kasei Europe R&D Center from Dormagen, Germany, to the location at Düsseldorf Harbor, Germany, where the company started office operations of Asahi Kasei Europe in November 2020. By uniting European sales, marketing and R&D activities, the Japanese technology company further enhances its business with the European automotive industry.

Hideki Tsutsumi, Managing Director at Asahi Kasei Europe, said, "This relocation marks the next important milestone of Asahi Kasei's expansion on the European market. Europe is at the forefront of an evolution in the automotive industry that is said to happen once in a century. In addition, it is the forerunner in environmental topics. Uniting sales, marketing, R&D and technical service activities at one single location will enable us to quickly address the changing demands by customers and to enhance joint projects with local partners."

Project AIR Receives Approval for Next-Level Evaluation from EU Innovation Fund

MALMÖ, Sweden — Specialty chemicals innovator Perstorp is planning large-scale production of sustainable methanol from captured carbon dioxide (CO₂) and other residue streams, which could help contribute to a climate-neutral industry. Project AIR, which Perstorp has created with partners, has been approved for the next level of evaluation from the EU Innovation Fund, one of the world's largest funding programs for the demonstration of innovative, low-carbon technologies.

Project AIR is a unique, large-scale project that by 2025 will decrease annual carbon emissions into the atmosphere by half a million tons. According to Perstorp, this will be accomplished by building the world's largest Carbon Capture and Utilization Unit on the company’s site in Stenungsund, Sweden. Using a new electrolysis plant and taking biogas as a source, it will produce 200,000 tons of sustainable methanol per year, enabling the supply of sustainable chemical products to a large variety of sectors and end products.

Perstorp, together with partners Fortum and Uniper, has applied for support for Project AIR from the EU Innovation Fund. In an initial evaluation from the fund, Project AIR received the highest possible score on the categories GHG Avoidance and Degree of Innovation, obtaining in total 14 out of 15 possible points. Project AIR has thereby been chosen to be further evaluated for funding.

In its evaluation of Project AIR, the EU Innovation Fund said the proposed large-scale sustainable production of methanol demonstrates, for the first time, increased flexibility and efficiency in using different raw materials (e.g. bio-methane, refinery tail gas, CO₂ effluent streams). "In addition, it also uses the recycled carbon sources together with captured CO₂ for methanol circular production," it stated.

The evaluation also reported, "Furthermore, the proposed plant will use wastewater instead of municipal water as a feedstock in the electrolysis station. Wastewater is not used as a feedstock in any other commercial electrolysers. The proposal represents breakthrough innovation.

"Moreover, the integration processes, manufacturing, control and operations of the project have not been demonstrated elsewhere; this is a first of a kind and is a breakthrough. This is excellent."

A final decision on what projects will be funded by the EU Innovation Fund is expected later this year.

"The positive response from EU Innovation Fund means that we are one step closer to finalizing our ambition to become finite material neutral. Project AIR is a concrete example of the transition towards a circular economy and of how significant CO₂ emission reductions could be achieved by utilizing existing resources and closing loops," said Perstorp's President and CEO Jan Secher.