Clariant, one of the leading suppliers of sustainable ingredients and solutions for the Industrial Lubricants Segment has launched a new and innovative phosphate ester offering outstanding performance and superior sustainability in metal working fluid formulations.

Hostaphat 1738 combines extreme pressure performance with an excellent low foam profile and strong emulsification properties. It can be incorporated into semi-synthetic, synthetic, soluble oil and straight oil formulations and its ease of use into this variety of metal working formulations makes the new ester a prime choice for formulators and production managers.

Hostaphat 1738 also offers superior sustainability features. It is 50% bio-derived due to the natural alcohol used and contains significantly less phosphorous than standard phosphate esters.

Hostaphat 1738 will be manufactured at the Clariant Mount Holly, NC, USA site, pictured above. (Photo: Clariant)

“The theory that more is better is usually the case in our industry, with an assumption that you need more phosphorous content for an ester to perform well with regards to lubricity. With Hostaphat 1738 we have proven that not to be the case, achieving the same performance as esters that contain a higher phosphorous content, which can harm machines and the environment, ” said Jeff McManus, Business Director, North America, Industrial and Consumer Specialties.

Based on Clariant’s low foaming surfactant line, the product development team worked to further enhance this chemistry to function as both an extreme pressure additive that augments the performance of emulsifiers. This provides an additional tool for metal working fluid manufacturers and formulators to improve lubricity, emulsion stability and performance with one multi-functional product.

“Hostaphat 1738 has benefits throughout the entire life cycle of the metal working fluid. The foam reduction aids increase throughput, its stability extends the working life of a material and when it does come time to treat and discharge, the reduction in phosphorous minimizes the environmental impact, so it really does, cradle to grave, have an effect on performance and sustainability,” concluded Jeff McManus.

Hostaphat® IS A TRADEMARK OF CLARIANT REGISTERED IN MANY COUNTRIES.
www.clariant.com
Clariant is a focused, sustainable and innovative specialty chemical company based in Muttenz, near Basel/Switzerland. On 31 December 2019, the company employed a total workforce of 17 223. In the financial year 2019, Clariant recorded sales of CHF 4.399 billion for its continuing businesses. The company reports in three business areas: Care Chemicals, Catalysis and Natural Resources. Clariant’s corporate strategy is based on five pillars: focus on innovation and R&D, add value with sustainability, reposition portfolio, intensify growth, and increase profitability.

ArcelorMittal Europe has just announced details of the CO2 technology strategy that will enable it to offer its first green steel solutions to customers this year (30,000 tonnes), scale up this offering in coming years (to reach 120,000 tonnes in 2021 and 600,000 tonnes by 2022), deliver its 30% CO2 emissions target by 2030, and achieve net zero by 2050.

The strategy is centred around two main technology routes, as introduced in the first ArcelorMittal Europe climate action report published earlier this year:

• The use of hydrogen in DRI-EAF and, also, the blast furnace
• The expansion of its Smart Carbon route, also utilising hydrogen

HYDROGEN

Hydrogen plays a central role in the company’s decarbonisation strategy.  ArcelorMittal Europe is developing a series of industrial-scale hydrogen projects for use in blast furnace-based steelmaking that will start to deliver substantial CO2 emissions savings even within the next five years, as well as progressing a project to test the ability of hydrogen to reduce iron ore and form DRI on an industrial scale.  

Ultimately to reach zero, this hydrogen will need to be ‘green’ (produced via electrolysis which is powered by renewable electricity). ArcelorMittal is therefore developing new facilities to produce green hydrogen using electrolysers.  Teams at ArcelorMittal Bremen in Germany are working on the first large-scale deployment of this technology which can then be deployed in both the blast furnace and the DRI-EAF route.  Previously, this emerging technology has only been tested at small pilot plants in Europe.

1. Hydrogen and the blast furnace 

• ArcelorMittal Bremen

By installing an electrolyser, hydrogen can be produced and injected in large volumes into the blast furnace tuyeres. The project will reduce the volumes of coal needed in the iron ore reduction process, thereby cutting CO2 emissions.

• IGAR in Dunkirk

At ArcelorMittal Dunkirk, the company is developing a hybrid blast furnace process, which involves using DRI gas injection technology in the blast furnace shaft as well as using gas injection in the blast furnace tuyeres, using plasma technology to create a reducing gas.  This is the first large-scale implementation of what is essentially a hybrid BF/DRI technology.  In due course it will enable green hydrogen to be injected into the blast furnace as it becomes available.   

• Blast furnace injection across Flat Products sites

ArcelorMittal Europe is also implementing projects in almost all its Flat Products sites to use gases from different sources for blast furnace injection. Injecting hydrogen-rich coke oven gas is an efficient, cost effective method that allows steelmakers to reduce CO2 emissions now. ArcelorMittal Asturias has the most advanced coke oven gas project, with injection of grey hydrogen (hydrogen that has been recovered from gases including natural gas and coke oven gas) due to start in early 2021.

2. Hydrogen and DRI-EAF

• Testing hydrogen to reduce iron ore and form DRI, at ArcelorMittal Hamburg

ArcelorMittal Europe owns Europe’s only DRI-EAF facility in Hamburg, where a project is planned to test the ability of hydrogen to reduce iron ore and form DRI on an industrial scale, as well as testing carbon-free DRI in the EAF steelmaking process.

• Large-scale DRI plant being studied for Dunkirk

At ArcelorMittal Dunkirk a study has been launched to build a large-scale DRI plant, combined with an electric arc furnace. Initially, the DRI installation would use natural gas but ArcelorMittal’s unique experience in DRI production, together with the results of the DRI-hydrogen project in Hamburg mean the DRI installation will be fully ‘hydrogen-ready’.

SMART CARBON WITH HYDROGEN

• Second Carbalyst plant planned, in Fos-sur-Mer; further CO2 cuts with large electrolyser for hydrogen injection

ArcelorMittal is also planning to expand its use of the Smart Carbon technology route. At ArcelorMittal Fos-sur-Mer, France, a study is underway in collaboration with partner Lanzatech, to build a second Carbalyst plant in addition to the one under construction at ArcelorMittal Ghent in Belgium. This involves carbon capture from the blast furnace waste gas, and biologically converting it into ethanol for use as a biofuel or recycled carbon feedstock for the chemical industry. In parallel with the company’s electrolyser project in Bremen, the Carbalyst plant in Fos-sur-Mer will boost CO2 savings through hydrogen injection, supplied by a large-scale electrolyser that will produce the hydrogen locally from renewable electricity.

First verified green steel for customers

The first impact of these decarbonisation efforts means ArcelorMittal Europe will be offering customers green steel products this year, when the first 30,000 tonnes will be ready.

A system that quantifies the CO2 emissions savings made thanks to the decarbonisation projects being rolled out by ArcelorMittal Europe has been developed. Customers will be able to buy green steel, based on verified emissions compared with a 2018 baseline. 

Innovation Fund submissions

To fund the capital investment needed for the projects announced today, ArcelorMittal Europe is preparing funding applications to the EU’s Innovation Fund which is designed to support low-carbon investments in the European Union. 

Aditya Mittal, President and CEO ArcelorMittal Europe, said:  

"Today we are providing an important update on our progress in achieving our target of reducing CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050, including the vital role that hydrogen has in our strategy.  Our talented teams across ArcelorMittal Europe are working hard to ensure our CO2 emissions reduction projects deliver results as fast as possible, on an industrial scale.  We are focussed on being ready for the hydrogen economy and the exciting opportunities this presents for us as European steelmakers. 

“In parallel we continue to roll out our Smart Carbon technology which we are convinced also offers huge potential given the world will need so-called BECCS technologies (bio-energy, carbon capture and storage) to reach net zero by 2050. 

“Our plans to offer greener and more circular steel will support our customers in their circular economy objectives. We are pleased to be able to offer our first green tonnes this year and look forward to being able to provide customers with larger volumes of this steel as our decarbonisation projects are ramped up and rolled out across Europe.

“We are in the process of applying for funding for various projects from the ETS Innovation Fund which we hope will be successful, giving us the vital access to finance that we need for these important projects. The success of these projects will also be secured through partnerships, and we would like to thank our partners for their hard work and willingness to co-develop the new technologies we need to make carbon-neutral steel.”

ArcelorMittal Europe climate action report

In June 2020, ArcelorMittal Europe published its first climate action report which outlined the company’s strategy for reducing CO2 emissions by 30% by 2030 and reaching carbon neutrality by 2050.

In the report the company identified two breakthrough carbon-neutral technology routes, Smart Carbon and innovative DRI based on hydrogen, that will help the company reach its CO2 reduction targets.

Metso Outotec has signed a major contract with Zijin Mining Co., Ltd. for the delivery of key minerals processing equipment of the company’s Qulong Copper Mine project in Tibet, China. Metso Outotec’s scope of delivery covers a powerful 58 MW grinding circuit equipped with horizontal and vertical grinding mills, process automation and various types of installation and commissioning services. The order value is around EUR 25 million and it has been booked in Metso Outotec’s Q3 2020 orders received.

“We are honored to be selected as the supplier for the key grinding circuit equipment for this major project. Our solutions will help Zijin Mining in their quest to create a sustainable world-class operation with high productivity and cost effectiveness,” says Stephan Kirsch, President of the Minerals business area at Metso Outotec. “The merger of Metso and Outotec has strengthened our local business presence, which will be of great benefit to the implementation of the project.”

Metso Outotec Mill

Qulong Copper Mine is owned and operated by Zijin Mining Co., LTD. with proven available copper reserves exceeding 10 million tons. The mine’s concentrator is built on the Qinghai Tibet Plateau. After the completion of the project, the daily ore handling capacity of the concentrator will reach 150,000 tons, making Qulong Copper the largest copper mine in China.

Further information, please contact:

Christoph Hoetzel, Head of Grinding Business Line, Metso Outotec, Tel. +61 477 330 679, E-mail: christoph.hoetzel(at)mogroup.com

Helena Marjaranta, Vice President, Communications and Brand, Metso Outotec, Tel. +358 20 484 3212, E-mail: helena.marjaranta(at)mogroup.com

Metso Outotec is a frontrunner in sustainable technologies, end-to-end solutions and services for the aggregates, minerals processing, metals refining and recycling 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.  Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, Metso Outotec employs over 15,000 people in more than 50 countries and its illustrative combined sales for 2019 were about EUR 4.2 billion. The company is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki. mogroup.com

AESSEAL^® has launched a completely reengineered modular component seal range that aims to raise the industry standard and allow configurable component seals to be built to order.  With 10,000 product lines available from stock and over 44,000 product permutations configurable, it offers customers the greatest possible product availability, quality assurance, and service.

The new range, in development for almost 4 years, incorporates unique patented features which help to improve pump reliability. These features include; improved seal face cooling through directed barrier fluid flow systems, hydraulically balanced seal face technology and “plug in” designs to improve performance and reliability.

Incorporating a build to order philosophy the new range offers a larger selection of product variants, and standard product lines can be easily adapted to suit the customer’s requirements.

By manufacturing the majority of the parts, and having full control of the supply chain AESSEAL^® can offer a portfolio of seals suitable for the Food and Beverage industry.  These seals are manufactured in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), assuring compliance with EC2023/2006, and allowing customers to be confident that they are sealing their equipment with seals that meet EU, FSA and FDA requirements.

The new product range is further supported by the AESSEAL^® Seal Selection Application enabling an equivalent AESSEAL^® component seal to easily be selected knowing just the pump type, competitor seal reference, or dimensional information.

Project Manager Tom Broadbent stated; “It has been a huge undertaking that not many companies would take on, but we now have the same modular build to order business model in our Component Seal Range portion of our business as our cartridge seals, allowing us to have complete control of the design, manufacture and supply of component seals so that we can provide our customers the exceptional service they expect from AESSEAL”.

AESSEAL^® is one of the world's leading specialists in the design and manufacture of mechanical seals, bearing protectors, seal support systems and gland packing. AESSEAL^® has 230 locations worldwide, supplying customers in 104 countries, and employs a global network of sales engineers and technical support specialists.

- Evolving wind industry requires continued investment to drive turbine growth -

Romax Technology, the world’s leading independent wind turbine condition monitoring and service provider has reaffirmed its commitment to driving offshore wind energy, after announcing that is has now provided long term services to over 5 GW of wind turbines globally, including over 40 per cent of the UK’s offshore fleet and a large proportion of the North American operating assets.

In reaching the target of 5 GW Romax now has access to a heightened range of data and knowledge which can be applied to future operations as well as enhancing its range of practical engineering solutions. Romax supports wind asset owners and operators right across the globe with products and services designed to maximise sustainable energy yields that optimise the balance between turbine and component performance, and operational costs.

As well as being able to celebrate the success of achieving the highest number of certified wind turbine gearbox designs in the market, Romax also has the technology to monitor performance with InSight software and services.

InSight predictive maintenance solutions combine a unique mix of engineering skills, consulting expertise, specialist software and field experience in drivetrain technologies. This mix of monitoring and inspection services enables wind farm owners and operators to schedule maintenance checks and make significant cost savings.

Dr John Coultate, Head of Monitoring and O&M Consultancy from Romax states that in light of investment there is likely to be a bigger emphasis placed on condition monitoring and in order to address this access to larger data streams is going to be essential:

“The wind energy sector is rapidly evolving and in light of this it’s imperative that we are able improve the robustness, performance, efficiency and reliability of turbines. Currently over 75 per cent of expenditure for wind farms, both offshore and onshore is tied to operations and maintenance. This puts huge pressure on the sites to make use of all the data generated in order to ensure that it is analysed effectively to future-proof against failures and downtime. This is not always possible and that is where we can help.

“At Romax we now have access to extraordinary volumes of information that allows us to ultimately increase our benchmarking, providing users with improved visibility and accuracy over faults, enabling them to plan, prepare and prevent future failures. It is vital therefore that we continue to build on the knowledge gained to set new targets to drive the industry forward.”

Dr. Ashley Crowther, Global VP of the InSight Division encourages the industry closing the gap between field experience and technology development in wind turbine predictive maintenance, “We are pleased to have had a long term engagement with our clients on these 5GW of assets.  Tracking issues on this volume of machines over many years allows us to continue to innovate and apply the right design and simulation technology with a truer understanding of the reliability issues over the product lifecycle.”

For decades, Romax has pioneered technology for simulating and predicting the life of transmissions and rotating machinery. Romax's methods for durability and life prediction have been validated through extensive testing and series production and are trusted by manufacturers across the globe.

About Romax Technology Limited

Founded in 1989, Romax is a global provider of software and services for the design, analysis and optimization of transmissions and drivelines for the automotive, bearings, wind energy, off road, rail, marine and aerospace sectors.

Romax has over 300 customers worldwide, including the majority of OEMs across the transport and wind industries. It has won a number of industry awards, including two Queens Awards for Enterprise in International Trade and the British Engineering Excellence Award for Consultancy of the Year 2014.

Romax is headquartered in Nottingham, United Kingdom and operates through 12 offices globally. For more information, visit www.romaxtech.com.

Plymouth based national recruitment agency Astra, part of the newly formed Talem Recruitment Group, is pleased to announce they have won a major recruitment contract with leading multi-faceted construction and development company CA Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd.

The contract with CA Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd means Astra will be looking to recruit up to 50 new employees for permanent positions at Drakelands Tungsten mine, near Hemerdon.

Offering services to most sectors of the civil engineering industry across the UK, CA Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd create jobs in infrastructure. The project with Wolf Minerals at Drakelands will be to recruit highly skilled workers who can shift ore into the Tungsten processing plant.

Ordinarily jobs within the construction sector are often short-term contracted positions however, the jobs which Astra will be recruiting for are permanent positions for up to 5 years which is massive boost for the local economy.

Heading up the recruitment is Astra Recruitment Director, Carol McGeary, who says of the contract:

“We are delighted that Astra has been awarded the recruitment project for CA Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd. It is a landmark win for us following closely on from the project we have completed for Wolf Minerals, but also for people in the South West and further afield. The jobs that will be available will offer competitive salaries for permanent positions and security for 5 years. The value of these jobs to the local economy is worth over £1.1 million and continues to demonstrate the importance of the mine to Plymouth as a whole."

Niall Fraser, Director C A Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd, says of the contract with Astra:

“C A Blackwell (Contracts) Ltd are pleased to be working with Astra Recruitment on this prestigious local project. Following Astra’s work with Wolf Minerals Blackwell are keen to maintain a consistent approach to the recruiting process.”

Technological advances in the automotive and industrial automation sectors have sparked a surge in demand for coil winding equipment, says returning CWIEME Shanghai exhibitor Ozma CNC Equipment Co. Ltd.

While other contributors to the Chinese economy may be slowing, the Chinese coil winding equipment industry is experiencing a period of renewal, thanks to significant leaps in the performance and popularity of electric vehicles and industrial automation equipment. The growing market for products in these areas is opening up new opportunities for CWIEME Shanghai’s core suppliers, such as Ozma CNC Equipment Co. Ltd.

“Traditionally, we have supplied our coil winding machines to OEMs of transformers and generators, but newer applications, such as industrial automation and motors for hybrid and electric cars, have enabled us to develop sizeable additional sales channels,” says Ying Jian Guang, Ozma’s marketing director.

Ozma is anticipating many conversations with customers in these sectors at the forthcoming CWIEME Shanghai exhibition, Asia’s largest dedicated event for the coil winding, insulation and electrical manufacturing communities. The key to standing out in these markets internationally, Ozma believes, is quality.

“China is known for mass manufacturing, but not necessarily quality. Ozma is turning the tide in this respect and this is something we – and other suppliers like us – must continue to highlight in order to fully grasp new opportunities at an international level,” he says.

The pursuit of quality

Co-founded with leading academic institutes in China, including Zhangjiang University and Harbin Technology University in 1988, Ozma has a long-standing dedication to innovation and quality. Today nearly 35% of its work force can be attributed to research and development.

“Our coil winding machines are benchmarked against strict standards to produce durable, versatile and easy-to-use equipment that minimizes downtime and results in error-free and consistent performance. With an efficient parts supply system and dedicated aftermarket support, Ozma offers a low total cost of ownership and helps OEMs to achieve their bottom lines,” Mr. Ying says.

Stand 1G02

The company’s CWIEME Shanghai stand (No. 1G02) will be staffed by engineering technicians, as well as sales representatives, who are well prepared to answer any technical or commercial questions on-site.

“CWIEME provides a premium platform to connect with potential buyers and trusted customers. It’s where industrial knowledge, expertise and professional contacts are exchanged. We can present our achievements made in the last two decades and as a bonus we get to learn from authorities with authentic insights.

“Given the satisfying output of our attendance in 2014, we have chosen to exhibit at CWIEME Shanghai for the second year and we look forward to bringing our near three-decade industrial experience and self-devised technology to buyers from all over the world. And with our niche products, strong R&D force and consistent pursuit of quality, we are confident that we can cater to demand,” he says.

AkzoNobel has announced that it has been subject to an external fraud targeted at one of its subsidiaries located in Chicago, US. 

The fraud involves an amount of up to €53 million. When detected immediate action was taken and every effort is being made to recover the money. The company may be able to reduce the ultimate financial impact.

Independent legal counsel assisted by an independent audit firm has been assigned to investigate the matter.

At this moment, AkzoNobel believes this is an isolated incident that is not linked in any way to the operational activities of the company and its businesses.

Appropriate law enforcement authorities have been contacted and at this stage the company is not able to comment further.

AkzoNobel is a leading global paints and coatings company and a major producer of specialty chemicals. We supply industries and consumers worldwide with innovative products and are passionate about developing sustainable answers for our customers. Our portfolio includes well-known brands such as Dulux, Sikkens, International and Eka. Headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, we are consistently ranked as one of the leaders in the area of sustainability. With operations in more than 80 countries, our 50,000 people around the world are committed to delivering leading products and technologies to meet the growing demands of our fast-changing world.

LiuGong Metso Construction Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. is proud to introduce its first prototypes of high-quality and high-performance track-mounted mobile crushing and screening equipment designed for the Chinese customer requirement. LiuGong Metso Construction Equipment (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "LiuGong-Metso") is a joint venture funded by LiuGong Group and Metso late last year.

LiuGong-Metso is showcasing the prototypes of a track-mounted jaw crushing station and a track-mounted screening station at the International Trade Fair for Construction Machinery, Building Material Machines, Construction Vehicles and Equipment (Bauma China 2014) in Shanghai last week.

The track-mounted mobile crushing and screening equipment now introduced are designed for crushing hard stones and recovering building materials with main applications for: project contracting, quarry, mine, cement, municipal road and bridge construction as well as construction waste recycling. Featuring high productivity, low fuel consumption, high reliability, high safety factor and easy operation, the new products can save energy and costs while protecting the environment and maximizing the value created for customers.

LiuGong-Metso is committed to serving and developing track-mounted mobile crushing and screening plants for Chinese customers. The joint venture perfectly combines Metso's professional knowledge in the business and technical fields of the track-mounted mobile crushing and screening plants with the strong marketing network and production capacity of LiuGong in China.

Today, Metso has a strong and well-established presence in China. Metso's noin 1,500 employees in China address local customer needs in all Metso's key customer industries, and support the sustainable development of China's industries and infrastructure.

Founded in 1958 in Liuzhou, China, LiuGong Group Corp. Ltd. (LiuGong) is the largest wheel loader manufacturer in the world. LiuGong offers a full line of machines, including wheel loaders, bulldozers, backhoes, skid steers, forklifts, graders, excavators, rollers, truck-mounted cranes, pavers and cold planners. The company owns facilities in, among other locations, Liuzhou, Tianjin, Shanghai, Changzhou, Zhenjiang, Jiangyin and Bengbu.

Metso is a leading process performance provider, with customers in the mining, oil and gas, and aggregates industries. Metso's cutting-edge services and solutions improve availability and reliability in minerals processing and flow control, providing sustainable process and profit improvements. Metso is listed on the NASDAQ OMX Helsinki, Finland. In 2013, Metso's net sales totaled EUR 3.8 billion. Metso employs approximately 16,000 industry experts in 50 countries. Expect results.

www.metso.com,  www.twitter.com/metsogroup

For further information, please contact:

Tommi Lehtonen, Head of Crushing and Screening Equipment business line, Metso, tel. +358 40 724 9143, email: tommi.lehtonen(at)metso.com

Jussi Ollila, Vice President, Global Communications, Metso Corporation, tel. +358 20 484 3212, email: jussi.ollila(at)metso.com