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Rhodia joins Endura for PBO production

Rhodia Aroma Performance has signed an agreement with Endura Fine Chemicals that will ensure a viable synthetic route to piperonyl butoxide

GLOBAL

Rhodia Aroma Performance has signed an agreement with Endura Fine Chemicals of Italy that will ensure a viable synthetic route to piperonyl butoxide (PBO), a synergist that is widely used in household insecticide formulations. This came shortly after Rhodia's Silcea division inaugurated the expansion of highly dispersible silica production in the US and the opening of a new R&D site in China.

Endura is the world leader in the manufacture of PBO, which has traditionally been made from natural sassafras oil in a route that consumes 70 kg of sassafras from trees to make 1 kg of PBO. The synthetic route, both firms said, will ensure that this depletion of natural resources can be avoided. It is based on chloromethylation to make PBO from catechol, of which Rhodia Aroma Performance itself is the world market leader.

Endura's route to synthetic PBO

The opening of the new plant at Chicago Heights, Illinois, adds 16,000 tonnes/year and increases Silcea's capacity in North America by 33%. Silcea invented and is still the largest producer of highly dispersible silica, which is mainly used in fuel-saving tyres. It had previously commissioned a similar plant in Qingdao, China, and is in the construction phase of a similar expansion at Collonges au Mont d'Or, France that will be completed in 2012. These will add 40% to global capacity.

Also in early November, Rhodia joined its partners the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), the Ecole Normale Superieure of Lyon and the East China Normal University to open the Laboratory of Eco-Efficient Products & Processes in Shanghai. This is the first international research facility devoted to eco-friendly chemistry to be created in China.

During the same week, Rhodia had completed its exit from the pharmaceuticals industry with the sale its salicylates and acetaminophen activities to Novacap. Included in the deal, which was announced earlier in the year, are production sites in France, Thailand, China and Brazil that employ some 360 people.

Finally, the company appointed former COO Gilles Auffret as its new CEO. Because of the merger with Solvay, the functions of chairman and CEO at Rhodia have been separated. Jean-Pierre Clamadieu, who formerly combined the two, has been named deputy CEO of Solvay and will succeed the current incumbent, Christian Jourquin, when he retires. Clamadieu retains the role of chairman of Rhodia. Auffret has also been named a member of Solvay's executive committee.

Solvay itself has announced that it is acquiring Société Générale's equity interest in Orbeo, its 50:50 joint venture with Rhodia in carbon trading. Once this is complete, Orbeo will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Rhodia Energy, which will specialise in the development of greenhouse gas emission abatement projects. The deal should be completed at the end of 2011, subject to approval by France's Prudential Supervision Authority.

Solvay had also announced during the Sapphire Now and SAP TechEd conferences in Madrid in November that it will co-finance the creation of eSpheres, a spin-out company. eSpheres is said to be the first provider of outsourced services powered by SAP software providing a fully integrated suite of internet-based HSE and sustainability information management services to various industries.

 

 

From Online Issue: December 2011