on the development of products and services ultimately has to be
rewarded by the market in the form of high profits. A key factor in the
success of innovations is therefore strict market orientation.
Lurgi engineers and their customer Statoil examine the commercial viability of a new process.
Lurgi: Methanol to Propylene
In a joint venture with the oil group Statoil, Lurgi is working on developing the Methanol-to-Propylene (MTP) process for commercial use in industry. The MTP process entails extracting propylene from methanol.
At present, propylene—a key base product in the manufacture of plastics—is extracted from crude oil. The new technology enables propylene to be produced inexpensively from gas—at Statoil, for example, from the gas found in crude oil. At present, this gas is usually burnt off unused during the extraction of crude oil. The new Lurgi process turns this seemingly worthless gas into a valuable asset. However, it does necessitate an intermediate stage: the crude-oil gas is first turned into methanol—also using Lurgi technology. Lurgi’s newly developed MTP process is then used to pro- duce propylene from the methanol.
In order to test whether this process is commercially viable on a large scale, Lurgi has set up a demonstration plant in a large methanol complex run by Statoil on the Norwegian coast. The demonstration plant is jointly run by Statoil and Lurgi and has been fully integrated into existing processes. Individual stages of the process are analyzed and optimized by experts from both compa- nies. In some cases this is done locally in Norway, while in others the plant and analysis data is transmitted online from Norway to Lurgi's development center in Frankfurt, where it is evaluated.
Statoil is already producing methanol from crude-oil gas that was previously unusable. The MTP technology can be used to process this methanol into propylene, a value-added product. Lurgi’s MTP process has therefore substantially improved Statoil’s market prospects.
The cost-effective production of methanol and propylene from natural gas is highly attractive to the petrochemical industry. This provides Lurgi, as a plant builder, with outstanding business prospects.
Lurgi’s Methanol-to-Propylene (MTP) process
Inexpensive commodity propylene Lurgi’s MTP process Inexpensive methanol Lurgi’s Methanol process
– Energy source for fuel cells and power plants – Petrol additive – Base product in the manufacture of solvents Base product in the manufacture of plastics Natural gas
VINEX: Tradition Meets Progress
For thousands of years, presses have been used to extract the juice from grapes in the manufacture of wine. Collaborating closely with the central winegrowers’ cooperative of Württemberg (WZG), Westfalia Separator, a GEA subsidiary, has devised a process for grape juicing using centrifuges. In the new VINEX process, the conventional wine press is replaced by a decanter.
Apart from top quality, VINEX offers winegrowers considerable commercial benefits. This process cuts out time-consuming and costly stages. For example, the grapes do not have to be stored in tanks for several hours for coloration purposes before they can be juiced. The VINEX process has opened up a new market for Westfalia Separator.
The idea of using centrifuges on a commercial scale to extract juice from grapes came to the Möglingen- based WZG when they were planning a new building to house their grape-pressing and winemaking operations. Searching for a solution that optimally combined economy and quality, the winegrowers decided to enter into a collaboration with the separation technology specialists at Westfalia Separator. Together they conducted experiments at WZG to produce red wine using decanters and analyzed the findings. The results were outstanding: the color and taste of the decanter-produced red wine were of the same quality as wine made using presses.
The first red wine produced using decanters—2001 Lemberger—is now available in shops. Westfalia’s specialists and the WZG are now working together on a centrifuge process for producing white wine.
Active Ingredients for Pharmaceutical Customers
Under the umbrella of Dynamic Synthesis, Dynamit Nobel is performing important steps in the pro- duction of medicines. In the process of custom synthesis, the company is drawing on its wealth of expertise to develop and manufacture intermediate products and active ingredients for the pharma- ceutical industry using complex and, in some cases, hazardous chemical reactions.
Right from the outset, the process for manufacturing such custom syntheses is characterized by close collaboration between pharmaceutical customers and the Dynamic Synthesis experts. The first step is the consultation process aimed at devising customized solutions for cost-effective production. Typically, the customer has already developed the composition of the active ingredient in its labora- tory and, often, conducted tests on a small scale. Dynamic Synthesis offers customers expertise and process engineering for industrial production. This involves developing individual production stages during which chemical substances are combined and made to react with each other. These syntheses finally produce the active ingredient desired by the customer.
Dynamic Synthesis experts work with their customer to develop a process for producing active ingredients.
This process therefore optimally combines the customer’s product expertise with the production know-how of Dynamic Synthesis. It is this collaboration that ensures a quick and cost-effective development and production process as well as high product quality. Both are needed to achieve success in the marketplace.
Throughout the production process, the project manager at Dynamic Synthesis maintains close contact with his opposite number on the customer’s side. In order to make the production process even more transparent, Dynamic Synthesis plans to offer its customers the option of monitoring their projects online. This will enable them to monitor the progress and status of projects anytime.
With Dynamic Synthesis, Dynamit Nobel is performing process stages that pharmaceutical customers are either unable or unwilling—for technical or commercial reasons—to carry out themselves. As a value-adding partner, the company is benefiting from the pharmaceutical industry’s global growth, which is expected to be as much as eight percent over the next few years.
Sun Protection Using Nano-Particles
Sachtleben Chemie, a subsidiary of Dynamit Nobel, has collaborated closely with Merck, the pharma- ceuticals and chemicals group, to develop a new generation of inorganic sun-protection filters for suntan lotion based on nano-fine titanium dioxide. The transparent nano-particles are much more effective than conventional sun-protection filters.
The collaboration started with Sachtleben Chemie's idea of using nano-particles as highly effective sun-protection filters in cosmetics. Building on this idea, it then developed new products together with Merck. Both companies contributed their specific strengths to the development partnership: Sachtleben its experience of manufacturing efficient nano-particles, and Merck its expertise in the formulation of effective and skin-friendly cosmetics. Sachtleben can draw on Merck’s strong global position as a supplier to the cosmetics industry in their joint marketing of titanium-dioxide nano- particles to this sophisticated and fast-growing market. This benefits both the buyers of reliable sun- protection substances and the industrial partners that help manufacture these products.
Competitive Edge due to Innovation
mg is working with its customers to break new ground in the development of a wide range of innovative technologies in a number of markets. In doing so, its prime concern is always to add value for its customers. New products, technologies and services often provide a decisive advantage over competi- tors. mg’s success is predicated on the success of its customers.
Sachtleben has developed UV- protected agricultural film from transparent nanoparticles for a food group.
The GEA group’s air-conditioning experts ensure that there is fresh air and an agreeable climate in leisure facilities.
Westfalia Separator’s separation technology is used to extract proteins that are added to energy bars.
Thirst-quenching: refreshing drinks in unbreakable PET bottles. The PET granules come from plants built by Zimmer.
Lurgi constructs plants for the production of food additives, such as tooth-friendly sweeteners as a replacement for sugar.