Page 18 - Plastics News April 2017

COMPANY NEWS

Shell opens technology centre in A Schulman to increase colour

Bengaluru masterbatches capacity in Europe

eading oil producer Shell on Friday opened the Shell
LTechnology Centre here with experts, laboratories Schulman Inc, the US-based manufacturer
and technology units. Union Minister for Petroleum and A of high-performance plastic compounds,
Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated the centre. powders, composites and resins, plans to increase
"Shell is developing a waste-to-fuel technology called IH2 its production capacity for colour masterbatches in
at the Technology Centre in Bengaluru that takes only a
few minutes to achieve what nature requires a million
years to do. This IH2
technology can be one
of the game changers
that can be one of the
game changers that can
make my country a net
exporter of energy,"
Pradhan said in a
statement. As the third
of its kind in the world, after the similar centres in the
Netherlands and the US, the Bengaluru centre has experts, Europe. The company has manufacturing plants for
labs and technology demonstration units. It also has colourmasterbatches across strategic countries in
expertise in liquefied natural gas, sub-surface modelling, Europe, as well as several competence centers where
data analysis, engineering design, bitumen, distillation, colourmasterbatches for very demanding applications
water technology and enhanced computational research. can be developed. Due to increased market demand,
Specialists at Shell Technology Centre, Bengaluru, will A Schulmanwill add three additional extruders in its
work closely with experts from external industrial facilities in Hungary, Italy and Poland. “A Schulman
partner .. universities and institutes. These collaborations is committed to continue investments in our colour
to help ensure a healthy influx of new ideas and speed facilities. We combine our technical expertise in colour
up the deployment of new technology in our operations. masterbatches with increased capacity, which enables
"Collaboration is essential to meet our biggest challenge: us to service our customers even faster and better,”
timely development and deployment of the best and commented Andrzej Rozalski, vice president custom
affordable energy solutions, for today and for the future concentrates and services EMEA,
as the world transitions to a low carbon energy system,"
said Harry Brekelmans, Shell's Projects & Technology A Schulman. Heinrich Lingnau, senior vice president
Director. "Our new Bengaluru technology hub brings and general manager Europe, Middle East and Africa,
together the right people in a city that is synonymous with A Schulman, added, “Coloured masterbatches see
innovation," Brekelmans said. "The centre is slated to play increased demand across the European region and
a prominent role in Shell India's aspiration to custom-build we want to be part of it. The expansion of our
a portfolio of new energy solutions specifically suited production lines in Poland, Italy and Hungary are the
to India's energy challenges," Nitin Prasad, Chairman third significant investment that we are making in our
of Shell Companies in India, said. "The IH2 -- waste to masterbatch manufacturing sites in the last months."
fuel -- technology that we are currently piloting here in A Schulman previously announced major investments
Bengaluru, among other automotive solutions in fuels new masterbatch plants in Changshu (China) and
and lubricants, is an example of that vision coming to Istanbul (Turkey).
life," Prasad said.

Plastics News | April 2017 18