Page 77 - Plastics News October 2024
P. 77
PRODUCT NEWS
able future with zero change in material perfor- Exel’s customers will have the choice of switch-
mance. ing to this resin or keeping the original composi-
tion in the products that they purchase, but Sjö-
Exel Composites is a Finnish technology com-
dahl is confident that the composites community
pany that designs, manufactures, and markets
shares the company’s appetite for Scope Three
composite profiles and tubes for industrial ap-
emissions reduction. “Whether from partner-
plications. The converter is also involved with
ships with Ineos or our other suppliers, Exel is
mechanical recycling of carbon-fiber composite
proud to help lead the community in the journey
scrap together with Fairmat, a tech firm that has
toward sustainability,” explained Sjödahl.
developed a “reconstitution process.” It employs
proprietary cutting technologies using robotic “Together with our long-standing customer Exel
tools equipped with machine learning to disas- Composites, we are committed to addressing
semble carbon-fiber components and convert more than just our own Scope 1 and 2 emissions
the pieces into carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic by implementing sustainable product solutions
(CFRP) building blocks throughout the value chain,” said Daniel Blanco,
product manager for UPR & VER at Ineos Com-
Reduction of 79 tonnes of CO2
posites EMEA. “Our Envirez technology platform
The specific Ineos Envirez resin’s chemical com- spans resin solutions based on bio-based and
position features 23% bio-based glycol. As a circular feedstocks, helping reduce the prod-
result, the carbon equivalent emissions in the uct’s carbon footprint compared to conventional
0
manufacture of the resin are 2.89 CO 2e kg in- fossil-based raw materials,” explained Blanco.
cluding biogenic carbon, as opposed to fossil-
Bulk delivery further lightens environmental
based equivalent resin’s 3.68 CO 2e kg*. This
0
load
represents a 21% drop in associated manufactur-
ing emissions and, in the context of the agreed The two partners further limit emissions and
100 tones of resin, a reduction of 79 tonnes of waste involved with resin delivery. The Envirez
CO2 released. resin is manufactured in the Ineos’ production
site in Kilpilahti, Finland, from where a tanker
“The manufacturing industry simply won’t reach
truck transports full tanks locally to Exel Com-
its sustainability targets through isolated initia-
posites’ factories in Joensuu and Mäntyharju,
tives,” said Kim Sjödahl, SVP of technology and
Finland.
sustainability at Exel Composites. “We know that
genuinely making a difference means adapting “Utilizing bulk deliveries means no separate
our central processes and incorporating more packaging is used for the deliveries, reducing the
eco-friendly materials into our high-volume man- need for virgin materials, recycling, and logistics.
ufacturing. It further reduces the resin waste internally, and
internal handling. All this helps in offsetting the
Drop-in performance
higher cost of the resin itself,” said Sjödahl. The
“All our evaluation and testing confirms Ineos’ factory crew pumps up to 25 tonnes of Envirez
information: Its drop-in bio-based solution yields
resin directly into the bulk storage tanks, from
the same technical performance as fossil-based where it is ready to use for daily production.
resins. Customers won’t notice any difference
Source – Plastics Today
between the two,” continued Sjödahl.
October 2024 PLASTICS NEWS 77
