Ten major global chemical sector companies have agreed with the World Economic Forum (WEF) to establish what they called “a breakthrough, pre-competitive development platform to accelerate net-zero climate technologies”. They are BASF, Dow, DSM, Solvay, Clariant, Covestro, Mitsubishi Chemical, Air Liquide, Sabic and Sibur.

Clariant has announced the official completion of its first commercial-scale Sunliquid plant in Podari, Romania. This will be operational during Q4 and will produce about 50,000 tonnes/year of “almost carbon-neutral” cellulosic ethanol from 250,000 tonnes/year of agricultural residues sourced in the vicinity.

Clariant has agreed to sell 80% of its Pigments business to a consortium made up of German pigments specialist Heubach Group and private investment firm SK Capital Partners, which owns many other chemical industry operations. This should close in 1H 2022.

Clariant has agreed a strategic partnership to establish a 51-49% joint venture with India Glycols (IGL) in renewable ethylene oxide (EO) derivatives, subject to regulatory approvals. U.S. Bhartia has been designated chairman of the JV, which will employ about 200 people in India.

Clariant has committed to new 2030 targets to reduce CO2 emissions in line with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), which has validated them. This follows the establishment last year a dedicated unit to accelerate its sustainability transformation. The targets are:

* 40% absolute reductions in Scope 1 (made directly during production) and 2 (emitted indirectly, mainly through consuming steam and electricity) greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions on 2019 levels

* A 14% absolute reductions in Scope 3 (other indirect) GHG emissions on 2019 levels

Clariant’s Biofuels & Derivatives business line has formed a strategic partnership with Chemtex Global to market its Sunliquid technology for second-generation biofuel projects in China. It will supply technology licences, technical services and starter cultures from its proprietary enzyme and yeast platform, while Chemtex will offer engineering, procurement construction services.

Clariant has taken what exective chairman Hariold Kottmann (above) called “another significant step towards becoming a pure-play speciality chemical company”, by completing the sale of its Masterbatches business to PolyOne on 1 July. It expects to divest the Pigments business shortly, after which it will make with an extraordinary cash distribution of CHF 3.00/share to its shareholders.