Lanxess which is a major chemicals company in Germany and BP, a major energy company are entering into a strategic partnership for the use of sustainable raw materials in plastic production. As per the partnership, BP will be supplying sustainably produced Cyclohexane to Lanxess’s production site in Antwerp, Belgium. The partnership is expected to become operational by the fourth quarter of 2021.
The raw materials which will be supplied by BP will be certified according to the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) Plus Rules. With the partnership, the companies which already have a strong business relationship are looking forwards towards advancing the production of sustainable plastics.
Lanxess uses Cyclohexane as a precursor in the production of Polyamide 6 which is a high performance plastic that is used primarily in the automotive industry. Other application areas for Polyamide 6 include electricals and consumer goods industry.
Green Cyclohexane is produced from renewable feedstocks such as rapeseed oil or biomass. BP produces sustainable cyclohexane from renewable feedstocks and the process to produce cyclohexane is also renewable in nature. Global demand for cyclohexane stood at around 9 million tonnes in 2020 and is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 4% during the upcoming years. The demand is growing due to the growth in the engineering plastics industry.
As per ChemAnalyst, “the proposed partnership between Lanxess and BP is aimed at capturing the growing demand for sustainable chemical solutions in the European market. The chemical industry plays an important role in the expansion of a circular economy and plastics in particular are an important component of a circular economy. The demand for sustainable chemicals is poised to grow exponentially as more and more people become aware of climate change and the problems associated with it.”
