MUTTENZ, Switzerland—Materials supplier Clariant recently picked up three awards for sustainability and innovation.
Henkel Adhesive Technologies presented Clariant with its Sustainability Award 2020 and the specialty chemicals company also won in two categories at this year's ICIS Innovation Awards.
Clariant's multi-purpose additive Licocare RBW Vita, derived from crude rice bran wax, won "Best Product" and the ammonia synthesis catalyst AmoMax-Casale, jointly developed with Casale S.A., won "Best Sustainable Process."
"Since both innovation and sustainability are among Clariant's strategic pillars, it makes me very proud to see that the efforts of our teams are being recognized by our business partner Henkel as well as a leading industry publication in ICIS," Clariant COO Hans Bohnen said in a statement. "It shows that we are on the right track with our transformation into a leading specialty chemicals company."
Clariant won the sustainability award for being the "best external partner" for Henkel Adhesive Technologies and supporting it in "providing higher value, better performance and a lower environmental footprint to its customers," Clariant said.
Clariant recently offered a sustainability webinar for Henkel's R&D, Procurement, Regulatory and Sustainability teams. The webinar drew more than 100 Henkel employees across three regions.
Also, Clariant's Ecovadis score and transparency on the carbon footprint of its materials, especially its Licocene Terra and Exolit Terra which use renewable feedstock, were a clear differentiator, the company said.
"Sustainability has become a megatrend across the different markets we serve and we see a major increase of customer demands for solutions with regards to CO2 reduction, circular economy and health and safety," said Christian Kirsten, the corporate senior vice president and global head of the Automotive and Metals business at Henkel. "Clariant has demonstrated a strong commitment to support our targets and to further grow with sustainable solutions."
The ICIS Innovation Awards recognize and reward companies paving the way in product, process and sustainability innovations in the chemical industry.
Licocare RBW Vita is made from the waste stream from the production of rice bran oil and presents a sustainable alternative to fossil-based waxes.
AmoMax-Casale was developed in a joint, multidisciplinary effort by Clariant and Casale and is the "customized evolution" of Clariant's AmoMax 10 series. Its improved performance means that plant operators can significantly reduce their energy consumption, Clariant said.