Speciality chemical company Evonik has integrated its alkoxides portfolio into the company’s catalysts business line.
The move supported the company’s expansion of its catalysts business, Evonik said on 17 January.
Following the integration, the company’s alkoxides business would be managed by Alexander Weber as a separate product line within the catalysts business line.
“By combining various functions such as research and development at the Hanau site, our core competencies and experience will be bundled and we will work in a… more targeted manner - in terms of specific products as well as supporting customer-related processes such as supply chain and digitalisation,” Alexander Weber said.
“Currently, the global market for catalysts is very fragmented,” Evonik’s business line manager Sanjeev Taneja added.
“Against this backdrop, we are gradually expanding our product and service portfolio… through targeted acquisitions or strategic collaborations. The integration of the alkoxides will boost our efforts.”
The main application of alkoxides is the production of biodiesel fuel from vegetable oils, used cooking oils or other fat-based waste. Alkoxides are also used in the life science industry in the synthesis of active ingredients and fine chemicals.
Evonik said it was currently working with partners to explore the prospect of using alkoxides in the chemical recycling of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic.