solvay_live243_p02a04 somEdito

Dossier
Epicerol
101301
62
EPICEROL: SOLVAY SPEEDS UP
THANKS TO GREEN BIOFUEL!
USING A SUB-PRODUCT
OF BIO-DIESEL
SolvayInnovationTrophy2006
Solvay has developed a new process
that has been named Epicerol, which
is based on the transformation of glycerine,
a by-product of the bio-diesel industry.
Epichlorhydrine was used to produce glycerine.
The innovation consists of inversing
the reaction and use the glycerine to produce
epichlorhydrine. The development of the
glycerine based process for the production
of epichlorhydrine has been the subject of 17
patent applications by Solvay. The ever growing
demand for epichlorhydrine, whose main
applications are the production of epoxy resins,
the reinforcement of paper and the purification
of water, are set to exceed the world-wide
production capacities between now and 2010.
Within the framework of the Epicerol process,
the glycerine – a renewable product – takes
the place of propylene, a hydrocarbon. Among
its environmental benefits we can name the
reduction in chlorine by-products, as well as a
significant reduction in water consumption.
The first Epicerol production unit will be
started up in Tavaux (France) in 2007. A second
unit is on the cards for Rheinberg (Germany)
in 2008. Finally, as bio-diesel is an alternative
to fuel, even larger units are being studied
for Asia, Europe and the United States.
The creation of a trademark seals the reputation
of this process, and should shore up its
communication.
> Bruno Jestin; Patrick Gilbeau; Philippe Jacques;
Philippe Krafft.
> SBU EDS
104594 102216
USD 298 MILLION CONTRACT FOR CELL-BASED
PANDEMIC INFLUENZA VACCINE
SOLVAY CONSOLIDATES
ITS LEADERSHIP POSITION,
BOTH IN THE USA
AND WORLD-WIDE
On the 21st of June 2005, after only eight
weeks of intense preparation by a multifunctional
team, Solvay submitted a 700 page
tender to the United States Department of Health
and Human Services (DHHS) in response to its call
for the development and registration of
a cell-based influenza vaccine as well as for the
construction of a production plant in the United
States, capable of producing 150 millions doses
within six months, in the case of a pandemic.
After going through the first selection phase,
Solvay was still in the running with three other
pharmaceutical groups. On the 4 th of May 2006,
Solvay Pharmaceuticals announced the conclusion
of a five year contract with the DHHS for a total
amount of USD 298 million, the biggest share
of the one billion US dollars allocated for this
project, and shared out among the four
short-listed companies. This success is a reflection
of the know-how that we have accumulated over
the past 50 years in influenza vaccines and
of the quality of our new cell culture technology
in the field. It is also the result of the first-rate
involvement of the Solvay staff working in this
Sector who were able to draw lessons from
previous tenders, put together an excellent team
effort and demonstrate flexibility and creativity
in face of the DHHS demands and thus protect
the human race against influenza pandemics.
> Andrew Stevenson; Darya Aberback; Sandra Allen;
Wil Cramer; Curtis Dale; Iris Debruijn;
Mike Dornhecker; Laurie Downey; Michael Emery;
Ed Geuns; Michael Hare; Neil Hirsch; Joanne Kearney;
John Keeshen;Alex Kersten; Sjirk Kok; Patroski Lawson;
Dorine Leyssius; Jeroen Medema; Gerard Rigter;
Pieter Rouwette; Maryellen Schnell; Harold Shlevin;
Jennifer Thurber; Herbert Vanderstrate; Herman
Van Heemstra; Friso Vanvoorthuizen;Thomas Wijnands.
> PHARMACEUTICALS SECTOR
I-CARE INTEGRATES PRODUCT SAFETY,
PEOPLE SAFETY AND OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
TRANSVERSAL AND
VERTICAL INFORMATION
MANAGEMENT
In this age that is witnessing the globalisation
of business and the widespread circulation
of products, the information relating to health and
environmental risks and to risk prevention must
be reliable, available at any times and in any place
and in forms - often defined by law - that are
adapted to a wide range of publics: clients,
authorities, users and producers, experts, etc.
Within the Group, safely managing a given
product is always the combined responsibility of a
string of experts. To consolidate their know-how
and the information on regulatory obligations,
both for the chemicals used and manufactured in
our plants, the information systems need to be
highly integrated. I-Care makes it possible to
transversally manage – between experts from
several disciplines – and vertically manage –
throughout the Group’s entities – all this
information, whether toxicological,
environmental, technical or relating
to the maze of laws and regulations to be
respected. It also integrates the information on
each type of technical equipment. Finally,
combining this information on the products and
the health monitoring of the personnel, I-Care
makes it possible to manage the data about the
exposure of workers at their workstation and
consolidated medical data such as the bio-
monitoring of possible effects on health. I-Care is
widening its focus to combine data from all these
sources, making it today a model for the entire
chemical industry.
> Pierre Coërs; Willy Asnong; Christiane Baleux;
Luc Barbeaux; Christine Defourny; Laurence Fievet;
Andreas Georg; Eric Moens; Gerhard Neuenfeldt;
Thomas Paschek; Jack Smit; Jacques Vanalsenoy;
Paul Vanhemelryck.
> CC HSE