Clariant vows to support nation's sustainable future

Clariant Ltd, the Swiss specialty chemicals company, is vowing to help China move toward a more sustainable future.

Jan Kreibaum, the company's regional president for greater China and South Korea, said its growth plan is very much in line with the government's "Made in China 2025" strategy.

"We are committed to responding to the new mega trends in China and contributing our know-how to support the country in achieving its sustainable development goals," he said.

The "Made in China 2025" strategy is a national plan that aims to enhance the country's manufacturing capability and competitiveness.

It encourages industrial restructuring, focused on fostering emerging industries such as new energy and new materials, and places greater emphasis on environmental protection. "In China, sustainable development has become a key strategic focus in order to achieve long-term success," Kreibaum said.

"These challenges offer great opportunities to companies like Clariant which places emphasis on sustainability."

Clariant entered the Chinese market in 1995 and immediately set some ambitious targets in its environmental protection initiatives.

Over the next decade, Kreibaum said it aims to reduce energy consumption by 30 percent and direct carbon emissions by 30 percent.

To make sure its products are environmentally friendly, the company has also launched what it calls its own sustainability label, EcoTain®.

Screened using systematic, in-depth processes involving 36 different criteria focused on social, environmental and economic activities, any products or solutions labeled with EcoTain must qualify both best-in-class performance and sustainability excellence, Kreibaum said.

"Sustainability is deeply entrenched in Clariant's strategy. Environmental awareness is mirrored both in what products we manufacture and how we produce them," he said.

The company has also developed a catalyst called AmoMax-10, which it claims can lower energy consumption in the manufacture of synthetic ammonia. "If AmoMax-10 was applied to all synthetic ammonia production in China, the energy saved could power 170,000 households a year," Kreibaum said.

Eleven percent of Clariant's global sales came from greater China last year. At the end of 2014, it was operating in 19 Chinese cities and had 1,500 local employees, but its lost-time incident rate stood at less than 0.3 percent, lower than many of its competitors.

Clariant said it not only focuses on its own growth but also pays close attention to supporting the well-being of the communities it operates in. This month Clariant was awarded the Responsible Care Chairman Award for the second consecutive year by the Association of International Chemical Manufacturers for promoting sustainable development.