Newsletter English

HOBUM News | November 2021

HOBUM News November 2021


Dear friends and partners,

at the beginning of the month, we could attend the first conference in presence – of course in compliance with the latest hygiene measures. Due to the 2G+ concept there were no infections. The personal exchange with familiar and new faces was a lot of fun. Our new colleagues also appreciate the opportunity to further expand personal contact internally. Due to the current situation we go back to our proven hygiene and distance concepts.

We are still working on our vision: 100 % sustainability. In doing so, we are relying on hydrogen and our novel, bio-based products!

A small note on our own behalf: In the period from 21.12.2021 to 03.01.2022 we will not deliver any goods.
We wish you a great Christmas season and good health for the new year 2022!

Sincerely,
Elisabeth Meints
Technical Marketing Manager


Sonnenblume_HOBUMAre bio-based raw materials a limited toolbox?

The demand for bio-based raw materials has increased significantly, especially in recent years. The growing demand is fueled by the global, geopolitical environment, the younger generation and nature itself. Sustainable, bio-based raw materials are an important building block for achieving climate targets. In our view, the share of bio-based raw materials will grow significantly faster than the total market volume.

There are two different approaches using bio-based products:

  • Bio-based drop-in materials are a replica of known petrochemical feedstocks.

In this approach, known petrochemical raw materials are replaced by chemically identical raw materials, which are based on renewable materials. The main advantage of these technologies is that the bio-based products are injected into an existing production process. The properties of the final products are identical, regardless of whether the raw materials are based on natural resources or petroleum.

With bio-based drop-in materials, the bio-based content in a formulation can be increased without changing the process. What is new is the ability to produce the same petrochemical molecule on a bio-basis. Consequently, while incremental product innovation can be presented, the resulting added value is created only at the raw material producer.

  • Novel, bio-based materials are chemically modified, natural raw materials that are similar to their petrochemical alternatives.

The bio-based building blocks have a naturally occurring structure and exhibit the same functionalities. In order to use them with equivalent or improved application properties formulation work and/or new processes are required. Along with the higher effort, there are gains in knowledge and innovations for formulators and raw material producers.

More time must be invested in product and process development if novel bio-based materials are used. The processes for producing petrochemical feedstocks and their downstream products have been optimized for years and economies of scale have been exploited due to increasing volumes. This phase is yet to come for novel bio-based materials. Drop-in solutions make it possible to drive change only on the raw material side. However, it remains to be seen whether the energy expenditure that must be expended to replicate the petrochemical structures in a bio-based manner can be justified.

At HOBUM, we have been producing novel bio-based materials for a wide range of applications for over 60 years. The starting point for today’s products was the search for possible uses for by-products resulting from the production of edible oils and fats. Then as now, product development focused on the requirements of our customers. The fact that our products are made from renewable raw materials has only recently become of interest to many customers. This shared enthusiasm for renewable raw materials enables us to introduce and expand our expertise into new areas. Therefore, we are convinced that the use of bio-based raw materials is not limited, but rather manifold.

Contact our Head of Sales and Marketing Dr. René Manski!

Formulations with our products meet the highest requirements, some of which cannot be met with petrochemical building blocks. The combination of defined introduced reactivity and the natural hydrophobicity results in a very large and flexible toolbox to meet or exceed requirements. The modification possibilities are far from exhausted. This also applies to the same extent to the application fields of the existing product portfolios.

Question your status quo and contact us to increase the share of bio-based raw materials in your portfolio.
#thinkoutofthebox

Author: Dr. René Manski and Elisabeth Meints

 

 


Waldemar Leibhahn, Research and Development

Video: The aqueous construction kit

Elisabeth Meints, Technical Marketing Manager, and Dr. René Manski, Head of Sales and Marketing, published the article “Der wässrige Baukasten” (“The aqueous construction kit”) in „FARBE UND LACK“. It focuses on waterborne hardeners for epoxy systems and how curing agents with self-emulsifying properties can influence gloss and hardness.

Many thanks to Waldemar Leibhahn from our research and development team. He prepared everything for the recordings in detail.

This is what we show you now in our new video:

The aqueous construction kit – YouTube


New employees

We welcome Dieter Grabowski and Andreas Rogenhofer to our team!

Mr. Grabowski is now working in sales with a focus on our EP hardeners and polyols. He has 30 years of experience in the laboratory (development, application technology, technical service) and has worked for 10 years in chemical distribution.
You can reach Mr. Grabowski at:
Email: dgrabowski@hobum.de
Tel. : +49 40 766 255-30
Mobile: +49 151 127 06 495

Mr. Rogenhofer started as a technical operations manager in October.
The position as technical operations manager at HOBUM offers me the unique opportunity to contribute my experience in the planning, operation, maintenance and optimization of chemical plants. Particularly important to me in the day-to-day collaboration is respectful interaction with each other and safety at work”, says Andreas Rogenhofer.

We look forward to our growing team!


Energy prices at peak level

Arnold G. Mergell, Managing Director of HOBUM Oleochemicals GmbH

Electricity and gas prices have reached new highs in the recent days and weeks. Thus, within a short period of time they caught up with what we have already experienced in the raw materials markets this year: shortages and dramatic price increases, in some cases multiple times.

It is quite possible that prices will fall again next spring. However, current developments also give us a foretaste of what particularly industry hast to expect in the coming years as a result of the initiated CO pricing and the tightening of emissions trading. It should be clear that from now on energy will have a much larger share of the price calculation than before.

Under certain conditions, this is also a good thing, since the transformation of our economy towards climate neutrality can only be achieved by raising energy prices:
In addition to a massive expansion of renewable energies, especially industry needs the development of a new infrastructure, e. g. in the form of hydrogen or electricity grids.

Secondly, climate-friendly pricing of fossil fuels must be on an equal footing at least at European level in order to maintain the competitiveness of market participants.

And thirdly, a basic load supply – whatever it is – must be guaranteed. Not 99. 9%, but 100%, because even short blackouts can already lead to devastating consequences, e. g. in the chemical industry.

If we do not want to jeopardize the opportunities for a climate-neutral economy by 2045, we must therefore make the changes in the coming years sustainable rather than revolutionary.


Online Event: topic survey

Also in March 2022 we invite you to our online event “HOBUM. Innovation. Exchange”.
To offer interesting topics to you, we kindly ask you to participate at our survey (duration 2 min).

>> Vote here <<

 

Save The Date: Wednesday, 23.03.2022: “HOBUM. Innovation. Exchange.”


WANTED: Application technical equipment

In order to meet the latest requirements of your customers, you need new products.
Innovative products based on renewable raw materials are our DNA. In order to turn the many ideas into products that meet your requirements, we invest in our application technology. Sustainability is important to us in this investment. For this reason, we are looking for various used equipment, such as:
• Vacuum dissolver
• Layer thickness gauge
• Climate chamber
• Salt spray chamber/condensate water chamber
• High pressure autoclave 1-1,5 liters 100bar @ 300°C
• Tecam device for determining the gelling time
• Universal/tensile testing machine for determining tensile strength and elongation
• DSC to determine the glass transition temperature (TG)
As well as various other devices.
If you no longer need an appropriate device, we look forward to hearing from you.

Contact
Dr. René Manski
rmanski@hobum.de


Do you have any questions about our products?
From now on, you can book an online appointment with us under this link.

We look forward to the exchange with you!

 

 


Newsletter Coordination

Eliane Aspiazu de la Vega
Marketing Assistent
E-Mail: easpiazu@hobum.de

 


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