vinnolit: 20 years of pvc innovation

120 years of Vinnolit

Vinnolit: 20 Years of PVC Innovation


Dr Josef Ertl and Dr Ralph Ottlinger, Managing Directors Vinnolit

Our company‘s history started off with a forward-looking decision: in 1993, Wacker-Chemie GmbH and Hoechst AG, both of which had already amassed many years of experience and a wealth of expertise in the manufacturing of PVC by that point, decided to combine their PVC activities. Thanks to combined know-how, targeted innovations, focussed growth and high investments, Vinnolit has been able to develop into the global market and technology leader in specialty PVC.

PVC, over half of which is composed of the local raw material salt, is one of the most important plastics in the world and was patented in Germany a hundred years ago. PVC is a growth product: the quality and versatility of the material, its environmental compatibility and capacity for innovation promise a bright future.

In this brochure, we would like to guide you through the most important milestones of our 20-year history and provide you with more detailed information about Vinnolit and our products.

Welcome to Vinnolit!

Dr Josef Ertl Dr Ralph Ottlinger


Summary

The history of the companyIn July 2013, Vinnolit is celebrating its 20th anniversary. Based on over 75 years of competence in the PVC industry, the company has been able to expand its leading market position continuously by consistently focussing on specialty PVC.

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Products and innovationPVC is a high quality and highly versatile plastic, which is used in a range of fields from the construction sector to the automotive industry right up to medical applications. Vinnolit is one of the most innovative PVC producers in the world and continually develops its extensive product portfolio.

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PVC and sustainabilityIts environmentally friendly production, durability and wide range of recy-cling possibilities make PVC a sustainable material. Vinnolit also conti-nuously revises its production processes in order to improve environmental protection and energy efficiency.

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Vinnolit around the globeWith six production sites in Germany and the United Kingdom, six sales offices in Europe and numerous sales partners all over the world, Vinnolit is now represented internationally and is the global market and technology leader for PVC specialties.

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© Vinnolit 2013

Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG, Corporate CommunicationsCarl-Zeiss-Ring 25, 85737 Ismaning, Germany

Phone: +49 89 96103-0E-mail: [email protected]

Images: Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG, Benecke-Kaliko AG, BEUMER Group GmbH & Co. KG, Bilcare Research GmbH, Marburger Tapetenfabrik, Klöckner Pentaplast GmbH & Co. KG, Lenzing Aktiengesellschaft, Schüco International KG, Tarkett Holding GmbH, VERSEIDAG-INDUTEX GmbH, Achim Zeller.

6 720 years of Vinnolit 20 years of Vinnolit

The history of the company

100 years of PVC, over 75 years of experience:

In 1935, Dr. Herbert Berg of Wacker-Chemie GmbH dis-covered the suspension process, which is now used for more than 90% of all PVC production worldwide. Wacker systematically developed its expertise and expanded its large-scale production. Hoechst was also successfully ac-tive in the field from 1951, after Fritz Klatte, a chemist at Griesheim Elektron (later Hoechst AG), was awarded the first patent for producing PVC back in 1913. PVC has be-come one of the most important and versatile plastics in the world.

1913/1935

Vinnolit‘s dynamic beginnings:

In July 1993, Vinnolit Kunststoff GmbH was founded as a joint venture for the PVC activities of Hoechst AG and Wa-cker-Chemie GmbH with its headquarters in Ismaning near Munich, Germany. Thanks to the combined expertise, the new company with its two twin production sites in Burghau-sen/Gendorf and Cologne/Knapsack quickly rose to become the global market and technology leader in speciality PVC.

1993

6 20 years of Vinnolit

Wacker pilot plant reactor for the pro-

duction of suspension PVC from 1936,

Burghausen

Suspension PVC powder from Vinnolit

Vinnolit headquarters in Ismaning

Backward integration:

Vinnolit Monomer GmbH & Co. KG was founded as a 100% subsidiary. Expansion of the monomer production in Gen-dorf guaranteed the supply of the PVC primary product vi-nyl chloride to the sites in Bavaria. Sales of the co-product caustic soda also developed into an important second branch of the company.

1998

New sales channels:

Following reorganisation of the European sales structure, Vinnolit founded four subsidiaries in Belgium, France, Italy and the United Kingdom in 1998/1999. These were followed by representative offices in Moscow in 2005 and Poland in 2006.

1998


The team at the Vinnolit representative office in Moscow in 2005

VCM plant in Gendorf

Caustic soda loading in Knapsack in 2009


Strategic reorientation:

A year of important strategic orientational decisions: the company‘s plastic and monomer activities have been merged in Vinnolit GmbH & Co. KG. Advent International, a financial investor, became the majority shareholder. At the same time, Advent took over Vintron GmbH in Knapsack from Celanese and integrated it in the Vinnolit group as a subsidiary.

Vintron supplies the polymer operations in Knapsack and Cologne with VCM. The cooperation between Vinnolit and Vintron creates a backwards-integrated PVC raw material producer up to chlorine with a cost-optimised value creation chain.

2000


"We are investing in Vinnolit because PVC is a growth product and because we see great poten-tial for the company as a market leader in specialty PVC. At the same time, Advent imparts its strategic expertise."

Dr Hans Seidl, Operating Partner Advent International and Chairman of the Super-visory Board at Vinnolit

Global licensing operations:

Vinnolit Technologie GmbH & Co. KG „VinTec“, the new 100% subsidiary, is responsible for the development and marketing of the global licensing operations of Vinnolit in cooperation with the engineering firm Krupp Uhde. Another speciality lies in the further development of the production processes for manufacturing suspension PVC (S-PVC) and the PVC primary products 1,2-dichloroethane (EDC) and vi-nyl chloride (VCM).

1998

VCM plant with VinTec licence in Zibo, Shandong, China 2004

Reorganisation:

The subsidiaries Vintron and VinTec are integrated in Vin-nolit GmbH & Co. KG. VinTec continues as a profit centre. Vinnolit is now even more efficient, streamlined and trans-parent.

Since 1998, Vinnolit and Vintron have invested approxi-mately € 260 million in the integration of the raw materials chlorine and VCM. In Knapsack, the first membrane blocks in the chlorine electrolysis plant, a new VCM plant and an S-PVC polymerisation plant with newly developed high-performance internal cooling reactors were commissioned.

2003Expansion of paste capacity:

With the expansion of the paste PVC production plants in Burghausen, Vinnolit increased its total capacity to 230,000 metric tonnes of paste PVC per year and reinforced its po-sition as the global market leader in the field. Thanks to the new capacities, the company can now accompany the dyna-mic growth in Eastern Europe.

This investment makes the plant in Burghausen the largest paste PVC production plant in the world.

2006


VCM plant, Vintron Knapsack

Polymerisation reactor for producing paste PVC, Burghausen


Environmentally friendly technology:

June 2009 saw the completion of the conversion of the chlor-alkali electrolysis plants in Gendorf and Knapsack to energy-saving and environmentally friendly membrane technology. Boosted by an investment of € 100 million, chlo-rine capacity was increased from 390,000 to 430,000 met-ric tonnes in total per year. This ensures and improves raw material supply for the subsequent PVC production and the delivery situation for the important co-product caustic soda. At the same time, the new process is environmentally friend-ly and improves the CO2 balance.

2009


Cell hall of the membrane electrolysis plant in Gendorf

Focus on specialties:

With the purchase of the paste PVC business of Ineos Chlor-Vinyls with its PVC production sites in Hillhouse (UK) and Schkopau (Germany) Vinnolit expanded its leading position in speciality PVC even further. This acquisition increasedannual production capacity from 230,000 to 330,000 metric tonnes of paste PVC.

2007

Paste PVC plant Schkopau

Paste PVC plant Hillhouse

Further expansion of paste PVC:

In the summer of 2012, Vinnolit completed the further ex-pansion of the paste capacity at the Burghausen site. The production capacity of the world‘s largest plant for the pro-duction of paste PVC now amounts to 100,000 tonnes per year.

2012 Focus on new markets:

As a producer of high-quality specialty PVC, Vinnolit is now the global market leader. The dynamic markets in Eastern Europe, Turkey, China, India and Brazil in particular offer exceptional growth potential, which Vinnolit intends to tap with additional investments in larger production capacities and innovative products.

2013


New polymerisation tank for producing paste PVC in the expanded paste plant

in Burghausen

PVC: The ideal material for a whole spectrum of application areas


Products and innovation

Our customers are leading PVC processors and caustic soda users from a wide range of fields, from SMEs right up to inter-national corporate groups. Thanks to our many years of experi-ence and production processes tailored to suit all requirements, we can always offer every individual customer the right product for them. At Vinnolit, the focus is always on the customer. For that very reason, we not only place high demands on our pro-duct range and quality, but also on our customer service. Our business is founded on long-term partnerships.

PVC for all applications

Vinnolit produces and markets a broad spectrum of PVC pro-ducts covering all kinds of PVC applications, for example in the

construction sector, automotive industry and medical applica-tions. Vinnolit is the global market leader in specialty PVC.

Thanks to its quality and versatility, PVC is an ideal material for a wide range of applications: floorings made of PVC are particularly easy to maintain and available in many designs, decorative vinyl wall coverings create atmosphere and PVC window frames are excellently suited to energy-saving window systems. In the construction sector, PVC is additionally used for durable pipes, cable sheaths and robust sheeting. In day-to-day life, the versatile material also serves us in the form of credit cards, faux leather, sturdy waterproof clothing and car interiors.


Only barely 8 per cent of the global PVC market is allocated to specialty PVC. In comparison, Vinnolit has a specialty share of over 60 per cent of the sales quantity, which translates to more than 70 per cent of the turnover.

2% Thermoplastic Specialties

Worldwide:

Vinnolit:

39% S-PVC

15% Thermoplastic Specialties

92% S-PVC

6% Paste PVC

Caustic soda

The company‘s product range also encompasses co-products and intermediate products such as caustic soda, vinyl chloride and tin tetrachloride, which are required for further processing in the chemical industry among other purposes.

Caustic soda is an important basic chemical and is used in the production of paper, glass and ceramics, aluminium, de-tergents and cleaning agents and viscose fibres among other applications. In addition, it is also used as a neutralizing agent, precipitating agent, cleaning agent and food additive.

The production of viscose fibres is only one of the many application fields of caustic soda.

46% Paste PVC


Research and development

Vinnolit invests € 9 million every year in research, development and application technology. We are continually working on the further development of our production technologies and deve-lop the PVC raw materials for the markets and requirements of tomorrow. At the same time, we also have cooperations out-side our company with customers and universities.

Vinnolit is one of the most innovative companies in the industry. More than half of the PVC products for paste applications that we currently sell have been developed and launched on the market in the last ten years. On average they are joined by a further two innovations every year.

The innovation management department is located at our Gen-dorf site. Our employees develop new products for our custo-mers in the laboratory and the pilot plant.

All important PVC processing procedures can be adjusted in the Vinnolit application technology centre in Burghausen. In close cooperation with the innovation management depart-ment in Gendorf and customers we are continually working here on optimising processing procedures and products and developing solutions for special customer requirements.

Analysis of PVC grain structure in the la-boratory at the innovation management department in Gendorf

Profile extrusion in the application technology centre in Burghausen

Determination of the residual monomer content via headspace gas chromatography in the PVC labora-tory in Burghausen


Sheet inspection in the application technology centre in Burghausen


PVC and sustainability

100 years ago, the German chemist Fritz Klatte was awarded the patent for the production of PVC. Today, PVC is a modern and innovative material which is constantly being developed further.

PVC is composed of 57% chlorine, which is harvested from the practically unlimited supply of rock salt by means of electrolysis. Due to the raw material component rock salt, PVC production requires comparatively little non-renewable fossil fuels. This is an advantage from both economical and ecological perspecti-ves. PVC products protect resources and are particularly cost-efficient, high-performance and low maintenance. In addition, they can be recycled.

Sustainability initiatives

In the scope of the European sustainability programme Vinyl-

There are recycling systems available for many PVC applications, such as window frames. PVC pipes are very durable, can withstand lar-

ge loads and do not become blocked thanks to their smooth surfaces.


Plus (www.vinylplus.org), Vinnolit works together with many other companies in the PVC industry to promote the recycling of PVC, reduce emissions further, expedite the use of sustaina-ble additives, protect the environment via energy efficiency and the responsible use of raw materials and promote awareness of operating sustainably. In this respect, the industry has already achieved great successes – particularly with the previous pro-gramme Vinyl 2010. In Germany, the Working group PVC and environment (AGPU) has been successfully working on the sus-tainable development of PVC for 25 years.

In addition to VinylPlus, Vinnolit supports the EuroChlor susta-inability programme and participates in the chemical industry‘s responsible care programme, which drives continuous improve-ment in health, safety and environment (HSE).

Salt delivery in Gendorf

20 2120 years of Vinnolit 20 years of Vinnolit20 20 years of Vinnolit

Vinnolit is a founding member of the Environmental Pact

of Bavaria, aimed at the continuous improvement of cor-

porate environmental protection. In 2011, Managing Di-

rector Dr Ralph Ottlinger (r.) was presented with a certifi-

cate for the efforts from the Minister for the Environment,

Dr Markus Söder.

In 2008/2009, the new energy-saving membrane electrolysis plants were com-pleted in Knapsack and Gendorf. With "PVClean" it has been possible to reduce water consumption in

the suspension PVC plant in Knapsack to 200,000 m3 per year via ultrafiltration and recycling the water.

Environmental protection and energy efficiency at Vinnolit

An integrated management system for quality, safety, environ-mental protection and energy guarantees the continual further development and improvement of products and processes in the company.

Above all, increasing energy efficiency is an important corpo-rate objective. For this reason, Vinnolit continuously invests in the modernisation of plants and improving process flows. Ex-amples of this are the energy-saving membrane electrolysis plants for the production of the PVC preliminary product chlo-rine, which were commissioned in 2009, and the groupwideproject "VinSavE", in which employees developed ideas for sa-

ving energy which will help to reduce energy consumption in the company by more than 10 per cent. Many of the measures outlined there have already been implemented and many more are set to follow in the coming years.

Vinnolit also actively saves water: with "PVClean" the company has been operating the first large-scale plant for the recycling of process water from a suspension PVC operation in Knapsack since 2008.

The Vinnolit employees developed energy-sa-ving ideas at "VinSavE".


Today, Vinnolit boasts an annual capacity of 780,000 metric tonnes, making it one of the leading PVC raw materials produ-cers in Europe and the global market and technology leader in specialty PVC.

Vinnolit is backwards integrated from chlorine/caustic soda to PVC and is a technology supplier for the entire vinyl chain from EDC to PVC.

The company‘s national and international activities are cont-rolled from the headquarters in Ismaning near Munich. We have production sites in Burghausen, Gendorf, Knapsack, Co-logne, Schkopau and Hillhouse (UK). Vinnolit achieved a tur-nover of € 905 million in the 2012 financial year and currently employs around 1,450 members of staff. Vinnolit operates six sales offices in Europe and works in close cooperation with numerous sales partners around the world.

Vinnolit headquarters in Ismaning

Vinnolit around the globe

Vinnolit at a Glance

Formation: 1993 Ownership: Advent International >80%Headquarters: Ismaning (München) Sales (2012): 905 million € Employees: approx. 1.450 Production sites: Burghausen, Gendorf, Cologne, Knapsack, Schkopau, Hillhouse (UK) Production capacities: PVC: 780 kt/p.a. VCM: 665 kt/p.a. Caustic soda (100%): 475 kt/p.a.


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Production sites European sales offices

Hillhouse

Moscow

PosenCologne

KnapsackSchkopau

Ismaning BurghausenGendorf

Dendermonde

Lomazzo


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Specialty PVC producers worldwide:

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Vinnolit - worldwide the No. 1 at PVC specialties

vinnolit: 20 years of pvc innovation

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