Page 18 - HPIC E-Magazine (January-2021)

News from Abroad

EFFICIENCY ENHANCEMENT
Oxo alcohol maker, OQ Chemicals, to reorganise

German site

Oxo alcohol and derivatives sup- programme in autumn 2019 together
plier, OQ Chemicals, formerly Oxea, with external consultants and with
is reorganising its Oberhausen site the involvement of our employees.
in Germany as it seeks to secure At its core, it includes significant
the competitiveness of the site in investments to increase productivity
the long term through efficiency and at the Oberhausen site. With these
structural measures. changes, we are taking necessary
and important steps to position this
The company said the holistic site economically in the long term,”
‘Oxolution’ efficiency project, deve- said Dr. Oliver Borgmeier, Managing
loped together with the consulting Director of OQ Chemicals.
firm Conor Troy Consulting since
2019, will see a “double-digit mil- Oxo intermediates and oxo deri-
lion euro amount” investment in be gradually cut,” the company vatives, such as alcohols, polyols,
Oberhausen until the end of 2023 in said. carboxylic acids, specialty esters,
increasing delivery capability, digi- and amines, are used for the produc-
talisation, organisational efficiency, “International competition is be- tion of coatings, lubricants, cosme-
and automation. “By merging func- coming increasingly fierce. We pre- tics and pharmaceutical products,
tional areas, around 90 jobs in the pared for this at an early stage and flavours and fragrances, printing
production and services sectors will launched our Oxolution efficiency inks and plastics.

UNEASY RELATIONS
SABIC proposal for new term limit for Clariant board

members seen as push for Chairman’s ouster

Clariant’s biggest shareholder, might otherwise use to bulk up via
Saudi Basic Industries Corporation acquisitions that he has said are a
(SABIC), has reignited a battle over priority, the Reuters report said.
the Swiss chemicals maker’s future
by seeking a 12-year board member Mr. Kottmann, who became CEO
term limit that would force Chairman and joined Clariant’s board in 2008,
Mr. Hariolf Kottmann’s ouster, ac- has been at odds with SABIC since
cording to a Reuters report. a proposed joint venture between
the two companies collapsed in
SABIC, which owns 31.5% of 2019 over disagreements over the
Clariant, asked for the new term price of the Saudi Arabian compa-
limit, including for the chairperson, ny’s assets. The sudden departure
to be added to the agenda of the an- of Mr. Ernesto Ochiello, a long-time
nual general meeting of shareholders SABIC executive who quit as Clari-
scheduled for April 7. Aramco-con- ant CEO in July 2019 after less than
trolled SABIC also proposed a spe- a year in the job, further signalled
cial dividend distribution of 2 Swiss differences between Mr. Kottmann
francs per share, Clariant said in a Mr. Hariolf Kottmann and his top shareholder. Mr. Ochiello
statement, which would total roughly That could drain the company’s returned to SABIC after leaving
670 million francs ($753-mn). coffers that new CEO Conrad Keijzer Clariant.
18 Home, Personal & Institutional Care India January 2021