Innovation

Improvement and innovation of its products and production processes are a priority to Tessenderlo Group. This helps Tessenderlo Group to ensure its growth and to maintain its competitive posistion in its markets.
Research and development are mainly carried out in the group's own modern and well-equipped laboratories and pilot plants, whether or not in collaboration with external partners.

Inorganics

By using a wider range of raw materials - with different specifications -, flexibility in our phosphate-, sulphate- and electrolysis plants has been stepped up.

Thanks to new investments in manufacturing equipment, digestibility of the Aliphos animal feed phosphates was improved even further. Aliphos is continuing to make every effort to see its manufacturing operations conducted in the fullest respect of environmental health, with a due focus of attention going out to waste treatment and the lowest possible phosphate content in the manure. In collaboration with a number of universities and veterinary research institutions, Aliphos devised a range of nutrients and coated acids that protect the rumen of ruminants. In doing so, they replace the intake of antibiotics.

For potassium sulphate, an application was developed in which the fertiliser is absorbed through the leaves, which is far more efficient for the farmer, and the environment.
In collaboration with universities, Tessenderlo Group's research and development department has synthesised a number of glycine metal chelates that have been launched onto the market under the trade name of 'Alyglis' as a highly efficient way of incorporating micronutrients in an animal diet.

The process is continuously being improved in order to ensure that the activities in the various units are mutually in step to optimum effect, and to reduce energy consumption and other costs as widely as possible.
In close collaboration with a number of French universities, all steps of the manufacturing process are analysed in detail with a view to making this process as dynamic and as cost-efficient as possible.

Thanks to the introduction of alternative processes for the production of ferric chloride, the production operations can now be made to switch at any time to the best available and/or cheapest raw material. 

The quality of the ortho-chlorotoluene derivatives was stepped up and the product range was expanded. These derivatives are used in recent-generation crop protection agents.

MPR Services

MPR is committed to continuous innovation and improvement of its services to refineries for the purification of solvents. In this regard, it has devised a thermal recycling process for hot potassium carbonate solutions. MPR has also built a mobile recycling unit that operates in no less than nine different ways and can be used worldwide. In addition it has developped a thermal recycling unit to remove salts from glycols and amines.

Innovations with regard to the products:

Trough field trials, Tessenderlo Kerley has done research to improve the efficiency in use and effectiveness of its fertilisers and to test new mixtures of its products for use in irrigated farming.

Innovations with regard to engineering and research & development:

A patent has been awarded for the use of MagThio® to reduce the ozone content in potable water and waste water. In addition, a patent application has been filed for the manufacturing of manganese thiosulphate. A definition of it has been presented to the American Association of Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO). TKI is looking to have manganese thiosulphate included as part of the list of products authorised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Toxic Substance Control Act (TOSCA).

During the course of 2009, various new products have been developed. Acting in response to the growing importance of water management services, Dyka Rainclean was launched on the market. This new system filters and processes the rainwater that is recovered from roads and car parks before penetrating the soil again. In addition, the Duborain system that is used for the temporary collection and storage of rainwater was supplemented with an inspection system in the Rainbox II. The latter was designed in collaboration with a strategic partner, and made available for sale in six countries.

In The Netherlands, Dykasono was launched in early 2010, a sound-damping indoor drainage made from PVC polymers intended for buildings.

In Belgium, a polypropylene sewage system was introduced which is set to take on the competition of conventional concrete and clay systems on the public works market.

Bi-axially orientated pipe systems have been available on every market since 2009. These systems are capable of resisting higher internal pressures levels than regular PVC tubes of identical wall thickness. Sotra-Seperef's Bioroc PVC pipes rank among the sturdiest high-pressure systems.

A PVC composite material was developed for the production of reinforcement sections in window systems. They are used to replace the customary metal reinforcements. The compound is suited to conventional extrusion machines, to the effect that the use of these new compound sections requires as good as no investments. PVC reinforcements come with even greater benefits compared to metal: they are cheaper, lighter and offer better thermal insulation.

Another PVC compound was introduced for the manufacturing of foam profiles for wall and face cladding. Conventional materials come with a number of drawbacks: they fade, expand and contract, absorb moisture and are difficult to fit. The compounds on the other hand are easily extruded on the machines that are in place, have excellent form retention properties and offer very good thermal insulation. What is more, both material and installation outlays are less, which makes these compounds eminently suited for the exterior insulation of private homes.

A PVC formulation was devised for pipe and drainage systems that foam and swell up if there is a fire. This enables them to prevent the fast-paced spread of the fire.
We are currently working on a compound on the basis of Marvylan® for the manufacture of transparent tubes for cultivating algae, a biomass that can be used to generate biodiesel.

Tessenderlo Group's research team assesses the use of supercritical carbon dioxide during PVC extrusion. This is expected to result in a drastic reduction of energy consumption levels.