Interview: Currenta CEO Hilken Plans to Make Chempark Europe’s Chemical Flagship

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The Biggest Challenge

Back in November 2009, Currenta signed a partnership agreement with Nanjing Chemical Industry Park. What was your objective?

Hilken: We want to attract investors to Germany and the Rhine, and that most definitely includes investors from the Far East. That makes contacts with chemical parks in China a must.

What are your biggest challenges at the moment?

Hilken: The two energy projects in Leverkusen and Krefeld-Uerdingen have the highest priority. We also intend to continue developing our infrastructure in an efficient manner and that normally takes place in conjunction with projects. The TDI project in Dormagen will make a substantial contribution to infrastructure expansion, e.g. cooling energy.

And in the long term?

Hilken: Once again, I will mention energy which is a major cost factor for everyone involved at the chemical park. If we go back 20 or 30 years, personnel costs were normally the biggest operational accounting line item. There has been a fundamental shift in the meantime.

The future direction of energy prices in Germany will certainly be a crucial factor. We will have to do a lot of convincing to gain general acceptance for energy-intensive industries. This issue will certainly remain on the table for the next 10 to 15 years.

“The Future Direction of Energy Prices Will be a Crucial Factor”

To address the issue, Currenta launched the A++ climate protection program in 2008. How do customers benefit?

Hilken: The program helps us to increase process efficiency. We are currently working on the CO₂ emissions metric, producing direct benefits for our customers. We are also investing a lot of effort in energy technology. Sharing of expertise at the chemical park produces advantages that are impossible to quantify.

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