Specialty chemicals company Lanxess is taking on a mammoth task and digitalizing all its process engineering, electrical engineering and automation documentation — including lifecycle management. Uniform plant and project documentation and comprehensive data management will increase quality and efficiency in production and maintenance operations going forward.

Both Germany and Europe have set the goal of becoming greenhouse gas neutral by 2050 at the latest. This means that energy consumption throughout the economy must be switched to carbon-free sources. Hydrogen will play an important role here, especially in activities that are otherwise impossible or difficult to decarbonize - for example, in the steel and chemical industries, aviation, ships or parts of the transportation sector. One of the crucial factors for rapid conversion is the question of how the production costs for green hydrogen can be reduced to a competitive level.

Stand in many an oil field and you will feel yourself transported back to the early 1970s. Despite past price crises and predictions of “peak oil”, little has changed in terms of measurement data acquisition, monitoring, and automation. Employees travel long distances every day; their most important tools are pen and clipboard. Yet efficiency can be significantly increased simply by equipping the measuring points with radio systems. This is the first step on the road to the digital oilfield, at the end of which lies greater added value. The principle of Open Process Automation provides future-proofing.

Chinese petrochemical company Sinopec has developed a new process to convert crude oil directly into chemicals. The new "Crude Oil to Chemicals" (COTC) process is a major technological breakthrough. China is thus becoming the global technology leader in catalytic cracking of crude oil.

Climate-neutral transportation, chemicals, heating and basic industries – hydrogen is supposed to do the trick. But the light gas is making it difficult for plant manufacturers. Can material storage offer an alternative and save the energy transition?

The Smart Factory has received an important boost at Merck. Soon, the company will have a live system based on MTP (Module Type Package) automation in production for the very first time. In this way, the specialty chemicals group aims to become a leader in modular production systems. Marc Dittmann, Process Development, Senior Engineer Electronics Integrated Supply Chain at Merck KGaA, explains his company’s work on the Enpro project.

The increasingly relevant climate change coupled with the worldwide static increase in energy consumption by industry and private households requires us to rethink. New climate-neutral alternatives are being promoted more and more. One of the biggest hopes in the field of climate neutrality is hydrogen. But what is hydrogen? How can we produce it and where can it help us?

With a new MDI technology, Covestro aims to improve efficiency and environmental protection. Everyone is talking about sustainability — including the chemical industry. With the quartet of regenerative energies, alternative raw materials, recycling solutions and CO2-saving technologies, Covestro wants to become a front runner. A completely new MDI technology should also help.

Maintenance and remote services reach the pump world - Above all, a pump must deliver reliably - right? More and more manufacturers are drilling their flow machines with additional digital benefits. But what do operators gain when the pump goes to the cloud?

Providing functional turnkey solutions for demanding industry projects based on innovative technology and process know-how: The EPC group transitioned itself beyond an engineering company. The key to their success? Strategic partnerships, a strong focus on technology and offering the right solution in the right place at the right time.