Nouryon was formed in 1838 in Deventer, and used to be an old flour mill and has since grown into a chemical company circa early 19th century. They switched from a flour mill, to chemical component manufacturer when the founders desired a flour to make whiter bread. They learned they could replicate the white American bread (that was achieved from the flour oxidation from sailing to the Americas), by using the agent of benzoyl peroxide. The company owner learned that with benzoyl peroxide, an organic bleaching agent, they could bleach their flour and make white bread. Then this transformed into figuring out more uses for the organic peroxides and thus delving into the plastic industry. Still at the original Deventer site, they now only make complex compounds.
Logistically, Nouryon is a stand alone company that broke free from a former company and grows through acquisitions and innovative practices. They earned 5.2 billion dollars in revenue in 2023, have presence in 80 countries, have 8000 employees, earned a A- climate score, and 77% of r&d product pipelines focus on solutions with sustainable benefits. Nouryon puts heavy focus on the value of safety and sustainability. The company focuses on innovative and sustainable solutions that specifically answer their customers needs. They focus on growing both end markets and emerging markets, all while driving commercial and cost productivity. Some of the company’s end markets include: agriculture and food, personal care and home, natural resources, paintings and coatings, polymer specialties, renewable gas. Some examples of products that rely on Nouryon products include: hand sanitizer, shoes, clothes, drinks, turf, makeup products, laundry products, paint, solar panels, batteries, windows, additive for touch screens, battery components (phone and EV). Some of Nouryon’s customers include: Bayer, L’oréal, Johnson and Johnson, Kubrick, Nippon Paint, AkzonNobel, EcoLab, Unilover, Georgia Pacific. They company innovates their products and alters their product lines based on customer sustainability drivers and needs.
After listening to Pitt Alum, Kristen speak; we learned that Nouryon facilitates the “behind the scenes” work in the chemical compound world. Basically, they sell ingredients to companies to then allow them to make products. Nouryon maintains the power to sell to companies to formulate or create a product, and sell to different customers at different price points.
Nouryon separates from competitors by playing middle ground, not too big not too small, by creating strength in chemical recipes and manufacturing excellence and connection to market. They play on their strengths and leverage their sustainability mission when achieving market control. They also have unique products such as “expand cell” which are pellets that grow, they have the exclusive rights to these. The closer they are the end user, the lower the carbon footprint.
They test biodegradation and eco toxicity, and products must comply with regulations in various regions that they sell to. Nouryon places heavy emphasis on sustainability by having 22% of raw materials be bio-based, 39% of total electricity based on renewable sources, 34% of electricity is renewable, and by having 5 carbon neutral manufacturing sites. Additionally, they subscribe to 10 of the UN initiatives, and follow the 3 pillars of: continual improvement, growth and innovation, and engagement and partnership. They have a commitment to their goals and aim to be a net-zero company by 2050.
Chemicals are needed and essential. Chemicals cannot just stop being produced, but the industry can start a cascade of sustainability for themselves and their buyers. If the chemical industry does not behave sustainable, the rest of the industries later in the supply chain will not have the possibility to be sustainable.
While on the site visit, we went on an interactive tour of three components of Nouryon: a product development room (washing detergents and laundry agents), a transporting and flammable complex compounds workshop (acetone cell flames), and finally a tour of their lab facilities (microscope to view individual molecules). My favorite subject of the tour was when we visited the complex compounds lab and we saw acetone get experimented upon, and then explode and shoot flames. We then went to an outside chamber than can withstand intense blasts that safely test proper storage techniques for transport to ensure safety and the quality of the compounds.
To end the trip, we took a 1 1/2 bus ride back to the hotel, and promptly headed off to a Pitt Alumni dinner at Pacific Amsterdam Restaurant. It was wonderful to meet people with Pittsburgh ties, and the career professionals gave helpful insight to working and living abroad. We wrapped up the evening by heading over to a festival across the street, and the Dutch people were celebrating as they have work off tomorrow for the day of the ascension. After taking the bus back to the hotel, we are having a nice and early night in.
Peace out ✌️