The world today is confronted with a number of global megatrends (such as rapid global population growth, increased urbanisation, scarcity of energy & raw materials and climate change), which will change the future of our world forever. These global megatrends will definitely raise new or changed societal challenges and needs. The chemical industry has a clear role in delivering technological solutions to the challenges facing society today and in addressing the new market needs. This applies not only to the use of renewable feedstock in making new products and materials but also to improving processes. In developing the circular economy, there certainly is a need for materials and products with higher performance and improved safety, all designed for circular use.
Important discussion topics
How can the chemical industry support sustainable development?
- Biobased aromatics: Innovative molecules for safer and better performance materials
- Sustainable molecules urge for intensified production systems
Expert seminars
Biobased Aromatics: Monday 17 October
Customers are looking for excellent performance materials/products with enhanced safety features. At the same time, environmental demands are increasing. This means new developments need to have the ambition to make the economy circular and the planet more sustainable.
Today, 40% of all chemicals contain aromatic structures. As such, biobased aromatics can play an important role in improving sustainability. Using them often leads to stronger and better perfoming materials with less health and safety issues.
The biobased-aromatics initiatives launched by VITO via BIORIZON (a Flemish/Dutch collaboration between VITO and TNO) and FISCH (Flanders Innovation hub for Sustainable Chemistry) are focused on industry-driven research in this domain. The findings and results of the innovations they develop enable you to redesign your products to the customer’s demands of today.
Join-in on this one-day event. Discuss with specialists and stakeholders about all aspects of the value chain. Be inspired on how to implement these new molecules in tomorrow’s materials.
Process intensification: Tuesday 18 October
Today, chemical processes are optimised in an incremental approach. The future will challenge us to redesign processes making use of alternative feedstocks, new conversion processes and more integrated systems using the proper separation technology. Optimising the hybrid concept rather than improving individual processes will define the positive outcome of process intensification projects. Success will be measured from the level of productivity increase, resource efficiency, energy consumption decrease, improved product purity, increased recycling rates, etc.
By integrating membrane-based technology, VITO focuses on developing viable new technologies and products that make process intensification pathways technically and economically viable.
VITO applies innovative separation and conversion expertise on chemical and biochemical industrial processes, both for downstream processing as well as integrated in conversion processes.
We develop innovative processes, test them from lab to pilot scale, and support customers to full-scale implementation.
Join-in on this one-day event.Discuss with specialists and stakeholders about all apsects of the process chain. Be inspired by the cases and opportunities we bring on how to implement process intensification in the manufacturing facilities of the future.
Track chair
Bert Bouwman
Track co-chairs
Ludo Diels
