From Water Glass to Wind Turbines: Driving Energy Efficiencies in Germany's Industry Hub
The Rhineland-Palatinate is a leading industrial state in Germany, dominated by businesses in the chemical, pharmaceutical, vehicle and machine construction, rubber and plastic ware, and metal sectors. By nature, many of these industries are highly energy-intensive, leading the state to seek energy efficiencies and innovations as it strives toward sustainable transformation of its industrial base. This is exemplified by integrated local value networks that work together to contribute to the region’s environmental efforts.
Grace’s Worms manufacturing facility employs nearly 1,000 people and produces a variety of materials, including catalysts, molecular sieves, micronized silicas and specialty silicas. SYLOSIV® zeolite powders are among the products made in Worms that contribute to the local economy and value chain. SYLOSIV® zeolite powders are used in the manufacturing of polyurethane products such as floorings, coatings, paints, electric insulations, glues and more.
Prioritizing Energy Efficient Production Processes
The manufacturing process to make powder desiccants, such as SYLOSIV®, involves crystallization, drying and high-temperature processing, all of which are energy intensive – and therefore ripe for opportunities to make them more efficient. The Worms plant is always seeking new ways to prioritize energy efficiency – for example, exhaust heat flows are recycled, and waste water is fed back into the production processes wherever possible.
"I'm proud that we at Grace are making a contribution toward the energy revolution, seeing that our products are incorporated, among other things, in sealants and glues for wind turbines. SYLOSIV® zeolite powders help fine-tune the properties of the end products and supports the production process by absorbing unwanted ambient moisture," said Linda Pastuschka, Production Engineer, Adsorbents, Grace.
One of the inputs for SYLOSIV® zeolite powders is water glass from Wöllner, one of Europe's largest family-run water glass providers, with production located in Ludwigshafen, less than half an hour away and also in the Rhineland-Palatinate state.
Water Glass Finds a Second Home at Grace
Water glass, known for its ability to re-dissolve under pressure and temperature, goes into a variety of applications, including binders, paints, welding electrodes, paper sleeves, insulation materials, and sustainable construction materials. It has been manufactured for hundreds of years, yet new applications for it continue to be developed. Made from sand and soda at temperatures above 1,400°C, water glass gets processed into a variety of secondary products, including SYLOSIV® zeolite powders.
The Wöllner facility is also committed to improving energy efficiency. “We are already working toward switching our energy sources to a sustainable basis. This will secure our future in the long run as an employer and provider of innovative products," said Manuel Heck, Production Team Water Glass in Ludwigshafen.
SYLOSIV® Zeolite Powders in Action – Exceptional Adsorptive Capacity
A third manufacturer in the neighboring state of Baden-Würtemberg, Sika is a specialty chemicals company that produces adhesives, sealing, insulation, and reinforcing solutions for the wind turbine industry, from foundations up through rotor blades. Sika employs additives like Grace's SYLOSIV® zeolite powders to help equipment like wind turbines endure harsh conditions.
From the sand and soda Wöllner used to produce water glass to Grace’s SYLOSIV® zeolite powders to the wind turbine construction materials manufactured at Sika, the local industrial ecosystem relies on collaboration among upstream and downstream participants to create value, drive efficiencies and seek innovative solutions for a sustainable future.