Evonik enters hydrocarbon refrigerant market

GERMANY: Specialty chemical manufacturer Evonik is to enter the “natural” refrigerant market in Europe with a range of hydrocarbons.

Germany’s second-largest chemical manufacturer, Evonik will now be marketing R600 (n-butane), R600a (isobutane) and R290 (propane) under its Drivosol brand.

The move follows last year’s announcement of a €15m investment in the company’s production plant in Marl, North Rhine-Westphalia. This enabled a shift toward petrochemical specialties, primarily by adapting production processes.

Claiming many years of experience in the production of odourless liquefied gas mixtures, Evonik Performance Intermediates marketing manager Sarah Kranz said: “The most important characteristic is its high purity, which has so far been used primarily in aerosols for deodorants or shaving foam. We have now used our experience, particularly in reprocessing technology, to identify and exploit new applications.”

Recognising the growth in demand for non-HFC refrigerants, head of marketing Christian Bierhaus added: ”With the expansion of our specialties business, we are able to serve the increasing individual demand of our customers, while also making a small contribution to reducing the greenhouse effect. The latter succeeds above all through the higher energy efficiency that can be achieved with our products.”