Axens selected by Sumitomo Chemical for a waste-to-polyolefins Project on Circular Economy

Sumitomo Chemical and Axens signed a license agreement of ethanol-to-ethylene technology Atol® for Sumitomo Chemical’s waste-to-polyolefins project in Japan.

In the project, to promote circular economy, Axens’ Atol® technology will transform ethanol produced from waste into polymer-grade ethylene that will be polymerized in Sumitomo Chemical’s assets into polyolefin, a key product in the petrochemical industry.

At full roll-out, the project will enable the production of waste-based polyolefin at industrial scale, which will represent a leapfrog towards a sustainable economy based on renewable carbon. 

About Atol®
Atol® is a technology for the most profitable production of polymer grade ethylene by dehydration of any kind of renewable ethanol from biomass or waste.
The ethylene produced can be integrated in partial and/or total replacement of fossil hydrocarbon based ethylene in various downstream polymerization installations without requiring modifications. Atol® ethylene can therefore be fed into existing or new units of, for instance, polyethylene (PE), ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol (polyethylene-terephthalate - PET), polyolefins, alpha-olefins production for linear alkylbenzene (LABs) and polyalphaolefins (PAOs), benzene alkylation for polystyrene (PS), acrylonitrile-butadienestyrene (ABS), polyvinylchloride (PVC), etc.
Atol® is the result of a partnership between Axens, Total and IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN).

About Sumitomo Chemical
SUMITOMO CHEMICAL COMPANY, LIMITED is a Japan-based company engaged in the comprehensive chemical business. The Company operates in Petrochemicals & Plastics Sector, Energy & Functional Materials Sector, IT-related Chemicals Sector, Health & Crop Sciences Sector, Pharmaceuticals Sector and Others.
To promote chemical recycling, Sumitomo Chemical is accelerating the development of solutions, including carbon recycling technologies to address the waste plastics issue, and greenhouse gas emission reduction technologies. Sumitomo Chemical aims to create a new value chain contributing to a circular economy.

About IFPEN 
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) is a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transport and the environment. From research to industry, technological innovation is central to all its activities, based on three strategic priorities: sustainable mobility, new energies and responsible oil and gas. IFPEN is committed to innovation to underpin a sustainable energy mix and supports the fundamental transformation of the energy sector.  IFPEN is contributing to this transformation by developing production processes for advanced biofuels, bio-based products and plastics recycling processes. IFPEN is also working on solutions for low environmental impact mobility, CO2 capture and storage, ocean energies and energy storage. Website: www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.com  

About Axens
Axens (www.axens.net) is a group providing a complete range of solutions for the conversion of oil and biomass to cleaner fuels, the production and purification of major petrochemical intermediates as well as all of natural gas' treatment and conversion options. The offer includes technologies, equipment, furnaces, modular units, catalysts, adsorbents and related services. Axens is ideally positioned to cover the entire value chain, from feasibility study to unit start-up and follow-up throughout the entire unit cycle life. This unique position ensures the highest level of performance with a reduced environmental footprint. Axens global offer is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network for industrial, technical supports & commercial services. Axens is an IFP Group company.

_{Press Contact: 
Corinne GARRIGA
Head of Axens Group Communications
corinne.garriga@axens.net
Tel.: +33 1 47 14 25 14 – Mob.: +33 6 73 85 84 02}