Displaying items by tag: Nalco

Nalco continues to achieve good price increase progress to offset higher raw material costs and will seek additional price increases as necessary to offset any further raw material inflation, the Company said today in advance of an investor webcast review next week on its water and paper segments.

Details on price increase progress, the 2011 outlook and progress executing growth strategies in the global Water and Process Services segment will be discussed in a previously scheduled June 28 business review webcast with Dave Flitman, Senior Executive Vice President and President, Water and Process Services. The webcast event will be available at www.nalco.com/investors.

"We have been actively negotiating prices at all accounts throughout this year," said Nalco Chairman and CEO Erik Fyrwald. "In the critical North American water and paper businesses, we had pricing agreements in place by the end of April with 75 percent of our customers and have continued to finalize agreements that we expect will cover our cost increases on a run-rate basis by the end of the third quarter. Based on our progress, including previously discussed efforts in Energy Services which were highlighted in an investor call with Steve Taylor on May 31, we expect margin improvement in the second half of this year with 4th quarter margins more consistent with our historical norms."

Water and Process Services Business Review
Date: 6/28/2011
Start Time: 10 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CT / 8 a.m. MT / 7 a.m. PT
Length: 60 minutes
Dial-in Telephone Number: 1-913-312-1438
Confirmation Code: 6595515
To help ensure the conference call begins in a timely manner, please dial in five to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time.

The webcast of Mr. Flitman's presentation will be available through the Investor Relations section of Nalco's website, www.nalco.com/investors. Following the live event, an archived version of the webcast will also be available on the site under Investor Relations, Archived Presentations. An archive of Mr. Taylor's May 31 webcast is currently available under Investor Relations, Archived Presentations.

Nalco, providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, has helped Suzano Pulp and Paper's industrial units in the cities of Suzano, Sao Paulo and Mucuri, Bahia in Brazil, significantly reduce water and chemical use in their papermaking process.

Suzano, the second largest global producer of eucalyptus pulp and regional leader in the paper market, developed a new set of KPIs (key performance indicators) for its papermaking operations and asked Nalco to find ways to improve its performance, reduce costs and optimize the use of natural resources.

The Nalco team identified the combination of a new retention, drainage and formation program with patented PARETO Mixing Technology to enhance the wet-end of the papermaking process, where high amounts of water and fiber are formed into the paper sheet before it is dried. By using the PARETO Optimizer solution, improved mixing was achieved, leading to the desired decrease in water and chemical usage.

"As a sustainability-oriented company, Suzano is always looking to increase its business competitiveness while at the same time implementing effective solutions that strengthen innovation," said Ernesto Pousada, Executive Director of Operations at Suzano Pulp and Paper.

With the implementation of these new technologies, total fresh water demand in both mills decreased more than 79 million gallons per year, leading to a significant improvement in the sustainability performance.

This success led Suzano Pulp and Paper to recognize its successful partnership with Nalco and present the company with the Suzano Providers Award, in the Innovation Category, in 2009.

source:Nalco

The Society of Chemical Industry, America International Group, announced today that the 2011 SCI Perkin Medal will be presented to Dr. Rodney H. Banks, a research fellow at Nalco. He will receive the medal at a dinner in his honor on Sept. 20, 2011, at the Hyatt Hotel in Philadelphia.

"Rod Banks is an outstanding industrial technologist," said Stephanie Burns, Chairperson of the SCI. "This award recognizes his fundamental contributions to new sensor technologies that have led to improved water and energy efficiencies for a variety of industries."

Banks holds a Ph.D. in Inorganic/Physical Chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley, where he worked for Nobel laureate and fellow Perkin winner Glenn Seaborg. In the mid-1980s, Banks and his co-workers at Nalco identified the need for improved control of industrial water treatment and commercial processes. He and colleague John Hoots subsequently led the invention and commercialization of TRASAR® fluorescent tracing technology. During the past decade, Banks invented a broad suite of technologies incorporating chemical and mechanical sensors for intelligent monitoring and control of industrial water and process applications that have saved more than 300 billion gallons of fresh water at thousands of customer locations around the world.

"Nalco is very proud for Rod to receive this prestigious recognition for his work," said Erik Fyrwald, Nalco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "The evolution of sensor technology that Rod and his team have developed is transforming how water systems are treated, delivering enormous water and energy savings."

The current generation, 3D TRASAR automation technology, has won a United States Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award for its cooling water application. Its use is being expanded to a variety of additional applications, including boiler water treatment, membrane operations, papermaking and refinery process applications.

In addition to TRASAR sensing and control, Banks has also created various electrochemical, optical, quartz crystal microbalance-based sensors for chemical treatment levels, corrosion, scale and microbial fouling detection. These detect system performance in real time and allow optimum control of chemical treatments, increasing the longevity of mechanical assets, improving process and worker safety, optimizing water and energy usage and minimizing impact on the environment. He holds more than 20 patents and has published nine scientific papers.

About the SCI Perkin Medal

The annual award is recognized as the highest honor given for outstanding work in applied chemistry in the United States. It commemorates the discovery of the first synthetic dye (the so-called Perkin mauve) by Sir William Henry Perkin in 1856. This discovery was a significant step forward in organic chemistry that led to the birth of a major segment of the chemical industry. The SCI Perkin Medal was first awarded to Sir William at a banquet held by the SCI in New York in 1906. Since then, more than 100 such awards have been given to notable scientists.

About the Society of Chemical Industry

SCI America International Group, launched in 1894, is part of the Society of Chemical Industry's international organization. It provides a unique networking forum for chemical industry leaders, industrial scientists and technologists to exchange new business ideas and best practices. It celebrates achievement to promote public awareness of the contributions of industrial chemistry and inspire students to enter technical careers.

SCI America section also offers its members the opportunity to become part of an international network of industry thought leaders and researchers. Through specialized conferences, e-events, and publications, it helps foster best practices in fields as diverse as fine and commodity chemicals, food, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, agriculture, and environmental protection.

SCI America events are managed by Chemical Heritage Foundation. http://www.chemheritage.org/. The award dinner will be the final event of Innovation Day, a full day of research collaboration in the molecular sciences held at Chemical Heritage Foundation on Sept. 20.

Nalco (NYSE: NLC), providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, announced today it will be enacting a transportation and energy surcharge on products shipped to North American customers in select industries, effective May 1, 2011.

The surcharge is necessary due to the significant and rapidly escalating increases associated with fuel and energy costs. This surcharge will be based on total pounds shipped and the average fuel price for diesel as reported by the U.S. Department of Energy website at www.eia.doe.gov.

"The ongoing and rapid increase of our transportation and energy costs makes it necessary to impose surcharges for customers in North America, while allowing for adjustment with cost fluctuations," said David Flitman, Nalco Senior Executive Vice President and President, Water and Process Services.

A separate invoice for customers will be generated on the 15th of each month for the duration that this surcharge is in effect. The surcharge amount will be calculated based on total pounds shipped and the average U.S. on-highway diesel price for the previous month.

SOURCE Nalco

Nalco providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, announced today it will release its first-quarter 2011 financial results after market close on April 26.

At 10 a.m. ET on April 27, the Company will hold a conference call and live audio-only Webcast led by Nalco Chairman and Chief Executive Officer J. Erik Fyrwald and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Kathryn Mikells to discuss these results.

Date: 4/27/2011

Start Time: 10 a.m. ET / 9 a.m. CT / 8 a.m. MT / 7 a.m. PT

Length: 60 minutes

Dial-in Telephone Number: 1-913-312-0687

Confirmation Code: 6035766

To help ensure the conference call begins in a timely manner, please dial in five to 10 minutes prior to the scheduled start time on April 27.

The audio-only Webcast will be available through the Investor Relations section of Nalco's Web site, www.nalco.com/investors. Following the live event, an archived version of the Webcast will also be available on the Nalco Web site under Investor Relations, Events/Presentations.

Nalco, providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, and the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory have reached a licensing agreement for Argonne's resin wafer electrodeionization (RW-EDI) technology. This separation-based technology is in early development and has the potential to create significant value in clean energy, chemical process and water treatment.

Argonne and Nalco have been involved in two DOE-funded research projects jointly developing this versatile RW-EDI technology. These projects have already demonstrated advantages in impaired water purification and in capture of CO2 from air.

"We are excited to pursue the further development and commercial fit of the RW-EDI technology in a variety of potential applications that will help Nalco customers meet their quality, financial and environmental targets," said Cathy Doucette, Nalco Global Technology Leader. "We started our RW-EDI technology partnership with Argonne by advancing the use of this technology to allow impaired water to be used as cooling water in coal-based power plants. We expanded this collaboration through our ongoing ARPA-E funded effort to evaluate the technology for the energy efficient removal of CO2 from coal flue gas. We look forward to extending this partnership into many other areas of importance to our customers."

Argonne's resin wafer technology is made from commercially available materials which by controlling dimensions, composition, porosity and conductivity, can be easily adapted to a targeted product and application need.

One application for Argonne's patented technology is bioprocessing. Conventional bioprocessing technologies, such as those used to produce organic acids, require significant capital expenditures on energy-intensive steps to recover these products and generate large waste streams. Argonne's technology allows for the continuous removal of charged products like organic acids from aqueous process streams and eliminates the requirement to continuously add neutralizing agents, avoiding resulting waste stream.

"The implications of this resin wafer electrodeionization technology are both positive and exciting," said Argonne biochemical engineer Seth Snyder, whose group developed the technology. "Bio-based chemicals and fuels are a clean and sustainable alternative to oil and gas consumption. Increasing their usage would help provide a home grown energy source, reducing carbon dioxide emissions and overall energy costs. Our technology could help make affordable clean and bio-based products that are not currently economically competitive."

With the license in place, Nalco and Argonne will pursue the design and development of commercial platforms to help customers integrate the clean technology into their manufacturing and air and water treatment processes.

"Nalco is constantly seeking partnerships like the one we share with Argonne," said Manian Ramesh, Nalco's Chief Technology Officer. "Working with national laboratories, universities, suppliers and customers around the world combines the extensive intellectual talent available outside Nalco with the hundreds of researchers at our global R&D centers. This open innovation develops technologies that help customers reduce their operating expenses, increase productivity and minimize environmental impacts. That helps us provide them an environmental return on investment, what we call eROI."

DOE's offices of Fossil Energy and Biomass provided funding for the RW-EDI research and development.

SOURCE Nalco

A second paper industry publication's global readership survey has selected Nalco (NYSE: NLC) as a preferred supplier of chemical programs for the industry. In the 2010 Brand Awareness and Preference Study of readers by Pulp Paper (PPI) International magazine, more readers also anticipated buying from Nalco in the next twelve months than any other supplier in four categories of chemical programs.

Survey respondents from pulp, paper and paperboard manufacturers around the world identified Nalco as their most preferred supplier of programs to treat mill boiler and steam systems by more than two to one over the next supplier. In preferences for programs to treat cooling systems Nalco's score was nearly double the next best supplier. Nalco was also the most preferred supplier of retention and drainage aids used in the wet end of the papermaking process.

"We are gratified to receive this recognition within the pulp and papermaking industry," said Brent Carpenter, Nalco Strategic Business Leader for Paper Services. "The survey also showed strong industry support for the kind of sustainability services Nalco provides to help customers reduce water and energy consumption, use less virgin fiber and improve end-product quality."

There were more than 600 responses to the annual survey conducted by PPI publisher RISI. Nearly four out of five said sustainability was Important or Very Important to their job. Respondents gave their feedback on more than two dozen areas affecting production including various types of equipment, chemicals and services.

RISI is an information provider for the global forest products industry including the pulp and paper, wood products, timber, biomass, tissue, nonwovens, printing and publishing industries.

A similar survey by Paper 360 Degrees magazine also named Nalco a preferred chemical supplier to papermakers.

Nalco, providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, is implementing a price increase for customers across the Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) region, effective Feb. 1 or as contracts permit. Increases will average from 5 to 15 percent, in line with those recently announced globally. They are focused on the specific situation Nalco and its customers face in the EAME region. The level of increase will depend on the country and the specific Nalco program.

"We have experienced significant raw material cost increases and some raw material availability shortages,” said David Johnson, Nalco Executive Vice President and President, EAME. “We are also affected by REACH legislation costs impacting a relevant part of the EAME product line. By increasing our prices as our costs increase, we can continue to invest in research, manufacturing process improvements and development of our field engineers to enhance the sustainable solutions we provide and the value we create for our customers."

Nalco’s sales engineers and key account managers will discuss the particular impacts of these increases with individual customers.

Nalco, providing essential expertise for water, energy and air, has announced its Water and Process Services division is implementing a price increase for all water services industry segments, effective immediately or as contracts permit. Pricing for most Nalco programs will increase between seven and 15 percent, depending on product mix. Price increases will vary by country and industry, driven by local cost increases and will supplement previously announced increases for the paper services segment which were effective Dec. 1 of last year.

The need for these price increases is driven by the continued and significant escalation of energy and raw material costs, tightening availability of some raw materials and rising freight and personnel costs. Nalco sales engineers will contact individual customers to discuss the impact of these increases.

"Price pressure and the availability of key raw materials in particular are making it necessary to appropriately increase prices to help offset these ongoing cost hikes," said David Flitman, Senior Executive Vice President and President, Water and Process Services. "These increases will enable Nalco to continue to invest in research and development, manufacturing process improvements and the development of our people, which allows us to provide sustainable solutions and the value and service that our customers expect."

About Nalco

Nalco is the world's largest sustainability services company focused on industrial water, energy and air applications; delivering significant environmental, social and economic performance benefits to our customers. We help our customers reduce energy, water and other natural resource consumption, enhance air quality, minimize environmental releases and improve productivity and end products while boosting the bottom line. Together our comprehensive solutions contribute to the sustainable development of customer operations. Nalco is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes. More than 11,500 Nalco employees operate in 150 countries supported by a comprehensive network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and research centers to serve a broad range of end markets. In 2009, Nalco achieved sales of more than $3.7 billion. For more information visit www.nalco.com.