thyssenkrupp Uhde and Novonesis Launch Enzymatic Esterification Technology

thyssenkrupp Uhde, a large-scale chemical technology solutions provider, has teamed up with its partner and enzyme technology pioneer Novonesis to announce the launch of a joint product: Uhde Enzymatic Esterification. This breakthrough technology promises to revolutionize the way esters are produced by significantly reducing energy consumption and improving product quality through environmentally friendly biocatalysis, while also using enzymes at a very competitive cost.

Esterification plays a vital role in the oleochemical value chain, converting natural fatty acids into their corresponding esters. These bio-based and biodegradable esters are then used in a wide range of everyday products such as food, personal care, home care and technical applications.

The novel enzymatic esterification process developed by thyssenkrupp Uhde utilizes customized enzymes from Novonesis as catalysts, replacing traditional chemical catalysts such as inorganic acids or metal catalysts. This innovative approach operates at significantly reduced temperatures, resulting in substantial energy savings and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by up to 60%. In addition, the process has an inherently safer design due to the absence of chemical catalysts and lower operating temperatures.

“We are delighted to launch this innovative enzymatic esterification technology in partnership with Novonesis. This joint product underscores our commitment to sustainability and provides our customers with a competitive advantage through improved product quality and the possibility to enter entirely new markets for bio-based products. Together, we are paving the way for a more environmentally friendly and efficient future for chemical production,” said Nadja Håkansson, CEO of thyssenkrupp Uhde.

Hans Ole Klingenberg, Vice President Global Marketing Industrial and Home Care Solutions at Novonesis, said: "Our collaboration with thyssenkrupp Uhde brings together the expertise of both companies and enables us to create innovative technology solutions for the production of low-carbon esters. By leveraging thyssenkrupp Uhde's process technology knowledge and proprietary equipment, our enzymes for ester production are now able to reach new performance levels. We will work closely with thyssenkrupp Uhde to commercially deploy this new technology."