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09/12/2009
Desmet Ballestra acquires the last generation alkoxylation technology, based on the "Ehanced loop reactor" from Pressindustria

Desmet Ballestra has finalized the acquisition of the last generation of ethoxylation technology, developed by Pressindustria S.r.l., together with the right to use Pressindustria's registered trademark to identify said technology.

Desmet Ballestra is the world leader company in the design and supply of plants for anionic and non-ionic surfactants and detergent production while Pressindustria has a large experience in the specific  design and supply of ethoxylation plants.

The combined experience of Desmet Ballestra and Pressindustria together with the Desmet Ballestra know how and organization in the supply of large chemical plants, will guarantee to the clients high quality and top performances of the supplied plants at competitive cost.

Thanks to the newly conceived, double acting ,gas-liquid mass transfer, the new “Enhanced Loop Reactor“ developed by Pressindustria presents several outstanding advantages with respect to the other technologies available on the market.

The main features of the Enhanced Loop Reactor are :

• Higher reaction rates, thanks to the very efficient heat and mass transfer systems, which allows to optimize the reaction batch times
• Higher quality products with a very low content of impurities and with homogeneous molecular weight
• Low operating pressure due to the extremely high efficiency of mass transfer system
• Higher safety due to the absence of rotating parts in contact with alkylene oxides in gaseous phase
• Higher safety due to the fact that the reactor walls are fully wetted so to avoid accumulation of alkylene oxides in gas phase and hot spots formation
• Capability to produce high molecular  weight PEG in a single reaction step

The DB ethoxylation business unit is now in the position to cope with the increasing market demand of ethoxylated products for the detergent, cosmetic and chemical industry, with particular reference to the production of high molecular weight ethoxylates for which the new technology will present outstanding advantages.

For any information on the subject, please contact:

Mr. Felippone (phone:  ++39 02 5083214 / e-mail: fabio.felippone@ballestra.com)

Mr. Mazzanti (phone:  ++39 02 5083278 / e-mail: corrado.mazzanti@ballestra.com)

Mr. Adami (phone:  ++39 02 5083256 / e-mail: icilio.adami@ballestra.com)




10/07/2009 Successful start-up of TVEL sulphuric acid plant

Desmet Ballestra Italy - Chemical Division has successfully started up the first complete new Sulphuric Acid plant built in Russia in the last 10 years.

This plant has been designed in accordance to the Monsanto / MECS licence and technology, which is recognized worldwide since many years as the most updated, energy saving  and environmental friendly.

Desmet Ballestra supplied the project management, the basic and detail engineering, the equipment and materials and the supervision to plant erection, start up and commissioning.

The capacity of the plant is over 150.000 t/y of sulphuric acid, that will be used for uranium leaching.

The plant , installed in far east Siberia, has been built for Tvel-Invest, a daughter Company of Rosatom, the Ministry of Atomic Energy of Russia, who inaugurated the new premises on June 17th, 2009.

Through this successful operation, Desmet Ballestra intends to be a strategic partner for Rosatom in this field, which is critical for uranium mining, an increasingly important operation in view of the 'Renaissance of the atomic energy worldwide' as stated by the Vice-Minister of Russian Atomic Energy, Mr. Lakshyn during the opening ceremony.

Presently Desmet Ballestra is carrying out two other large sulphuric acid projects in Kazakhstan also in the frame of local development of uranium extraction.



10/06/2009 Conference CID 2009

Desmet Ballestra participated at the CID 2009 Conference which took place on
10 -12 June 2009 in Bologne - Italy



04/05/2009 Sulphur and Sulphuric Acid 2009 Conference

Desmet Ballestra was present at the Sulphur & Sulphuric Acid 2009 conference which took place on 4-6 May in Sun City - South Africa.





27/01/2009 Desmet Ballestra was present at the SDA Conference in the USA 

Desmet Ballestra participated at the SDA conference which was taking place on 27-31 January 2009 in Boca Raton (USA).






18/11/2008 New Biodiesel plant operational in Spain

Desmet Ballestra, worldwide leader in the supply of plants for production of surfactants, detergents, biofuels and intermediates for the oleo-chemical industry, is proud to announce the inauguration on November 18th 2008 of a new Biodiesel production factory of 200.000 t/y capacity executed on a turn key basis for Saras Energia SA at Cartagena, Spain.

This project utilises the technology developed by Desmet Ballestra for the continuous transesterification of vegetable oils and animal fats already applied to the over 80 biodiesel plants implemented worldwide by Desmet Ballestra that, in the last 3 years, has been rapidly strengthening its role as the major international player in the supply of biodiesel production plants.



06/11/2008 Biodiesel plant for Oxem

Desmet Ballestra is  currently engaged in the completion of a Biodiesel project for Oxem (Mezzana Bigli, PV) in Italy. The biodiesel plant will have a capacity of 200.000 Ton/Year.

The new Biodiesel plant will be designed to produce top quality Biodiesel, complying with the European standards (EN 2414) starting from blends of different crude oils (Rape seed, Soya beans, Palm oil)

The plant will be installed in OXEM's Mezzana Bigli factory



03/11/2008 Two new biodiesel plants for Novaol

Desmet Ballestra is currently engaged in the completion of two more Biodiesel projects for Novaol S.p.A belonging to the French group Diester, the largest biodiesel producer in Europe.

The first biodiesel plant of 100.000 t/y capacity will be supplied turn-key to Novaol Austria and the second one of 250.000 t/y capacity for Novaol Porto Corsini.


06/10/2008 Two new sulphuric acid plants for Kazakhstan to be supplied by Desmet Ballestra Spa

Contract signature in Almaty - Sept. 12th, 2008 by Mr M.Galateri di Genola (DBI Exec. Vice President) with Mr M.Bekzhanov (Managing Director SAP-Kazakhstan)

Desmet Ballestra Spa (Milan) has been awarded in the last two months contracts for the design and supply of two sulphuric acid production plants starting from solid sulphur, based on the MECS DCDA Dry-Double Adsorption / Double Conversion technology.These two new plants will be supplied to the Kazakhstan State Nuclear Company (Kazatomprom) subsidiaries, and the H₂SO₄ produced by both plants will be used for processing the uranium ore through the In-Situ Leaching process, an innovative uranium extraction technique used by Kazatomprom.

The first plant, with capacity 500.000 ton/year and complete with tank farm and utilities facilities, will be installed in a grass root factory in Zhanakurgan, in the Kyzyl-Orda province, to serve the Khorasan uranium mines, and will be coupled with a 18,5 MW steam turbo-generator. The electric energy produced will fully satisfy the factory demand, and the excess will be exported to the public grid. Desmet Ballestra will be also responsible for site construction management activities.

The Uranium mining complex in Khorasan will be managed by an international consortium including Japanese and American companies, beside Kazatomprom.

The second plant, with capacity 180.000 ton/year, will be installed in the existing Mining Chemical Complex in Stepnogorsk, controlled by Kazatomprom, to replace an old plant which has been recently shut-down for ecological reasons.

Both Kazakhstan plants will be fed with solid sulphur which is available in large quantities as an oil refining by-product from the petrochemical company Tengizchevroil, and will be realized with the most advanced technologies optimizing the energy cycle and with a minimal environmental impact.

Kazakhstan holds one fifth of the world uranium deposit, and has planned investments to become in few years the largest uranium producer in the world.

The above contracts recognize the capability of the Desmet Ballestra to supply top level quality technology at competitive price in very difficult environments. Desmet Ballestra has recently supplied several sulphuric acid plants using MECS technology in Italy, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Egypt all in operation successfully.

The Desmet Ballestra Group is present on the Russian and CIS market from more than 40 years with the supply of over 80 plants for the oil and fats processing, detergent, soap, chemical and oleochemicals industries



Desmet Ballestra has been awarded the contract for the upgrading of an existing sulphonation plant to enable the production of top quality MES (Methylester Sulphonates). The location of the plant is still confidential.

The upgraded plant will be able to produce up to 16.000 ton/y of Dry MES powder to be used as partial substitute of other anionic surfactants of synthetic origin in the company's detergent powder formulations.

MES is a new anionic surfactant obtained exclusively from natural raw materials (mainly palm oil) which is considered by many as the new frontier in the detergent industry.

The use of MES in detergent powder formulations complies with the world wide trend of substitution of petrol derived chemicals with alternative products obtained from renewable sources.

This order strengthen the Desmet Ballestra's world wide leading position as supplier of surfactants production technologies.  



18/04/2007 New 15.000 ton/y Surfactants plant awarded to Desmet Ballestra in Uruguay

Desmet Ballestra has been awarded the contract for the supply of a new 15.000 ton/y sulphonation plant from American Chemical - Uruguay for its Montevideo Factory. The new plant will be designed for the production of anionic surfactants from ethoxylated alcohol and fatty alcohol and will be equipped with the most advanced technologies for the production of top quality surfactants meeting the most stringent quality specifications like:

• Vacuum Neutralization process for ultra low Dioxane content in SLES

• Alcohol Sulphate Drying unit for the production of "dental grade" SLS

Once in operation the plant will be one of the most modern and technologically updated sulphonation plant worldwide.

The new American Chemical order is the duplication of a similar order placed with Desmet Ballestra in 2005 and successfully started up in 2006



January 2007

Barclays Private Equity France acquires Desmet Ballestra alongside management team

Barclays Private Equity just acquired a majority stake in Desmet Ballestra, the world leader in the fields of engineering and supply of plants and equipment for the edible oil industry, the detergent-surfactants and related chemical industry, the oleochemical and biodiesel industry. The management team will simultaneously invest in the group equity.

Desmet Ballestra benefits from a great worldwide reputation, thanks to 60 years of unequalled experience, a strong R&D capacity and most extensive customer references in the industry. The group has a network of 15 local subsidiaries throughout the world and a track record of setting up more than 6,000 processing units in 148 countries.

The group resulted from the merger of (a) Belgium’s De Smet Technologies & Services, the world specialist in oilseed and edible oil processing plants (b) Italy’s Ballestra, an undisputed leader in process plants for detergents, surfactants and related chemicals, and (c) their common subsidiary Desmet Ballestra Oleo the leading company in oleochemical plants design and supply, including biodiesel plants which have met an outstanding success thanks to their reliability, versatility and performances.

De Smet Technology & Services was owned (since early 2004) by a private investor benefiting from a previous knowledge and financial interests in the agri-food business, while Ballestra was owned by the founder family and management. Since 2004 the group companies have coordinated their worldwide operations, enhancing significant technological and commercial synergies so reaching brilliant successes both in sales and in financial results.

The association of the two companies created a world leading provider for seed crushing, edible oil refining, oleochemical and biodiesel production, detergents-surfactant and chemicals processing solutions.

Barclays Private Equity supports this three years old strategy, which now enables the group to take full advantage of the expected growth of the oils and fats, chemicals and biodiesel markets.

The Desmet Ballestra Group also contemplates several other internal and external growth opportunities worldwide.



October 2006

Switzerland : 6th World Conference on Detergents

We are pleased to inform you that we will participate to the 6th World Conference on Detergents in Montreux October 9-12.

We will have a large booth together with Mazzoni LB S.p.A. and Desmet Ballestra Oleochemicals S.p.A. and many of our managers will be there happy to meet you and to discuss any technical and/or commercial matter you may wish to.

Germany : 53rd SEPAWA Congress with European Detergents Conference

53rd SEPAWA Congress with 2nd European Detergents Conference on 11. to 13. October 2006 at the Congress Centrum in Würzburg.

We are proud to announce our participation, together with Mazzoni LB S.p.A., to the 53rd SEPAWA Congress in Würzburg. Our Consultant, Mr. Peter Müller, will be pleased to meet you to our booth nr.61

Austria : Sulphur 2006

We are pleased to inform you that we will participate to the world's leading sulphur and sulphuric acid annual event organised by British Sulphur Events which will take place 22 - 25 October 2006 at the Hotel Intercontinental in Vienna.

We will be pleased to meet you to our booth Nr. 5.



December 2005

Spain : New Sulphonation/Sulphation Factory

Masso Y Carol after 20 years operation with a Ballestra Multitube Film Reactor Sulphonation Plant has decided to build a new Factory in Barbastro (Huesca) installing a 20.000 t/y Ballestra Sulphonation/Sulphation Plant equipped with the most advanced Vacuum Neutralization System for the production of top quality 70% Lauryl Ethyl Sulphate.

The new Plant will be also equipped with the necessary facilities for the production of MES and is expected to be in operation in the second half of 2006.



SAO 12/05 : November 2005

About us - Ballestra Technical Service for maintenance of CCS Units

Logosystem S.p.A. has ceased to operate as from Oct. 2005.For any inquiry concerning the operation and maintenance of Logosystem units installed in the Ballestra plants, Ballestra is in a position to provide the full service.

Please contact our Technical Service: Mr. Storti - fabio.storti@ballestra.com for any requirement.


October 2005

New Sulphuric Acid and Sulphate derivatives plants

Ballestra was awarded during 2004/2005:

• March 13, an engineering and supply contract for 10.000 t/y sodium sulphate plant which uses the Marchi process Italy.
  Client: NATIONAL ESTABLISHMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL SULPHUR
  Location: Dammam – Saudi Arabia
  
  
• June 15, a basic and detail engineering contract for 200 t/day sulphuric acid plant starting from SO2
  Client: SO.RI.S S.p.A. (ENI Group)
  Location; Serravalle Scrivia, the plant will be installed in an existing site 100 km south of Milan (Italy).
  Process technology by Ballestra
  
  
• July 1, an engineering and supply contract for 500 t/day sulphuric acidplant, double absorption process, Monsanto is supplying the license and basic engineering.
  Client: Confidential information
  Location: North -West of Milan. Italy
  
  
• November 11, an engineering and supply contract for 500 t/day sulphuric acid plant, double absorption process, Monsanto is supplying the license and basic engineering.
  Client: TVEL INVEST
  Location: Krasnokamensk - Chita - CSI
  
  These contracts confirm the leading position of Ballestra in the area of sulphuric acid plants and relevant sulphate derivatives
  

August 2005

PRESS RELEASE

MiniLAB Plants

Desmet Ballestra, the “Global Solution Provider” for the surfactants, detergent, soap, edible oils and fats and chemical industries is pleased to announce that the first MiniLAB plant, which is based on UOP DetalTM LAB alkylation technology has been successfully started up and is now in commercial operation.

The new plant of 30.000 t/y capacity has been supplied by Ballestra to EMALAB and has been installed in Jebel Ali, Dubai – UAE.

The MiniLAB plant concept is the result of UOP/Ballestra joint development work focused to make the installation of medium capacity LAB plants economically viable to serve regional markets where LAB production is insufficient.

The UOP Detal process technology is the “state of the art” alkylation process for the manufacture of LAB. The MiniLAB plant starts from n-paraffins (C10-C13 carbon range) and benzene feedstocks and also includes the UOP PacolTM, DeFineTM and PEPTM processes.

The Detal process uses the new Detal solid catalyst that replaces the traditional liquid acid catalysts (HF or AlCl3) for better product quality, safer plant operation, limited environmental impact and overall improved plant performance.

The successful completion of the EMALAB MiniLAB project will allow Desmet Ballestra (www.desmetballestra.com) to consolidate its position in the chemical plants market aimed to provide the best technologies through the Group integrated international network of companies.


May 2005

PRESS RELEASE

On May, 24, Nizhnekamskneftekhim and Ballestra have signed the Contracts for the supply of a sulphonation plant, which is intended to be the first step in forming the production of full range of anionic surfactants necessary for the detergent industry.NKNH, one of the largest petrochemical complex in Russia, already produce all the main raw materials for the surfactant and detergent industry such as ethylene/ethylene oxide and benzene. From those products the major intermediates for the surfactants industry can be manufactured such as alfa olefins, alcohol ethoxylates and linear alkylbenzene as well as their sulphonated derivatives.

The new sulphonation plant will be the most modern one in Russia and CIS Republics in a position to produce top quality sulphonates including dry AOS that has great export potential.Its location in Nizhnekamsk will be ideal to serve the Russian detergent industry located in the Volga river basin and East of the Urals.

Almost all such plants are not integrated with surfactant production so becoming NKNH potential clients.Implementing this project NKNH will become the major Russian manufacturer of detergent intermediates such as Alfa Olefin sulphonates, LABS, Ethoxylated Fatty Alcohol sulphates etc., most of which are not yet available in Russia, so helping the growth of the Russian household products industry still depending partially from imported products.


May 2005

Syria - LAB Plant

UJS, a Syrian Company controlled by Daaboul group and to whom Al Raji Group (Saudi Arabia) participate for 25% is in regular commercial operation, producing 30.000 t/y LAB.

The plant, which is the first large petrochemical project implemented in Syria by private investors, uses UOP HF Alkylation process and Ballestra has provided all engineering and project management services.

One third of the total investment of 50.000.000 $ was financed by IFC (World Bank).


April 2005

PRESS RELEASE

Huntsman Performance Products, a business division of Huntsman Corporation (NYSE:HUN), has announced plans to modernize and enhance its sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS) Dried Products business.

Huntsman has committed $8 million to the initiative, which involves the installation of new drying technology at the company’s Castiglione, Italy manufacturing facility.

Daniele Ferrari, business Vice President, commented, “this is a significant investment that underscores our commitment to the European surfactants industry. It involves the implementation of wiped film production technology, which is much more energy efficient than the existing spray drying process and will lead to substantially lower emissions of waste heat into the environment .

The new production unit will be supplied by Ballestra, a world leader in surfactant manufacturing processes and plant, and is scheduled to begin operation in mid-December, 2005. Huntsman will then decommission its spray drying plants in the UK and Italy.

“The consolidation of SLS Dried Products manufacturing at Castiglione will allow us to rationalize the number of product grades we offer to the market, said Ferrari. “We will be able to maintain the same benefits to customers with about half the number of products and package combinations.”

Huntsman is working with the customers of its SLS Dried Products to implement the change during this year.

The new dryer technology project is a key element in the overall restructuring of Huntsman’s European surfactants business, which involved combining the company’s range of specialty surfactants and specialty amines.



April 2005

Russia -  New integrated factory for the production of anionic and nonionic surfactants and intermediate products for detergent and personal care industry

Lanitex is completing the erection in St. Petersburg a new integrated factory for the production of a wide range of top quality anionic sulph(on)ated surfactants, betains, alkanolamides and ethoxylated products supplied by Ballestra.

The factory includes an ethoxylation plant, a sulphonation plant and a multipurpose batch reactor plant all based on Ballestra proprietary know how.

The first units will be on stream the secon half of 2005


April 2005

Portugal and Greece - New biodiesel plants.

Ballestra is completing the supply of two new biodiesel plants using its latest continuous interesterification process. The first plant 60.000 t/y capacity is being installed at Tracopol – Portugal, the second, 30.000 t/y capacity, is being installed at Thessaloniki in Greece.


October 2004

Italy - 100000 t/y Biodiesel Plant start up

Ballestra has successfully started up for Novaol, the largest European producer of Biodiesel, a new continuous Biodiesel production plant for the Livorno factory.

The new plant has a capacity of 100.000 t/y of Biodiesel meeting the European quality standard EN 14214 and is designed to process many different types of oils, including Used Frying Oil, so to enhance the plant operating flexibility and its economics.

The plant is based on the most modern and technologically updated continuous process jointly developed by Ballestra and Novaol.

With the installation of this new plant the overall capacity of Novaol Livorno factory reach 250.000 t/y of Biodiesel. 


January 2004

Syria - New LAB Plant

UJS, a Syrian Company controlled by Daaboul Group and to whom Al Raji Group (Saudi Arabia) participate for 25%, has successfully started up a 30.000 t/y LAB plant in Damascus (Syria)

The plant, which is the first large petrochemical project implemented in Syria by private investors, uses UOP HF Alkylation process and has available all necessary auxiliary facilities, including a five MW power station.
One third of the total investment of 50.000.000 $ was financed by IFC (World Bank).

Ballestra S.p.A. (Milan) has provided the project management, the detail engineering services, the plant power distribution and computer control system and the commissioning services. UJS LAB will be marketed mainly in Syria and the nearby countries where demand is constantly growing.

The plant design allows for a capacity increase up to 50.000 t/y and over to cope with the expected increase of the Middle East detergent market.

For more information contact Mr. Baraa Daaboul,
tel. 963 11 6940940, fax 0096311 6940101,
e-mail baraa.daaboul@ujscpi.com or visit UJS web site www.ujscpi.com