We are forming ever closer links with technology departments in AkzoNobel Business Units, combining forces and improving efficiencies across the company. We are also applying the experience thus gained to the processes of third-party customers, with considerable success.
Having designed, constructed and commissioned numerous complex plants, we have a great deal of process technology expertise in-house. Alongside new build, our engineers are increasingly involved in process improvement. We analyze process data in order to establish where optimum efficiency gains can be made, bringing a wide range of skills to bear, including value analysis, debottlenecking and benchmarking.
Two areas that can deliver significant savings under current economic conditions are energy efficiency and waste reduction. In many chemical processes, these areas can deliver cost reductions from 5 to 20%, depending on the position of a particular operation on the maturity curve. In the Paints & Coatings supply chain, we estimate that there are also considerable savings to be made, for example, to meet AkzoNobel corporate targets, waste must be reduced by 30% by 2015.