Empowering sustainable progress > Teijin Aramid’s operations in the Netherlands
Teijin Aramid’s operations in the Netherlands
Teijin Aramid, headquartered in Arnhem, Netherlands, operates its main production facilities in Delfzijl and Emmen. Our parent company, Teijin Ltd, annually publishes the Teijin Group Integrated Report, providing stakeholders with detailed insights into our progress toward sustainability in these locations.
In Delfzijl, our technicians, process technologists, and operators collaboratively produce the monomers PPD and TDC, essential for our flagship product, Twaron®. These monomers are synthesized in a closed system and are subsequently reacted to form a unique aramid polymer, Polyparaphenylene terephthalamide. Additionally, we operate a facility to recover and reuse solvent. Once dried, the polymer is packaged and shipped to our larger facility in Emmen for further processing.
Emmen hosts the world’s largest aramid factory, where the polymer from Delfzijl is dissolved and spun into Twaron® yarn through a sophisticated process. Part of our output is sent to our finishing plant, where it’s customized to meet various customer specifications – such as being processed into pulp, twisted, cut into short lengths, or coated with special treatments.
Empowering sustainable progress > Pioneering sustainability
Pioneering Sustainability
At Teijin Aramid, we are committed to a sustainable future. We aim to minimize our environmental impact and develop aramids based on renewable carbon. Collaboration is key to our success and the strength of our suppliers, partners, and customers plays a vital role in achieving our sustainability objectives.
Our sustainability roadmap impacts our entire value chain by:
- Cutting environmental emissions in our initial processes
- Reducing CO2 emissions during product usage
- Creating sustainable solutions for the end-of-life of aramids, including taking back used products, deconstructing and cleaning products, and preparing aramids as renewable content for material production
- Utilizing renewable raw materials and enhancing our recycling capabilities
We aim to transition to circular products and renewable energy well ahead of our 2050 goal.
Jan Roos
Chief Sustainability Officer
"Our purpose is clear: to pioneer an ethically grounded, sustainability-driven, and socially aware way forward. This dedication to sustainability is fundamental to our business, fueling circularity, energy transition and propelling growth. By collaborating with our partners on sustainability initiatives, we're building a sustainable future for all. "
We’re committed to enhancing production efficiency and sustainability, actively pursuing renewable energy and raw materials. We manage our material flows by recycling aramids and maximizing the recovery and reuse of used aramids from end-of-life applications as a base material for producing new aramid products.
Empowering sustainable progress > Water consumption and waste
Water consumption and waste
All our facilities use industrial water, and we actively aim to recycle and reuse as much as possible. Despite these efforts, we still require supplemental fresh water, with a significant amount dedicated to the yarn-cleaning process.
We measure water usage using a Water Consumption Index (WCI) for each location. This index represents the total water consumption per ton of product manufactured at each site, benchmarked against the reference year of 2005. A higher index signifies increased consumption.
Water consumption data
The graph below presents the WCI for our three locations from 2010 to 2023. Water consumption has decreased for all locations. The largest impact was from Emmen, followed by Delfzijl. Both Delfzijl and Emmen have improved their WCI over recent years. For example, Delfzijl has reduced the amount of demineralized water used in an improvement project.
Process stability continues to be a priority for both Delfzijl and Emmen. Additionally, mapping and enhancing water consumption will be a key focus for the fiscal year 2024.
Waste
We’re transitioning towards a circular economic model, reevaluating the use of raw materials in our production processes: We aim to phase out fossil-based raw materials, like petrochemicals, in favor of bio-based or recycled materials. However, despite our efforts to create closed loops, our production plants still generate waste. Where feasible, this waste is recycled. Waste that cannot be recycled undergoes incineration with heat recovery. Any remaining waste that cannot be incinerated is directed to landfills.
Landfill Increased
Stability issues and additional waste from the Delfzijl fire have contributed to a rise in landfill use.
Recycling Increased
This increase primarily comes from recyclable waste generated in Delfzijl. Historically, our recycled waste figures have included water and NMP which were later processed by our Recovery Factory. From 2019 to 2022, due to processing challenges, this waste was temporarily stored externally. Although this was later processed, regulations required us to record it as waste during external storage. Excluding these amounts (6,479 tons in 2019, 5,934 tons in 2020, 3.479 tons in 2021, and 665 tons in 2022) would show a more stable recycling trend.
Incineration Increased
There's been a rise in waste incineration, particularly from Delfzijl due to residual effects of the fire and increased waste from production stoppages and instability. Emmen has also seen an increase in waste incineration. Enhancing operational stability and advancing other projects to improve waste recyclability could mitigate this.
Empowering sustainable progress > Emissions
Emissions
Emission to water data
The data highlights water emissions for Delfzijl, Emmen, and Arnhem from 2014 to 2023, focusing on Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Nitrogen, N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP), and Sulfate. In 2022, Arnhem experienced COD and Total Nitrogen increases, while both Delfzijl and Arnhem saw a gradual rise in NMP emissions. COD and Total Nitrogen emissions are linked to NMP usage.
To address this, multiple projects at Arnhem and Delfzijl aim to reduce NMP emissions, with several measurements and improvements already implemented.
By 2023, these efforts decreased COD and Nitrogen levels at both locations. Despite NMP being classified as a substance of very high concern (SVHC), our processes currently depend on it. Ongoing research continues to explore viable alternatives.
At our Arnhem location, NMP-containing effluent is treated biologically. Recent studies confirm that NMP is highly biodegradable in this setting, with no detectable NMP in the treated water.
Sulfate emissions are regularly monitored at all three sites. While these emissions fluctuate, they remain within safe environmental limits, ensuring no adverse impact on the environment.
Emission to air data
Teijin Aramid is committed to reducing air emissions to enhance the sustainability of our operations and products. Increasing regulations and demands for more rigorous monitoring and reporting of air emissions support these efforts.
Overall, emissions data up to 2023 indicate a general trend of reduction in most types, with a few exceptions. Most emissions have decreased or shown minor increases; however, there was a notable spike in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) emissions in 2022. The 2023 data reflects a reduction, thanks to multiple projects to minimize these emissions. Our processes will continue to be refined to reduce NMP emissions further.
Emissions of chloromethanes, specifically tetrachloromethane and dichloromethane, are also closely monitored with the goal of minimization. Legislative attention is increasing, and new emission limits from the operational permit in 2024 will guide further reductions.
For Freon components, existing legislation on phasing out their use by 2030 is already in effect, which will also decrease emissions as we approach the deadline.
Empowering sustainable progress > Circular production process
Investment in recycling technologies
We’re investing in research and technologies to scale up our existing recycling routes:
Route 1:
For over 20 years, Teijin Aramid has had a successful record of mechanically recycling end-of-life para-aramid products to pulp. Efforts in mechanical recycling of meta-aramids focus on recovering and recycling end-of-life materials to staple fiber blends combining both virgin and recycled content.
Route 2:
Our Research and Innovation Center (RIC) had a successful industrial-scale production trial of Twaron using recycled feedstock. Now we are moving to commercial production. For meta-aramid, research scale proof of principle has been achieved.
Route 3:
Chemical recycling, or depolymerization, involves breaking down aramid polymer molecules into their basic chemical components. We are actively developing this process to reintroduce these components into our polymerization factory for creating new polymers. At the same time, we are exploring renewable carbon-based raw material alternatives with our suppliers. We aim to phase out fossil-based resources, replacing them with sustainable alternatives.
Empowering sustainable progress > Twaron® eco-datasheet
Twaron® eco-datasheet
Aiming for a transparent aramid chain
In 2021, we launched our eco-datasheet for Twaron®. It explains the environmental impact of our products and services to our partners. The eco-datasheet includes recent calculations of the carbon footprint of Twaron® measured in CO2-equivalent units. It included information about its recyclability and compliance with current chemicals industry regulations and other leading environmental standards and assessments.
Empowering sustainable progress > EcoVadis Gold Medal award
EcoVadis Gold Medal award
For the eighth consecutive year, Teijin Aramid has achieved gold status in EcoVadis’ sustainability assessment.
We're ranked in the top 5% of all companies in all industries globally and in the top 3% of all man-made fiber manufacturers worldwide for our sustainability efforts. This accolade, achieved through evaluation by EcoVadis, reinforces our commitment to fostering a healthier planet.
Peter ter Horst
CEO Teijin Aramid
“We are honored by the EcoVadis gold medal recognition, which underscores our unwavering commitment to sustainability and corporate responsibility. This achievement reflects the collective efforts of our entire team at Teijin Aramid to integrate environmental stewardship, ethical practices, and social responsibility into every aspect of our operations. As we look to the future, we remain dedicated to setting new standards for sustainability, driving innovation, and fostering partnerships that share our vision for a more sustainable world.”
Recognition of sustainable practices
Maintaining our EcoVadis Gold status each year requires us to continuously elevate our standards in environmental sustainability, ethical practices, labor practices, and human rights: Simply sustaining our current practices would lead to a decline in our rating. This ongoing effort to raise the bar highlights the importance of advancing our sustainable business practices and our commitment to impacting the global marketplace.
Commitment to sustainability
This award acknowledges our contributions towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions, promoting aramid fiber recycling, and upholding strict labor and human rights standards. It strengthens our reputation and aligns with our core values, enhancing our appeal to partners, customers, and employees who prioritize sustainability.
Looking Ahead
Motivated by this achievement, we’re enhancing our environmental and social performance further. Our future endeavors include investing in green production technologies, increasing our renewable energy usage, and deepening our community involvement. Additionally, we're committed to working closely with our suppliers to ensure a sustainable and transparent supply chain to exceed global sustainability benchmarks.
Empowering sustainable progress > Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals
Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Our sustainability goals are aligned with the Teijin Group's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and are shaped by global standards and guidelines. We pay particular focus to human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and anti-corruption.
Sustainability commitment
We trust in the collective impact of shared goals across nations, organizations, and individuals to foster significant progress towards a sustainable future. This journey benefits not only the environment and society at large but also enriches our relationships with customers and suppliers.
Code of Conduct
Our Code of Conduct is anchored in the principles of the UN Global Compact, serving as the foundation for Teijin Aramid's ethical framework.
It outlines the organizational rules and standards that resonate with our core values and beliefs, covering ethical principles, our practices, and legal compliance. We hold all our employees to these standards, ensuring our actions harmonized with our Code of Conduct.
Empowering sustainable progress > Advancing hydrogen’s role in sustainability
Advancing hydrogen’s role in sustainability
Teijin Aramid embraces renewable energy, exploring alternative raw materials, and striving for circularity and net-zero operations. This involves developing sustainable products for existing markets and venturing into new renewable opportunities like hydrogen.
Hydrogen: A key to the energy transition
The Teijin Group, which includes Teijin Aramid, aspires to contribute to future societies, seeing hydrogen as a crucial component. Hydrogen and its carriers, such as ammonia and synthetic fuels, are essential for achieving the energy transition and combating global warming.
These solutions complement electrification in transforming sectors like transport and construction. Recognizing hydrogen's potential, knowledge institutes, politicians, and countries are integrating it into their energy strategies, creating a strong political momentum for the necessary funding and regulation to make it competitive.
Twaron®: Enhancing the hydrogen ecosystem
Twaron® excels under the demanding conditions of the hydrogen ecosystem, enhancing safety, durability, and environmental performance. For example, Twaron®-reinforced gaskets offer superior sealing performance in hydrogen applications and excellent chemical resilience over time. Similarly, Twaron®-reinforced thermoplastic pipelines offer a robust, corrosion-free alternative to steel, significantly reducing the total cost of ownership and environmental impact. This bridges the gap between decentralized hydrogen production and consumption centers.
Fueling the Future
Our sulfonation technology is paving the way for next-generation proton exchange materials for fuel cells and electrolyzers, focusing on the availability of raw materials, environmental impact, and end-of-life sustainability. We aim to introduce environmentally friendly materials to these emerging markets, contributing to a sustainable future and improving quality of life worldwide.
