INEOS is a young company. It has grown to become a leading chemical company with sales today of around $43 billion.

Most of our employees have spent all their working lives in the chemical or oil industry. They arrived at INEOS from companies such as BASF, Bayer, Borealis, BP, Degussa, Dow, Enichem, Hoechst, ICI, Norsk Hydro and Solvay. We continue unashamedly to extract best practices from this very impressive group of people in all spheres of activity.

We believe INEOS is a refreshing place to work and we are prepared to embrace new approaches to business. Safety is our first priority. We believe strongly in employee share ownership, we are highly focused on growth and EBITDA, and see the “customer as king”.

We look forward to working with you.

Jim Ratcliffe, Chairman

INEOS is a global manufacturer of petrochemicals, speciality chemicals and oil products. It comprises 15 businesses each with a major chemical company heritage. Its production network spans 51 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries throughout the world.

INEOS is characterised by the following strengths:

• High-quality and low-cost production facilities
• Well-invested plants
• Large plants that benefit from economies of scale
• Favourable locations
• Experienced management
• Leading market positions
• Operating diversity - products, customers, geographic regions, applications and end-use markets

Leading market positions allow INEOS to be the supplier of choice for many of the largest customers in our markets. This has translated into strong and long-term relationships with these customers.

The company continues to grow its profitability and cash flows through:

• Leveraging existing resources to expand sales
• Achievement of cost savings
• Extracting the full benefits of a vertically integrated business

The management philosophy at INEOS is to operate a simple and decentralised organisational structure, coupled with programmes intended to incentivise our employees.

INEOS has a diversified product portfolio with a wide range of end market applications. Our chemical intermediates businesses, with leading global positions and differing industry cycles provide earnings strength world wide. 

INEOS operates 51 manufacturing facilities in 11 countries supplying markets around the world. A broad geographic earnings base provides our business with security and opportunity. 

INEOS products make a significant contribution to saving life, improving health and enhancing standards of living for people around the world. Our businesses produce the raw materials that are essential in the manufacture of a wide variety of goods: from paints to plastics, textiles to technology, medicines to mobile phones - chemicals manufactured by INEOS enhance almost every aspect of modern life.

• Solvents used in the production of insulin and antibiotics.
• Efficient and effective biofuels to improve the sustainability of modern transport
• Chlorine to purify drinking water.
• Synthetic oils that help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from road transportation.
• Modern plastics to package, protect and preserve food & drink.
• Materials to insulate houses, offices, electrical and telecommunications cables.
• Products transformed into automotive parts, used in medical applications, mobile phones, and construction.

 A full, searchable list of INEOS products is available through our product finder.

INEOS is a customer-focused company. Its business mission is to be the supplier of choice to its customers.

INEOS key values are:

• Excellence in safety, health and environmental performance
• Focus on customer satisfaction, total quality and reliability
• Continuous improvement to become the lowest cost producer of high quality products
• Encouragement of innovation, entrepreneurship and reward for achievement
• Empowerment of employees to create real value for our customers and ourselves

Jim Ratcliffe

Jim has been Chairman of INEOS since 1998. He has 38 years experience in the chemicals industry. In 1992 he led the successful buyout of Inspec Group plc, which he left in 1998 to lead the acquisition of INEOS plc (currently INEOS Oxide) from Inspec. Jim began his career with Exxon Chemicals where he completed his MBA at London Business School before moving to Courtaulds. From Courtaulds he joined Advent International and then Inspec.

Andy Currie

Andy has been a Director of INEOS since 1999. He was previously Managing Director at Laporte Performance Chemicals, having served as a director of the Inspec Group from 1994 until the Laporte acquisition of Inspec in 1998. Andy has a degree in natural sciences from Cambridge University and spent the first 15 years of his career with BP Chemicals in various technical and business management functions.

John Reece

John joined INEOS as Finance Director in January 2000. He was previously a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers where he advised companies in the chemicals industry. John has a degree in economics from Cambridge and is an FCA.

Jim Dawson

Jim is a non-executive Director of INEOS with significant experience in the refining industry. He is a former Director of Shell International Chemicals and former Chairman of several of its global businesses. He was also CEO of Shell Renewable Energy. Jim has a first degree in Chemistry and D.Phil at Oxford

Our world is changing fast. Global population is rising rapidly. There is growing pressure on resources. Rising energy prices and climate change have created a need for new lower carbon energy sources.

All of this is driving the transition towards a resource and energy efficient economy, and the chemical industry has a central role to play in enabling this shift.

Chemicals are the building blocks for our modern world. They are essential components in many of the products we use today and in the technologies that will drive us towards a more sustainable future.

At INEOS, sustainability is fundamental to how we do business. It is a key driver of innovation.

At the heart of the INEOS approach is our commitment to the principles of responsible care. These are central to the INEOS way of working and are put into practice every day across our business.

We care ...

• about the safety, security and health of our workforce and our stakeholders, customers, suppliers, authorities as well as neighbours
• about the environment and the community, today and tomorrow
• about compliance with standards and open communication
• about product stewardship and value chain management
• about resource efficiency and manufacturing governance
• about developing a workforce of Safety Health and Environment (SHE) champions
• about advancing in sustainable development

INEOS approach to sustainability

Our approach to doing business drives efficiency, performance and sustainability across the Group. It helps us to stay reliable and competitive. It creates new opportunities to reduce energy and waste and encourages work in partnerships. Building positive relations with our local communities and making our company a great place to work also make good business sense; essential to ensuring the long-term success of our company.

Ultimately, sustainability is what we aim to achieve, by excelling at what we do and taking the greatest of care how we do it.

Our work towards improving our sustainability can be considered across five key areas:

• Excellence in safety, health and environment
• Products that make a difference
• Building the best workforce
• Working with our communities
• Innovative solutions

Excellence in Safety, Health and Environmental (SHE) performance is a top priority for INEOS. We aim to meet or exceed all legislative requirements in these areas. We set annual performance targets and are committed to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations.

At INEOS we create culture that reinforces our SHE performance. We aim to minimise the impact our facilities have on local people and local environments. This means working in close partnership with community groups and key stakeholders to ensure that we are a responsible neighbour and partner.

Efficiency is absolutely central to our business. As a producer of commodity chemicals the efficiency of our processes has a significant impact on our profitability. We have a clear focus on reducing energy and material inputs and a clear priority to minimise waste. This means that we can minimise costs as well as reducing environmental impacts.

Our approach to safety is equally rigorous and is focused on three key areas, which cover activity both inside and outside our facilities:

• Process safety, which involves continual safety improvements to existing manufacturing processes, as well as designing new processes
• Behavioural / Human factor safety, which involves instilling a safety culture among all our employees to ensure INEOS is a safe place to work
• Product safety, ensuring that INEOS products are used, handled, stored and disposed of responsibly by our customers

Instilling a safety culture at INEOS

It is the responsibility of everyone at INEOS to ensure the highest standards of health and safety in everything that we do. Our commitment to safety starts at the top, with the Executive Board of each INEOS business being responsible for safety performance. All employees and contractors receive extensive safety training, participate in safety teams, contribute to incident learning, and suggest ongoing improvements in safety standards and procedures.

The INEOS safety principles define what is expected of all our employees, contractors and businesses on a day-to-day basis. Each INEOS business is measured on its adherence to the principles and on its performance against specific safety targets. Safety performance is also linked to our employee bonus scheme, which further helps to embed a safety culture.

We focus our attention on safety in both the processes we apply and the behaviour we expect.

Systems and operational procedures have safety built in to ensure the plant and equipment is being operated properly. Any changes in processes or procedures are subject to a risk assessment and, if necessary, a hazard study to analyse any potential safety risks or impacts. We have strict emergency procedures and if required, a plant can be shut down completely until an issue is fully resolved.

Everyone has responsibility for ensuring a safe working environment for themselves and their co-workers and speaking up about safety issues is encouraged. We encourage near miss reporting so that we can learn from these, and put in place corrective action to ensure that incidents can be avoided.

The success of our business depends on ensuring a safe environment for our staff and the wider community around each of our sites, which is why safety is our highest priority.

Customers and product stewardship

All chemicals should be handled responsibly. INEOS works with our customers to ensure that they have the information, procedures and facilities to receive, store, and use our products safely.

The European Union regulation on the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) ensures that companies like INEOS manage the risk associated with their products and provide customers with the information they need to handle them safely. INEOS’ commitment to the principles of responsible care means that we often go far beyond REACH in the stewardship we apply to our products.

INEOS Nitriles, is a good example. Customers must meet our specific health and safety criteria before we begin supplying them. We carry out a technical and safety visit of each potential customer to check that their equipment, safety protocols and procedures meet stringent standards and we work with them to make any necessary improvements before making deliveries. Once they become a customer we continue to run periodic safety checks. Our Safe Handling Guides and training videos help Nitriles customers maintain the highest safety standards and our specialist technical teams are always on hand to offer advice and support.

To ensure safe transport of our products, all Nitriles customers must use approved logistics service providers. We also audit safety standards at all of the major transport hubs that our products pass through, such as ports, terminals and warehouses. 

The Nitriles Business also holds Product Stewardship Conferences, in the US and Europe, which bring customers together to review latest developments in safety. The last such 3-day event was held in Houston, Texas and involved delegates from 15 different countries including those as far apart as Japan, China, Poland, Mexico and Germany. Customers attended presentations on a wide variety of topics including updates on product safety research studies, the latest best practice in transport safety, and forthcoming changes to legislation in the US and Europe. Customers were also taken on a tour of the nearby INEOS plant to see our safety work in action, adding real value to our ongoing partnership with them.

Reducing energy consumption

Saving energy has always been a fundamental part of how we operate at INEOS because it makes good business sense. Climate change considerations and legislation in some of our operating countries mean we are also committed to meeting strict targets for CO2 emissions. Our strategy is to first reduce our own energy use as much as possible and then to use the lowest carbon sources of energy that we can.

This approach is clearly illustrated at our Runcorn site in the north of England. By investing in infrastructure and new process technology, the Runcorn plant has been optimised to run in the most energy efficient way possible. Initiatives we have implemented over the last few years include the installation of high efficiency motors as well as energy meters that allow managers to have instant access to real-time data on energy use. We also installed a new boiler plant and invested in a new centralised control room and pan-site process automation system, both of which have improved energy efficiency. Overall, these changes have led to energy savings in the last ten years of nearly 18% and annual CO2 savings of around 250,000 tonnes per year.

We have invested more than £400 million in new chlorine cellrooms at Runcorn, which use the latest membrane technology. This technology delivered primary energy savings compared to the older mercury technology used.

Having reduced energy consumption at our Runcorn site we have built what will be the largest energy from waste Combined Heat and Power (CHP) plant in the UK. This new plant will use Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) from municipal waste. Ultimately the plant will produce 70 MW of electricity and 50MW of steam heat, which will mean that up to 20% of the Runcorn site’s total energy use will come from renewable sources.

Carbon smart logistics

Transportation is a major user of energy and producer of carbon emissions. Fortunately, in supply chain logistics, the most environmentally friendly mode of transport is nearly always also the most cost effective. In addition, the most carbon efficient mode of transport for us is also reduces risk from a health and safety perspective. At INEOS we focus on driving down both the cost and the environmental impact of our transportation needs, while maintaining our high quality and safety standards.

The most efficient approach to transporting commodity chemicals is to avoid transportation in the first place. Where we can, INEOS will negotiate product “swaps” with other production units of the same commodity chemical closer to a customer to avoid transportation altogether. This may involve other suppliers. If this is not possible the next best option is via a pipeline. We encourage INEOS customers to co-locate on the same industrial sites as us, which means that we can deliver product directly via underground pipes. Our next preferred option is to use a ship or barge, then rail and finally, road. As part of our work with our transport providers we also strongly advocate training for drivers on fuel-efficient driving.

Through our cross-business supply chain network, managers meet regularly to share best practice including how to make the most of low carbon logistics. In addition, all our suppliers are required, through our contractual arrangement with them, to be most efficient in in providing a service on our behalf. With large tenders we aim to leverage the size of the contract to drive further fuel and cost efficiencies. This mindset together with efficient transport planning helps us to drive cost and carbon savings across our supply chain.

The chemicals we manufacture are essential components for many of the products we use today and for the technologies that will drive us towards a more sustainable future: products that make a difference.

Many of these products are helping to improve health, enhance standards of living, and contribute to sustainable development. For example, our acetonitrile is a crucial component in the manufacture of life-saving pharmaceuticals like insulin. Our acrylonitrile is used to make carbon fibre - a strong lightweight material used in a growing number of products, from medical implants over wind turbine blades to fuel-efficient planes and cars. And our lighter, recyclable polymers are helping to reduce the weight and cost of packaging, saving on the energy needed for transportation and reducing the natural resources required.

Energy efficient buildings are high priority for the construction sector, and several of our products are enabling this shift. For example, our new expandable polystyrene provides significantly improved thermal properties and thus lower energy consumption in building insulation applications. The PVC we make is used to manufacture energy efficient windows, which save energy, cut costs and reduce carbon emissions.

Driven by efficiency and the principles of responsible care, we focus on continually improving our production processes. We aim to use the most advanced techniques that are both economical and environmentally and socially responsible, to make products that make a difference. 

Carbon fibre: a new material for a low carbon world

Carbon fibre is increasingly important in a growing number of products. As consumers we mainly know it from sports equipment, but this lightweight and incredibly strong material is now the material of choice for the blades of wind turbines and for a new generation of more efficient planes and cars. When used in the manufacture of aircraft, fuel efficiency can be improved by as much as 30% without compromising on safety.

INEOS is at the forefront of this revolution because we are the world’s number one supplier of acrylonitrile, the main component in carbon fibre, and 95% of the world’s acrylonitrile production capacity is based on our technology. Manufacturers of the latest carbon fibre passenger planes and aircraft components rely on our products. 

Lighter planes mean less fuel, resulting in lower fuel costs and lower carbon emissions. In addition, because carbon fibre makes the body of the plane stronger, windows can be larger, and humidity levels and internal air pressure can be kept at more normalised rates, which all contribute to improving the experience of air travel. So airlines and customers benefit, and so does the environment.

In the automobile industry, car manufacturers are currently still developing the technologies that will allow carbon fibre to be used on a large scale to produce more lightweight, fuel-efficient cars. But the potential environmental benefit, given the number of cars in use around the world today, is enormous.

Lighter, more recyclable plastics

Plastics are a valuable commodity. They account for 4% of the global consumption of oil and gas. INEOS is working to get ‘more for less’ - to decrease the amount of oil, gas and other raw materials used in the manufacture of plastics.

Our R&D efforts include a broad range of projects focused on improving process efficiency at our production plants and developing new, more sustainable products for our customers. The thinking is simple: if plastics are stronger and lighter, they require fewer raw materials to make and use less energy in transportation. They are also easier to recycle.

INEOS Olefins & Polymers is focussed on reducing the weight of high value plastics, while maintaining their strength, rigidity and durability. For example, our lightweight, durable piping, which is used in distribution networks for water and gas, is corrosion free and can last up to 100 years - significantly longer than steel. It is also more reliable, easier to install and leaks less. Our PERT (polyethylene resistant to temperature) piping is being used to provide a simple, low cost hot water piping system for thousands of homes around the globe.

We are also improving the efficiency of plastics production by developing high-rigidity packaging that can be moulded using up to 20% less energy over a shorter life cycle. This means that the same number of injection moulding machines can produce 20% more product, whether that’s a car fuel tank or the packaging used to extend the shelf life of food products. 

We often work in partnership with our customers to develop new solutions. For example, we worked with well known soft drinks producers to help reduce the weight of the caps on bottles by around 25%, which is a direct saving on raw materials and waste and makes the bottles lighter to transport.

Acetonitrile – improving the world’s nutrition and health

INEOS Nitriles purchased the Seal Sands site in the north of England from BASF in 2008, saving it from closure and securing a key European source of both acrylonitrile (used to make carbon fibre) and acetonitrile. Acetonitrile is a clear liquid solvent used to make essential drugs such as insulin, antibiotics and antihistamines. It was first discovered in the 1950s and is used as part of a chemical process to create the active ingredient of these drugs.

As well as playing a critical role in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals, acetonitrile is a key process solvent in the production of agrochemicals used to ensure higher crop yields, increasingly necessary to support growing populations.

Acetonitrile is also used in the emerging area of biotechnology, particularly in the synthesis and purification of synthetic DNA and RNA, and in important new treatments for cancers and other diseases.

INEOS currently supplies 40-45% of the global demand for acetonitrile. What we don’t produce ourselves is manufactured by others using our licensed technology. We offer a global level of security of supply that other manufacturers simply cannot match, of a product that is making a huge difference to the world’s nutrition and health. 

We work hard to ensure that INEOS is a rewarding place to work. We have a flat organisational structure. We don’t like committees and we are non bureaucratic. To succeed, our business has to be efficient and responsive and as a result our people tend to be straightforward and to the point.

We encourage an entrepreneurial culture where talent can quickly rise to the top and where people are rewarded for taking the initiative, as well as for great performance. Fresh thinking and new ways of doing things are critical to our ongoing success and are key to innovation in more sustainable products and processes.

Many of our employees have joined INEOS from companies such as BASF, Bayer, BP, Dow, Enichem, Hoechst, ICI and Solvay and Tessenderlo. We are a relatively new company built on a rich heritage. We continue to invest in our people when they join INEOS, building on the extensive industry experience they bring with them from elsewhere.

As we grow our company organically we have developed new training programmes which include our modern apprenticeship schemes, our Engineers of the Future university programme and ongoing training for our technicians, executives and leadership teams.

We aim is to attract and develop talented employees to drive our business forward and meet the changing needs of society and our customers.

Encouraging an entrepreneurial culture

At INEOS we have a distinctive entrepreneurial culture. We employ talented people and encourage them to think beyond their job description. We positively reward those who rise to the challenge and take the initiative. We particularly value those people who relish the freedom we provide to make the most of their creativity and drive. It is an approach that helps us to drive innovation and address the challenges and opportunities that sustainability presents our business.

As a private company we also pride ourselves on being a lean organisation and we avoid bureaucracy. Our flat organisational structure has minimum hierarchy, which assists our overall efficiency and ensures there is plenty of scope for those who want to step up and take the initiative. It also helps us to adapt quickly, something that is particularly helpful when markets change and we need to be faster to react than our competitors. It also helps to put INEOS is at the forefront of thought leadership in manufacturing and process technology development.

We recruit and invest in the best people to fit with our culture, A good example is the INEOS Olefins and Polymers (O&P) Leadership Development Programmes which provide further support for our talented staff, developing the skills they will require to drive our business and deliver great service to our customers. Key elements of the programme are our safety, health and environment considerations, embedded within the principles of responsible care. These are fundamental to everything we do and guide our performance targets at every level of the business.

Investing in skills for the future

A highly skilled workforce is vital for the long-term sustainability of our Company. INEOS invests in bespoke training programmes that combine practical experience alongside academic study, which is providing exceptional Graduate engineers.

The Engineers of the Future Programme was established as a unique partnership between the INEOS, Heriot-Watt University and Forth Valley College. This five year company-sponsored programme combines education to Masters degree level with on the job training and experience. Students spend their first two years at college on an accelerated modern apprenticeship scheme then join third year engineering students at university. While on the programme they spend time at our Grangemouth manufacturing site, immersed in our culture and learning our safety systems, acquiring the practical skills they will need for a job with us. In the fourth year they complete an Honours degree followed by a Masters engineering degree in the final year.

Cooperation between INEOS businesses, and local universities, is also helping in areas such as energy integration, focused on cutting costs and carbon.

Collaboration in educational programmes are also aimed at school leavers who have an interest in science and technology and a practical hands-on approach to problem solving. These programmes are extremely well regarded. And as such typically attract, in the case of our Koeln site, on average around 3,000 applications for ca. 60 places that are available. 

INEOS aims to be a good and valued neighbour and to maintain the trust of communities living and working close to our sites. This underpins our licence to operate. Each of our sites has a coordinated approach to building and strengthening their relationships with their local stakeholders. We are committed to the long-term sustainability of our operations and in supporting the communities around our sites. This manifests itself in a variety of ways from staff volunteering to support of worthy causes, local sponsorship and regular communications.

We work alongside schools and colleges in promoting science, technology and engineering. Bringing relevance to the school curriculum with either visits to our sites or ‘employees in the classroom’, we support and enhance the delivery of learning in schools. Meeting and working alongside our employees provides inspiration to the next generation of scientists and engineers.

We also look for ways to collaborate with neighbouring companies. In Belgium, Germany and Norway for example, we have developed strong industrial clusters. These bring together local businesses to share resources, infrastructure and utility services. These clusters also work together to organise community events such as the series of open days that took place in 2011 to promote the International Year of Chemistry.

Open communications with our neighbours

We believe that regular, clear communications about our operations helps build trust with our neighbours. It is a demonstration of our commitment to, the principles of responsible care.

We use different methods across our sites and facilities to share information with our neighbours depending on the needs of each community. Our local community groups share information about the work we do, our track record and local topics of interest. Each site applies a local approach. Some of our sites use electronic updates to let the community know about any changes that may be happening on site, for example work that might generate noise or local disruption. On the rare occasion that we have incidents at our sites we work hard get an information out to the community as quickly as possible.

In some locations we host community forum meetings. These forums involve local residents, community groups and stakeholders. They enable us to provide updates on our business and introduce plans for the future. Importantly they provide a platform for local people that live and work close to our sites to ask questions. In addition, we sometimes hold open house days when local people can come and tour our sites to see for themselves exactly how we operate.

Local partnerships

In our effort to do sustainable business, INEOS joins forces with neighbouring companies and local organisations to form industrial clusters that create benefit across all three sustainability pillars.

When businesses form clusters, we don't only aim at creating economies of scale, it is also a major incentive to make efficient use of resources. By collaborating, resources and materials, infrastructure and services, even utility supplies can be shared. Several INEOS sites co-host cogeneration plants that supply the onsite heat and power needs, operate cost effective and energy efficient. And by sharing products and utilities, we optimise the use of resources, minimise chemical flows and reduce energy use.

Inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers

Many of our sites work with their communities to raise awareness of the value of science and technology to everyday life. A good example of this takes place annually in Scotland where we organise a Science, Engineering and Technology (SET) Fair near our Grangemouth plant. SET Fair is designed for children in their last year of primary school. It aims to give children an appreciation of how science and technology are relevant to their everyday lives via a series of hands-on practical workshops. It also gives them the chance to work closely with people from the world of industry. The ultimate goal is to encourage children to view these subjects in a positive light as they transition to secondary school.

SET Fair is run in association with Global Science, the local STEMNET* provider, with INEOS as the lead organiser. For over 2 weeks each year almost 2000 pupils from every primary school in Falkirk have the opportunity to participate. The INEOS workshops at SET Fair are hosted by our own Young Apprentices and by students from the Engineers of the Future programme. This offers tremendous benefits to our trainees but also provides the children with the opportunity to interact and work alongside young people who are currently on a science and technology based learning programme.

We have similar outreach programmes near our Koeln plant in Germany. Annually local schools participate in our special science programme in coordination with the Chamber of Commerce. The schools are supplied with educational kits containing information and equipment for various science and nature projects and teachers receive a day of special training.

We believe it is important to have a scientifically-literate society. Through these programmes we are working to increase knowledge and interest of science in schools. We recognise that the young people we work with may become the next generation of INEOS employees, our suppliers or customers or neighbours.

*STEMNET is a UK government-funded network that creates opportunities to inspire young people in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

At INEOS we pride ourselves on being entrepreneurial and forward thinking. Ours is a sector that can have enormous influence on what the world does now, on the way it progresses in the future and on how it can do that in a sustainable way. We see sustainability as a key driver of innovation. Looking for new products and new ways of doing things that overcome the technical challenges of sustainability keeps our business one step ahead. We focus our innovations on the insights we get from our customers and other stakeholders. To that end, we are building partnerships with our customers and other organisations to provide innovative solutions to complex and challenging issues. Not only our products or processes are cutting edge technologies, INEOS is a known trendsetter in joining forces with business partners to form industrial clusters (See Here). Together with local third parties we share resources and utilities, we create industrial symbiosis, contributing to the very heart of corporate sustainability.

Some good examples of innovation successes to date include our patented process for the conversion of multiple waste sources into bioenergy, our proprietary membrane cell technology for the production of chlorine, used to keep 98% of the UK’s drinking water safe, our co-investment in combined heat and power (CHP) production at our major manufacturing sites, and our initiatives to create sustainable PVC.

Through innovation we are developing sustainable solutions to major global challenges.

INEOS Bio - generating fuel from waste

INEOS Bio 

INEOS Bio is set to revolutionise the biofuels industry through its patented process of converting multiple waste materials into transportation fuel and electricity. This process can take any carbon-containing waste material and convert it into bioethanol and renewable power. Conventional ethanol production uses food crops such as sugar cane, wheat and corn as feedstocks. This means that agricultural resources have been is required for fuel production, something that has created controversy in recent years. However, the INEOS Bio process does not use food crops or require agricultural land use – it uses a variety of waste materials including household and commercial waste, helping to divert this waste from going to landfill or incineration. The bioethanol produced can be used as a renewal transport fuel, mixed with petrol in today’s vehicles, and the renewable electricity can be supplied to homes and businesses.

The INEOS Bio process of making bioethanol produces heat as a by-product, which we harness to generate electricity on site. This means that in addition to bioethanol production the site will also be able to export energy to the national grid. The process is designed to be safe, robust and reliable.

We have been operating an integrated pilot scale bioethanol facility in Arkansas in the US on a continuous basis since 2003 and we are currently commissioning our first commercial scale plant in Florida.

In addition, we have plans to build Europe’s first commercial plant at our Seal Sands site in Teesside in the UK. The waste material for this plant will largely come from local sources and the fuel produced could be used in the UK. It’s part of the shift away from a centralised energy model to a more distributed, local model. A bi biorefinery such as this could produce around 150,000 tonnes per year of bioethanol, which can run 1.5 million cars and save 500,000 tonnes of CO2. All of this by simply diverting rubbish that would normally be burnt or sent to landfill.

As well as building our own plants, we are actively licensing the technology for use by others, providing solutions to waste and energy needs, and creating a global market opportunity at the forefront of the emerging bio-based economy.

Transforming chlorine production

Chlorine is used to keep drinking water free of bacteria. It is produced from brine, which is concentrated salt water. More than 95% of the UK’s drinking water is made safe with the help of chlorine, which disinfects right up to the tap.

INEOS has developed its own membrane cell technology that removes the need to use mercury in the chlorine production process. We have invested £400 million in installing this new technology at our Runcorn site in the UK and we are gradually rolling out the technology to other sites across Europe. Membrane technology is cleaner and more energy efficient than traditional production methods. At Runcorn it has reduced energy usage by around 12% and at other sites, such as Rafnes in Norway, it has doubled production capacity with no net increase in carbon emissions. The by-product, hydrogen, is being used at Rafnes to fuel a sustainable transport network of fuel cell cars.

Mercury is still used as the catalyst for 31% of European chlorine production. Along with other members of the EuroChlor Industry Association, INEOS has signed up to a voluntary commitment to phase out mercury cell technology completely by 2020 at the latest. The United Nations is also maintaining pressure on European, Asian and US producers to set binding deadlines to stop the use of mercury. INEOS is playing a leading role to develop a more sustainable way of producing chlorine without which the world would not have clean water on tap.

Industry collaboration to create sustainable PVC

PVC is a versatile plastic that is used in lots of everyday applications - packaging, flooring, pipes, window frames and medical products like blood bags. It is made with two raw materials - oil (43%) and salt (57%). Of all of the commodity plastics (plastics that are used in high volume across a wide range of applications), PVC uses the least amount of fossil fuel and requires the least amount of energy to produce. It has many positive qualities, for example it is fire retardant, it resists corrosion and rotting, it is excellent for insulation and is highly durable.

However, PVC has been criticised in the past over concerns about its negative impact on the environment. These concerns focused on the environmental impacts from its manufacture as well as issues around the difficulties with PCV recycling and disposal of PVC waste.

In response to these criticisms the European PVC industry came together in 2000 and set up Vinyls 2010 - an industry-wide voluntary commitment to improving the sustainability of PVC. INEOS was heavily involved in Vinyls 2010, which exceeded all of its targets. We are now involved in the next phase, Vinyls Plus, which sets targets to 2020. These targets have been developed using the globally respected Natural Step methodology, which aims to phase out unsustainable practices at every stage of the lifecycle.

Due to the innovation and improvements that have come out of Vinyls 2010, PVC now has strong sustainability credentials. First and foremost it is now easy to recycle - in 2009 alone the total recycled PVC waste was the equivalent of the weight of 4,500 passenger planes. PVC’s carbon footprint is comparatively low – research by INEOS and the University of Manchester found it to be lower than common products like meat, cheese and aluminium and equal to the footprint of a common frosted cornflake breakfast cereal. PVC also has an excellent Energy Efficiency Rating. The Buildings Research Establishment’s Green Guide gave PVC window frames, flooring and roofing ‘A’ efficiency ratings (where A is high efficiency and E is low efficiency).

This powerful combination of innovation and industry collaboration is ensuring that PVC has a bright future as one of the building blocks of a more sustainable future.

Cogeneration plants

Many of INEOS manufacturing sites all over the world use steam and electricity that is generated onsite. These cogeneration plants, provide combined heat and power (CHP) for use at our industrial sites. Any excess electricity can be exported to the grid supplying power to broader communities. The principle of simultaneous production of steam and electricity effects savings of many thousands of tonnes of CO₂ at our facilities. As a result, the CHP plants contribute substantially towards achieving a reduction of our carbon emissions.

Good examples include INEOS ChlorVinyls at Runcorn. The energy from waste plant will supply 270 GWhe and 500 ktpa of steam into the internal network of the site.

At Vero Beach (US) the INEOS Bio business will produce bioethanol for clean transport and electricity. The heat generated by gasification is captured for cogeneration of electricity, to reduce the energy cost onsite and be exported to the local grid.

INEOS takes its responsibility for the environment very seriously and is fully committed to delivering a record of responsible environmental performance across all its operations. We continually strive to meet and where practicable exceed strict safety, health and environmental performance targets and we are committed to continuous improvement in all aspects of our operations. Excellence in safety, health and environmental performance is our top priority and we are open and honest about such performance, which we publish locally and nationally, as required. 

INEOS operates to strict regulations that are set by the national environment agencies, of the countries in which we operate. We are committed to ensuring that our facilities have as low an impact as possible on local people and the environment and we continue to work in close partnership with community groups and other stakeholders to ensure that we are a responsible neighbour.

Our commitment is to protect the health and safety of our employees, the communities in which we operate and the users of our products. We aim to meet or where practicable exceed all relevant legislative requirements and minimise the effect of our operations on the environment.

Our goal is zero injuries, to be achieved through a positive safety culture in which we believe all accidents are preventable.

We care...

• About the safety, security and health of our workforce, customers,
  suppliers and our neighbours,
• About the environment, today and tomorrow,
• About compliance with the law,
• About developing a workforce of SHE champions

We hold ourselves and one another accountable for SHE performance.

The Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances (REACH) legislation (EC 1907/2006) entered into force on June 1, 2007.

REACH requires that all substances manufactured in, or imported into, the EU in quantities >1tpa are registered with the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The registration process requires that companies submit to ECHA a chemical safety dossier detailing the intrinsic properties, and a risk assessment for known uses for each of the substances they manufacture or import.

INEOS is committed to fulfilling its REACH obligations under its commitments to responsible care, free trade and in limiting risks of exposure to chemicals for health and the environment. Its businesses have successfully registered those substances which it manufactures or imports required by the first phase in deadline of 30^th November 2010. It continues to work to meet the 2013 and 2018 deadline requirements. If you have specific questions regarding REACH for the substance you purchase from INEOS, please contact the specific INEOS business.

In addition, INEOS has successfully notified all manufactured or imported substances into the Classification and Labelling Inventory as required by regulation (EC) 1272/2008 on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP).

To achieve our objective of “zero injuries”, INEOS requires all employees and contractors who work under our control to adhere and contribute to the ongoing development of our strict safety, health and environmental standards and procedures. 

By making safety, health and the environment an integral part of our business we encourage a culture of continuous improvement across all activities in all locations.

INEOS Group CLASSIFIED injury Rate (employees and contractors) – see below:

Active employee and contractor involvement is critical to achieving our safety, health, and environmental objectives. Employees and contractors throughout the Company participate in safety teams, contribute to investigations and incident learning, and suggest ongoing improvements in safety standards and procedures.

Our commitment to safety starts at the top as a core value of our company. It is driven through the Executive Boards of each of INEOS’ 12 businesses, which are accountable for performance, to all plant operating teams, wherever they are in the world. We support a positive and open environment across our businesses, supported by effective communication between management, employees and contractors and an ongoing programme of investment in safety.

Our management teams and employees know that the sustainable long-term future of our businesses rests on our track record on safety, health and the environment. We view safety, health and the environment as the top priority of all INEOS companies.

Styrolution is a 50:50 joint venture between INEOS and BASF. It has sales of [Euro]6.6 billion and is the worlds number one supplier of styrene monomers, polystyrene and copolymers.

The company formed in 2011 employs around 3,400 people. It operates 17 manufacturing sites in ten countries, and has a broad customer base in over 100 countries worldwide serving a wide range of industry sectors including: automotive; electrical/electronics; building and construction; household appliances; toys/sports/leisure; packaging; healthcare and diagnostics.

Product Portfolio

• Styrene monomer (SM)
• Polystyrene (PS)
• Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)
• Styrene-butadiene block copolymers (SBC)
• Other styrene-based copolymers (SAN, AMSAN, ASA, MABS, SMMA)
• Copolymer blends (ABS/PA, ASA/PA, ASA/PC)

Headquarters

• Frankfurt/Main, Germany (global and European headquarters)
• Channahon, USA (regional headquarters Americas)
• Singapore (regional headquarters Asia-Pacific)

Petroineos comprises trading and refining joint ventures between INEOS and PetroChina International (London) Company Limited.

The company which was formed on July 1^st 2011 is Europe's leading independent crude oil refiner. With two particularly advantaged refineries, it processes more than 420,000 barrels of crude oil per day, to produce in the region of 20 million tonnes of fuels per annum. Petroineos refineries are strategically located at Grangemouth Scotland and Lavéra France and are both fully integrated with co-sited petrochemical assets of the Company. Close proximity to feedstocks and customers are key elements of its strength. The company employs around 1,000 people and has a turnover of around $15bn.

The Grangemouth refinery is located on the Firth of Forth with direct access to crude oil and gas from the North Sea. The Grangemouth refinery processes around 210,000 barrels of crude oil per day and provides fuel to Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. 

The Lavéra refinery processes 210,000 barrels of crude oil per day. It is located on the coast of the Mediterranean crude oil trading basin, next to the port of Marseille. The refinery supplies fuel by pipelines into France, Switzerland and Southern Germany. 

Petroineos sites remain integrated into INEOS' downstream petrochemical production.

Product Portfolio

• Gasoline
• Diesel
• Jet-fuel (ATK)
• LPG
• Kerosene (RSK)
• Gas Oil/Heating Oil
• Fuel Oil 

Headquarters

• London