For years employees have worked for joint ventures between INEOS and TotalEnergies at France’s Lavéra petrochemical complex. In the case of Laure Huyghues des Etages, that had amounted to 22 years. But she is now working solely for INEOS O&P South after INEOS acquired the joint venture share from TotalEnergies earlier this year.
CEO Xavi Cros said it had made sense to buy the French energy company’s 50% share of the steam cracker, polypropylene and aromatics businesses and naphtha storage despite the downturn in demand for chemicals in Europe.
“We believe this is in the best interests of our customers, our employees and INEOS because it allows us to make the improvements that are needed,” he said.
For the staff, though, it was an unsettling time. “I was worried,” said Laure. “I was well and truly in my comfort zone.” Since the joint venture ended, though, she couldn’t be happier.
“Technically the job remains the same,” she said.
“But what is different is how INEOS approaches a problem. There is real cohesion and a desire to come up with solutions.”
She also found INEOS’ transparency refreshing when it came to decision-making.
“It has given me a broader view of the whole business, which has made me feel very involved and a part of something much bigger,” she said.
The two companies had entered into a joint venture when INEOS acquired the Lavéra site in 2005 from BP.
INEOS O&P South now, though, has sole responsibility for running the naphtha steam cracker the aromatics business, a polypropylene business and a number of other infrastructure assets at Lavéra including part of TotalEnergies’ ethylene pipeline network in France. It is a great opportunity... and an opportunity to improve its competitiveness and safeguard its future by ensuring it is environmentally fit for the 21st century.
- INEOS businesses operating at INEOS O&P South:
- INEOS Olefins and Polymers Europe
- INEOS Oxide
- INEOS Oligomers
- INEOS Polyolefin Catalyst