INEOS Silicas : Queens Award for Enterprise for Outstanding Innovation
CHAMELEON™ HONOURED BY QUEEN
INEOS Silicas is pleased to announce that it is to receive a Queens Award for Enterprise for Outstanding Innovation. The prestigious award conferred to INEOS Silicas Ltd recognises Outstanding Innovation in the development, commercialisation and after sales service of a novel, “safe” alternative moisture indicating system Sorbsil® CHAMELEON™ desiccant silica gel.
Desiccant silica gel has long been used to provide the low humidity needed for the production and storage of electronic and consumer goods. Cobalt dichloride, commonly referred to as blue indicating desiccant gel, has been used traditionally as a colour indicator to show when silica gel has exhausted its desiccant capacity. In 1999, the European Union declared Cobalt dichloride as a potential carcinogen. Research by INEOS Silicas led to the development of Sorbsil® CHAMELEON™ silica gel as a new, safe, patented, indicator system. This has been very successful in traditional markets and has opened up new opportunities in the food and pharmaceutical packaging market
“This award endorses INEOS Silicas as an important innovative leader in the silica gel and desiccants market” says Andy Currie, Director of INEOS Capital and Chairman of INEOS Silicas.
“The award reinforces the strength of INEOS Silicas in its ability to identify and rapidly develop existing, new and novel inorganic systems to meet the needs of our customers. The project to develop a new indicating silica gel was recognised in October ’98 and first commercial sales of the product was in December ’99” says Brian Foster, CEO of INEOS Silicas.
For more Information please contact:
Derek Hepburn
Phone: +44 (0)1925 416426
Fax: +44 (0)1925 416214
Email: derek.hepburn@ineossilicas.com
Notes for editors:
INEOS Silicas is a leading global manufacturer of silicates, zeolites and silicas related products with manufacturing sites in the UK (Warrington) Netherlands (Eijsden), USA (Joliet), Brazil (Jacana and Rio Claro), South Africa (Durban and Johannesburg) and Indonesia (Pasaruan). There is also an Asia Pacific regional sales organisation based in Singapore. The business employs ca 900 people globally and has sales approaching €300m p/a. The business, formerly known as Crosfield was acquired in January 2001 from ICI.