Sustainable phenol opens new market in China

Night shot of Moeve Chemicals plant in Shanghai with industrial landscape of lights on multiple tall structures, pipelines and tanks.

Innovating from Spain to Shanghai, a global leader in phenol is entering the Chinese market, the largest in the world, with a new range of state-of-the-art products, which are biomass-based and certified sustainable.

Spanish company Moeve Chemicals has signed an agreement to supply its new product NextPhenol BC, a sustainable phenol produced using certified raw materials derived from biomass waste, in China.

The supply will be carried out from the Moeve plant in Shanghai, which has, among other accreditations, ISCC PLUS sustainable certification for its processes involving bio, bio-circular, and circular raw materials.

Also known as carbolic acid, phenol is a key component in the automotive industry, textile manufacturing, electronics, and the production of household appliances. Present in everyday items such as mobile phones, computers and medicines, this aromatic organic compound is used as a preservative in some foods, too.

Cradle-to-gate carbon reduction

NextPhenol products are made with components from sustainable materials, which have the same technical characteristics as fossil-based options, but a lower carbon footprint (based on mass balance approach).

In particular, NextPhenol BC achieves a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint reduction of over 100% (based on a verified comparative Life Cycle Assessment) following a mass balance approach.

In 2019, Moeve became the first company in Europe to successfully produce phenol from sustainable raw materials, as certified by the International Sustainability Carbon Certification (ISCC).

Since then, the company has grown in the European market for sustainable phenol with the NextPhenol brand, supported by its drive towards decarbonisation, the use of clean energy and renewable and circular materials, plus the optimisation of production processes and resources.

These efforts have firmly positioned Moeve as one of the world leaders in sustainable chemistry.

Sustainable innovation in demand

The new range of low-carbon phenols developed by Moeve Chemicals, includes the following:

NextPhenol BC, which uses materials from biomass waste (such as used cooking oils);
NextPhenol-R, based on bio materials (like vegetable oils);
NextPhenol-C, based on recycled industrial waste (such as plastic waste); and
NextPhenol-Low Carbon, produced exclusively with renewable energy.

Innovation is in demand, says Maria Fernanda Patiño, director of Moeve’s chemical plant in Shanghai:

“NextPhenol demonstrates how chemistry can drive decarbonisation and help combat climate change. With this first sale in China, we highlight our ability to innovate and to open markets with sustainable solutions.”

Global chemical transition

Moeve Chemicals is a global company belonging to the Moeve Group, which employs over 11,000 people worldwide and operates a diversified portfolio covering Asia, Africa, Europe, and America.

In the context of the global chemical transition, Moeve integrates sustainability into its business by replacing fossil-based elements with renewable and recycled materials. The company also shrinks its own carbon footprint by using renewable energy sources in manufacturing processes.

The company holds certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 14064, ISCC PLUS, Low Carbon, and LCA, as well as the Ecovadis Platinum Medal, which places it among the top 1% of rated companies.

Prior to its rebranding last year, Moeve was formerly known as Cepsa, and can trace its long history in the energy sector back more than 90 years. The new identity reflects the company’s transformation to focus on the production of sustainable energy powered by green molecules, including green hydrogen and second-generation biofuels, as well as sustainable chemical products and ultra-fast electric mobility.

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