INEOS Styrolution and BASF make it possible for Orthex Group, a leading Nordic producer of household products, to offer consumers more sustainable products

The Orthex SmartStore™ storage products are made from the plastic Luran® ECO. The material is produced by using feedstock from INEOS Styrolution and BASF based on the biomass balance approach, which offers a distinctly lower carbon footprint than classical feedstock.
Copyright: Orthex

Orthex houseware storage products made from INEOS Styrolution’s Luran ECO materials
Biomass balanced styrene as plastic feedstock supplied by BASF
Certified production processes and materials

(PRESS RELEASE) LUDWIGSHAFEN/ FRANKFURT/ ESPOO, 15-Sep-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — BASF (ETR: BAS), the world’s largest chemical producer, has announced that its cooperation with INEOS Styrolution, a global styrenics supplier, which resulted in a styrene acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) called Luran ECO is now going to be used by Orthex, a leading Nordic producer of household products, for its range of SmartStore(tm) Compact storage products. Luran ECO is built on BASF’s production of styrene monomer derived from renewable feedstock based on a mass balance approach. INEOS Styrolution uses the material as feedstock in its production of new sustainable styrenics solutions. The carbon footprint of the new material is 93% lower compared to the fossil-based Luran version according to an independent third-party assessment.

Orthex Group is a leading Nordic houseware producer that strives to make consumers’ everyday lives easier with its products. The company has long championed sustainability with a focus on long-lasting products and increasing the use of recycled and bio-based materials to replace fossil-based plastic.

As a next step, Orthex will start using new biomass balance based Luran ECO raw material for the entire SmartStore Compact storage range. Orthex Group’s main criteria for selecting this material by INEOS Styrolution are easy processability, compliance with food contact regulations, and a reduced carbon footprint.

Alexander Rosenlew, CEO of Orthex Group, comments: “This new raw material solution will support our long-term carbon neutrality target. INEOS Styrolution and BASF make it possible for us to offer consumers more sustainable products. This supports our target to increase the share of sustainable raw materials in our production to 80% by 2030.”

Luran ECO with significantly reduced CO₂ footprint

BASF’s biomass balance (BMB) based styrene is used by INEOS Styrolution in the production of bio-attributed styrenics specialties, mainly transparent styrenics materials such as the company’s NAS^® family of styrene methyl methacrylate (SMMA) products and the Luran family of SAN products. The BASF and INEOS Styrolution processes within the end-to-end mass balance based production of the new solution portfolio are certified by ISCC+.

Artur Sokolowski, Director Sales Electronics & Household EMEA at INEOS Styrolution, comments: “Orthex is an innovative and fast-moving company. I am pleased to see that we have been able to provide a solution to Orthex that helps them to reach their ambitious sustainability target.”

Biomass balanced styrene To produce styrene BMB, BASF replaces fossil resources like naphtha or natural gas with renewable feedstocks derived from organic waste or vegetable oils. It is one way to produce styrene via a mass balance approach. Mass balance is a chain-of-custody model that keeps track of the total amount (e.g., circular or other alternative) of feedstock throughout the production process and ensures a proper allocation to the finished goods.

Raw material and plastic producers like INEOS Styrolution and BASF can thus offer products with a better environmental profile but the same features as those manufactured from fossil feedstock. The allocation process via the mass balance approach as well as the products are certified by independent auditors. Read more about BASF’s biomass balance approach (basf.com).

“BMB feedstocks on one side and feedstocks based on chemically recycled plastic waste on the other side, both replacing fossil resources, are a very appealing way to contribute to an improved carbon footprint of subsequent products,” says Stefanie Kutscher, Head of Business Management Styrene at BASF’s Styrenics Business Europe. “Alternative raw materials already in the economic cycle enable us to produce with less virgin fossil raw materials. So, both mass balance approaches aim to achieve the same.”

About Orthex Group

Orthex is a leading Nordic houseware producer that strives to make consumers’ everyday lives easier with its products presented under the consumer brands SmartStore™ storage products, GastroMax™ kitchenware, and Orthex™ home- and plant-care categories. Orthex aims to be the industry forerunner in sustainability. Orthex’s net sales in 2021 was 88.7 million euros and operating profit was 9.3 million euros. The company has customers in more than 40 countries and local sales offices in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. Orthex is listed on the Nasdaq Helsinki stock exchange.

ORTHEX CONTACT:

Alexander Rosenlew

CEO, Orthex Corporation

Email: alexander.rosenlew@orthexgroup.com

Phone: +358 40 500-3826

Hanna Kukkonen

CMO, Orthex Corporation

Email: hanna.kukkonen@orthexgroup.com

Phone: +358 40 053-8886

About INEOS Styrolution

INEOS Styrolution is the leading global styrenics supplier, with a focus on styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS Standard and styrenic specialties. With world-class production facilities and more than 90 years of experience, INEOS Styrolution helps its customers succeed by offering solutions designed to give them a competitive edge in their markets. At the same time, these innovative and sustainable best-in-class solutions help make the circular economy for styrenics a reality. The company provides styrenic applications for many everyday products across a broad range of industries, including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging and toys/sports/leisure. In 2021, sales were at 6 billion euros. INEOS Styrolution employs approximately 3,600 people and operates 20 production sites in ten countries.

More information: www.ineos-styrolution.com

Visit us at K fair in Düsseldorf, October 19-26, 2022: hall 6 / booth 6D28.

INEOS STYROLUTION CONTACT:

Dr. Ralf Leinemann

Global Manager PR & Marketing Communications

INEOS Styrolution Group GmbH

Mainzer Landstraße 50

60325 Frankfurt

Germany

Email: ralf.leinemann@ineos.com

Phone: +49 69 509550-1366

Website: www.ineos-styrolution.com

About BASF

At BASF, we create chemistry for a sustainable future. We combine economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility. Around 111,000 employees in the BASF Group contribute to the success of our customers in nearly all sectors and almost every country in the world. Our portfolio comprises six segments: Chemicals, Materials, Industrial Solutions, Surface Technologies, Nutrition & Care and Agricultural Solutions. BASF generated sales of €78.6 billion in 2021. BASF shares are traded on the stock exchange in Frankfurt (BAS) and as American Depositary Receipts (BASFY) in the U.S. Further information at www.basf.com.

BASF MEDIA CONTACT:

Dr. Sabine Philipp/ Stefanie Mohmeyer

Head of Industrial Affairs & Public Relations Styrenics Europe

sabine.philipp@basf.com / stefanie.mohmeyer@basf.com

Tel.: +49 621 60-43348 / +40 621 60 55226

SOURCE: BASF SE

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