Interviews

Jack Govers

Legislation plays a key role, starting with the Montreal Protocol and the Kigali Amendment, which regulate the use and phase-down of harmful refrigerants globally. A-Gas supports these efforts by creating systems that simplify refrigerant recovery and reclamation. For example, in the U.S., we launched Rapid Exchange, a service that provides contractors with free replacement cylinders while collecting and processing used ones. This model incentivizes proper disposal by making it cost-effective and convenient.

Sachin Nijhawan

The North American market is booming due to significant demand for chlor-alkali production and the drive for energy efficiency in the chemical industry. Our core business revolves around building electrolyzers that produce chlorine, caustic soda, and hydrogen—key building blocks for a wide range of industries, from PVC and textiles to water treatment and cleaning products.

Mark Behrman

I’m confident that foundational elements like the 45Q tax credit for carbon capture and sequestration will remain intact despite a change in the US Government Administration. This program, in place since 2008, was enhanced under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), increasing the credit from $50 to $85 per ton and introducing cash pay options. These incentives make carbon capture projects economically viable.

Pratap Nair

Over the years, advancements in computational power, reduced costs of data storage, and faster internet communication revolutionized this process. Tasks that once took days or months can now be completed in seconds, enabling widespread adoption of AI, machine learning, and Gen AI technologies.

Amber Wellman

Global trends like decarbonization in air transport, electrification in vehicles, and renewable energy production drive demand for our products. For example, our titanium dioxide is vital for infrastructure coatings that extend the life of bridges and buildings, while our fluoropolymers support critical applications like medical devices and aging population needs.

Siew Tin Lim

Achieving carbon neutrality is part of a broader Jebsen & Jessen Group initiative and began with developing a carbon assessment tool to collect operational data and identify the volume of carbon emissions we generated. Next, we implemented energy efficiency initiatives to reduce carbon emissions across our operations, such as using LED light bulbs in all offices and      switching to solar panels to supplement energy supply.

Eddie Ingle

The biggest shift is a move toward textile circularity, focusing on recycling textiles into textiles rather than just using recycled bottles. We launched REPREVE® Takeback in August, which incorporates at least 50% recycled textile waste.

Currently, only about 10% of polyester garment production inputs come from bottles, with minimal textiles recycled back into textiles. Consumers and the industry are demanding more circular solutions, and REPREVE® Takeback is our answer to this demand.

Coen Vinke

Sustainability is measurable—our definition is that our products must have a lower CO2 footprint than competitors' equivalents. Reaching 90% will be a challenge. We are not revising our goal downward, unlike some companies, but achieving it depends not just on innovation but also on customer demand. At the end of the day, we are running a business, not a grant-funded initiative.

Hady Seyeda

We reclaim tungsten from used tools, grinding sludges, and other industrial residues. Scrap is either returned directly by customers or collected by dealers and then processed into ammonium para-tungstate (APT) before being converted back into tungsten carbide. Recycling not only secures supply but also significantly reduces CO₂ emissions, cutting the environmental footprint by about 50% compared to mining. Tungsten’s classification by the EU as both a strategic and critical material underscores its importance.

Daniel Amador Torra

Overall, uncertainty is the biggest challenge. We have two ongoing wars, disruptions in the Red Sea, and the return of Trump, which could lead to unpredictable tariffs and supply chain shifts. The chemical industry is also dealing with weak construction demand due to higher interest rates and higher construction costs. Many players are holding inventory, waiting for conditions to improve. This makes flexibility and market adaptation more crucial than ever, which is why we're investing more in Latin America and Africa.