Ecochem: Catalyst for new ideas, new knowledge and new relationships in sustainable chemistry

Ecochem, Europe’s premier conference and exhibition on Sustainable Chemistry and Engineering was launched November 2013 to raving reviews. Held on November 19-21st 2013 in Basel Switzerland, the event featured a list of speakers and attendees representing the leaders and innovators of sustainable chemistry across the value chain.

Ecochem was developed in response to society’s demands to meet the grand challenges of the rapidly advancing future, the chemical industry, leading brands and the wider value chains. Nearly 1000 attendees gathered to promote collaborative approaches and new solutions, designed to inspire and equip the leaders of tomorrow with the critical strategic and technical knowledge, contacts and skills needed to reinvent businesses and economies.

The Ecochem Conference Programme included a line-up of over 240 speakers from the world’s leading chemical and end-user companies including Dow, BASF, Clariant, Evonik, DuPont, INEOS, Nestle, Nike, Volkswagen, Levi’s, Siemens, P&G, Novartis and L’Oreal. The world’s most eminent academics, scientists and industry leaders were present including the ‘founding fathers’ of Green Chemistry Professor Paul Anastas, previously Assistant Director for the Environment in the White House Office of Science and Technology, and John Warner, President and CTO of the Warner Babcock Institute. They were joined by Professor James Clarke from the University of York, Jim Iley, Executive Director of Science and Education at the Royal Society of Chemistry, Dr. David Constable, Director of the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute, Dr Hubert Mandery, Director General of Cefic and many others. Interviews of high level speakers and partners, as well as some strategic sessions, are partially available online now at ecochemex.com, alongside the full conference line-up.

Newsworthy Announcements: After hosting a workshop at the event, Scottish Enterprise officially announced their Industrial Biotechnology strategy for Scotland, which was covered by the BBC. Scotland's industrial biotech sector has been set a new target of increasing turnover from £189m to £900m by 2025. The new strategy, announced by Scottish Enterprise is designed to capture a larger share of a global market which is worth £360bn.

Elevance Renewable Sciences, Inc. introduced ‘Renewicals™, a breakthrough category of novel products, building blocks and ingredients that enable performance impossible until now. Elevance announced this new product category during Ecochem 2013, encouraging the industry to join the high-growth specialty chemicals company in developing [E1]sustainable products that perform better than current alternatives.

Ecochem also hosted the launch of SusChem Switzerland National Technology Platform. SusChem addresses challenges specific to the European chemical and industrial biotechnology industry for the benefit of society as a whole. For more information see the collaborative video between Suschem Swizterland and Ecochem on the Ecochem website’s video section.

27 association and media partners including Chimica Oggi / Chemistry Today, Cefic, SusChem, American Chemical Society, Swiss-British Chamber of CommerceSwiss Chemical Society, IGCW India, Your Formula (network for young chemists) were present.

Major involvement of universities, young talent and innovators with full ‘Under 35s’ conference stream and Your Formula live blogging from the event. There were several presentations designated to young talent including a “Pitch the Investors” sessions where entrepreneurs and innovators could present their business ideas to investors and other interested attendees.

This one of a kind Green and Sustainable Chemistry Exhibition, Conference and Business Platform will take place again next year, from November 11th to 13th 2014. Based on the support of existing and new partners, as well as the feedback received, it is expected to be attended by a staggering 3000 attendees and over 100 exhibitors. The meeting will aim to accelerate innovation, research, commercialisation and market uptake in design and production, as well as use of efficient, effective, safe and more environmentally benign chemical products and processes. For more information on participating, please contact marketing@ecochemex.com and mention this article, or visit www.ecochemex.com.

HINDE LIEPMANNSOHN
Marketing & Communications Director at Ecochem
+44 (0)2074921763
hinde@ecochemex.com
[E1]This change only applies if it is saying that Elevance was encouraging people to adopt this category as well.