Welcome to the Chemical Industry Awards 2008

The Chemical Industry celebrated the ‘best in class’ at the prestigious Chemical Industry Awards ceremony held at the Royal Armouries in Leeds on Wednesday 25 June. The awards are the premier accolades for the UK chemical industry.

Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of the Chemical Industries Association, paid tribute the members of the chemical industry and its key partners, "This year's quality of entries reflects the outstanding contribution made by the chemical industry to a better quality of life for us all. The CIA awards are about recognising that excellence. This offers tremendous encouragement and visibility to an industry which is largely unsung, all of the entrants should be proud of their success."

Company of the Year Award

The winner of the Company of the Year Award was Innospec Specialty Chemicals.

Innospec based at Ellesmere Port have dramatically transformed their business in recent years. Once a single product company, Innospec have diversified their product range by investing heavily in research and development and innovation.

In the fuel specialty area where chemicals protect the engine and give higher performance, almost half of the products sold, were invented in the last 5 years. This has secured jobs and the future of the site.

Highly respected amongst its employees Innospec, in a recent survey for Best Company, over 80% of those who worked on the site commented they “feel proud to work for this organisation”.

With a Health and Safety record second to none, Innospec have also won the The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Medal Award in 2007, this award is only given to companies who have received the converted RoSPA Gold award for 5 consecutive years.

Innospec have proven excellence in areas of growth, sustainability to the UK economy and investment in people, being voted one of the best places to work by its employees.

Paul Jennings, President and CEO of Innospec receiving the award from Nigel Hirst, Managing Director of Haden Freeman (left) and CIA Chief Executive Steve Elliott (Right)

Leadership in the Chemical Industry Award

Dr Tony Bastock OBE has won the Chemical Industry Leadership Award, which recognises the individual who has made the most outstanding contribution to the growth, development and perception of UK chemical industry.

Tony has worked in the chemicals industry since graduating in with a degree in pure chemistry and a PHD in organofluorine chemistry. He and three others founded Contract Chemicals which has grown over 30 years to be a leading international supplier of chemicals. Products from their extensive range can be found in everything from market-leading antibiotics and agrochemicals, through to photographic paper and salt and vinegar crisps.

Tony has a passion for making science education stimulating and science lessons exciting, especially for young people. He is the Chair of Trustees of the Catalyst Science Discovery Centre. Based in Widnes it supports hands-on, interactive, science-based projects with schools in the NorthWest.

He is the voice for small businesses on the European Commission’s High Level Group for Competitiveness in the European Chemical Industry. He has served on the Government’s Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment and is Chair of the UK National Authority Advisory Committee on Chemical Weapons and Chair of Chemicals North West.

Presenting Tony with the Award Steve Elliott, CIA Chief Executive said, “the chemical industry owes a great debt to the enthusiasm energy, commitment and determination of Tony Bastock. He has the rare talent to be able to engage and communicate with everyone from school children to Ministers, Brussels officials and industry colleagues.”

Tony (left) receiving his award from Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of CIA

Energy Award

Robinson Brothers Limited based in West Bromwich walked away with the Energy and Low Carbon Award.

Every company and household produces waste; making the best use of this waste is important in reducing our impact on the environment. Robinson’s have now developed a system for burning waste solvent and recovering the energy from it to produce steam. This has meant that the company has virtually eliminated the need for to burn oil.

Robinson Brothers Limited pride themselves on contributing to sustainable development. Over the last 10 years the company has reduced its energy use by almost half - a win for the company and a win for the environment.

John Winters, Line of Business Manager, British Energy (left) presenting the award to Dr Brian Murphy with Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of CIA (right)

Innovation Award

Warrington Firm Solvay Chemicals Ltd picked up the Innovation Award.

Solvay impressed the judges with their ingenious process for using what would otherwise be waste from the biodiesel industry - showing that what is good for the profit margin can also be good for the environment.

Biodeisel, produced from vegetable oil, is one of the ways to reduce our consumption of oil and help cut our CO2 emissions. Biodiesel production also creates glycogen. Solvay takes this waste and turns it into coatings such as wood stains and varnishes.

Jorge Oliveira, Managing Director of Solvay (centre) accepting the award from Paul Jennings, President and CEO of Innospec (left) with Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of CIA

Manufacturing Award

Pentagon Fine Chemicals, based in Widnes won the ABB Manufacturing Award. This Award goes to the company or operating unit that best demonstrated overall excellence or most successful improvement in manufacturing performance.

The Judges were impressed at the success of the Product Improvement Team - briefed to drive down cost and reduce batch to batch variation of a core product.

The team introduced an improvement programme which led to yield and quality and a reduction in change over time, which resulted in 50% increased output, at the same time as reducing waste which has helped ensure sole supplier status with an important customer.

Nicholas Lindop, Director and General Manager of Pentagon (centre) receiving the award from Peter Hunt, Vice President Oil, Gas and Chemicals at ABB Engineering Services (centre) with Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of CIA

Resource Efficiency Award

If you can’t measure it you can’t manage it, is the motto behind Wales based Warwick’s success in winning the Resource Efficiency award. The company set demanding goals to reduce waste, convert more of its raw materials into useful product at the same time as reducing energy use.

One of the success stories behind this achievement is the conversion of acetic acid (which would have been waste sent off site for re-processing) into a saleable product.

This alone prevents over 100 return lorry trips to the site each year. The site have also cut down on pollutants in its waste water by over 70% as well as reducing the amount of waste needed to be incinerated by a third – an achievement in itself.

Warwick recognise that without the highly skilled workforce, many of whom have been trained in a technique known as six-sigma (a quality management tool using statistical methods) these achievements could not have been made.

Dr Peter Bryant, Safety and Environment Manager (centre) receiving the award from Dr Martin Bigg, Head of Industry Regulation Policy at the Environment Agency (left) with Steve Elliott, Chief Executive of CIA

Responsible Care Award

Syngenta based in Huddersfield won the Responsible Care Award. Responsible Care is the chemical industry’s global voluntary initiative under which companies work to continuously improve their health, safety and environmental performance, and to communicate with stakeholders about their products and processes.

The Responsible Care ethic helps our industry to operate safely, profitably and with due care for future generations, and is as making a significant contribution to sustainable development. The Award is for the site, which has excelled by demonstrating leadership and a creative approach to Responsible Care.

Through the application of lean techniques, and engagement with employees and regulators, Syngenta have developed an industry leading Responsible Care approach whilst also raising productivity and morale to record levels.

Gary Cramb, Site HSEQ Manager at Syngenta receiving the award from Stephen Yee, Business SHE Manager at INEOS Fluor Limited (left) with Steve Elliott, CIA Chief Executive

Skills Award

Billingham based Lucite International Ltd won the Skills Award.

The skills award recognises the company that has done most to contribute to the acquisition of skills through its workforce. Lucite has a long history of investment in training and development to ensure the safety of its people, enrich jobs and enhance the performance of individuals, teams and the business.

Lucite have a flexible system which enhances the skills of staff and provides a structured approach for new staff to acquire and practice the skills needed. Working with third parties, a variety of approaches have been adopted, which enables each production technician to reach NVQ level 3.

Refresher training is carried out and a Learning Log ensures opportunities to practice practical activities are included within each shift.

Philip Bailey, Site Director and Mrs Jessica McCole, Learning & Development Manager at Lucite receiving the award from Philip Jones, NSAPI Chief Executive with Steve Elliott, CIA Chief Executive

Supply Chain Excellence Award

Barry based Down Corning Ltd won the Supply Chain Excellence Award. Introducing a new product into a market is never easy, but having to build up the supply chain to deliver a finished product to the consumer as well, makes the task almost impossible.

Dow Corning conquered this formidable task by using their expertise in silicone chemistry to revolutionise protective wear for the motorcycle industry with a new textile that is flexible and comfortable to wear but when subject to high impact the textile forms a hard protective material that absorbs the shock.

To deliver this product to market Dow Corning built a whole supply chain from fabric manufacturers to those who can make the finished stylish product for motorcyclists.

Richard Sibbick, Supply Chain Manager for the Impact Protection Program at Dow (centre) accepting the award from Ian Stephenson, Director of HR, IT and EHS at Johnson Matthey (left) with Steve Elliott, CIA Chief Executive

Young Ambassador Award

Aimée McClaughlin, a Mechanical Engineer from INEOS Manufacturing in Scotland, Grangemouth, is the 2008 Young Ambassador

Aimée won over the judges demonstrating incredible enthusiasm for the industry, impeccable communication skills and recognisable leadership within the chemical industry; her work as an ambassador for science and to recruit graduates into the sector; and of course the high standards she as achieved working to improve the efficiency of operations at INEOS, saving energy resources and reducing waste.

Aimée receiving the award from Torben Berlin Jensen - Managing Director of BASF plc (left) with Steve Elliott Chief Executive of CIA

Other Photos

Clare Frisby from BBC Look North hosted the awards

 

Portuguese Latin American dance champions Carlos and Elena wowed the audience

 

Acoustic guitarist Pete Black entertained guests during dinner

 

Fighting broke out during the VIP drinks reception

 

Wandering minstrels entertained guests during the members’ drinks reception

 

More photographs can be found by clicking here. You will need to login, the username is: cia and the password is: awards

The companies short-listed for the 2008 awards were:

• Company of the Year Award
• Energy and Low Carbon Award
• Innospec Innovation Award
• ABB Manufacturing Award
• Reputation Award
• Resource Efficiency Award
• Responsible Care Award
• Skills Award
• Supply Chain Award
• Young Ambassador

We are grateful to the following companies for sponsoring the 2008 Awards: ABB, BASF, British Energy, Cogent, Dow, Environment Agency,  Innospec, Haden Freeman, Ineos, Johnson Matthey and The National Skills Academy Process Industries

Company of the Year Award
Innospec Specialty Chemicals, Ellesmenere Port
Pentagon Fine Chemicals Ltd, Widnes
Robinson Brothers Limited, West Bromwich

Energy and Low Carbon Award
Evonik Goldschmidt UK Ltd, Milton Keynes
Pentagon Fine Chemicals Ltd, Widnes
Robinson Brothers Limited, West Bromwich
Syngenta, Bracknell
Total Petrochemicals UK Ltd, Stalybridge

Innospec Innovation Award
2DHeat Limited, Warrington
Dow Corning Ltd, Barry
Johnson Matthey Plc, London
Oxford Catalysts Group PLC, Oxford
Solvay Chemicals Limited, Warrington

ABB Manufacturing Award
Aesica Pharmaceuticals Limited, Cramlington
Johnson Matthey Catalysts (VERTEC), Billingham
Lucite International UK Ltd, Billingham
LyondellBasell Industries, Milton Keynes
Pentagon Fine Chemicals Ltd, Widnes

Reputation Award
BASF plc, Cheadle
Catalyst Science Discovery Centre, Widnes
Ineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd, Grangemouth
Innospec Specialty Chemicals, Ellesmenere Port
Uniqema UK Limited, Wirral

Resource Efficiency Award
Aesica Pharmaceuticals Limited, Cramlington
BP Oil UK Ltd, Southampton
Evonik Goldschmidt UK Ltd, Milton Keynes
Pentagon Fine Chemicals Ltd, Widnes
Shell UK Oil Products, Ellesmere Port
Warwick International Limited, Mostyn

Responsible Care Award
Ciba UK plc, Bradford
Ciba UK plc, Grimsby
GlaxoSmithKline, Ulverston
Huntsman Polyurethanes UK, Redcar
Syngenta, Huddersfield
Total Petrochemicals UK Ltd, Stalybridge

Skills Award
Bayer CropScience Ltd, Norwich
Lucite International UK Ltd, Billingham
Millennium Inorganic Chemicals, Stallingborough
Pentagon Chemical Specialties Ltd, Workington
Syngenta, Huddersfield

Supply Chain Award
Bayer CropScience Ltd, Norwich
Chemtura Manufacturing UK Ltd, Trafford Park
Dow Corning Ltd, Barry
TDG Chemicals, Trafford Park

Young Ambassador
Ian Benbow, Akcros Chemicals Ltd, Eccles
Andy Stephens, Aesica Pharmaceuticals Limited, Cramlington
Iain Lawson, Aesica Pharmaceuticals Limited, Cramlington
Syed Raza Abbas, Dow Corning Ltd, Barry
Sarah Hawthorne, GlaxoSmithKline, Dartford
Aimee McLaughlin, Ineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd, Grangemouth