Together with Sekab, we are accelerating the transition

Anna Berggren is Vice President Sustainability at Perstorp, a group focused on specialty chemicals. Here, she discusses Perstorp’s sustainability strategy, development in 2021
and how the collaboration with Sekab creates added value and opportunities.

Perstorp’s sustainability strategy is to be a driving force and enabler of sustainable solutions wherever the company operates. The long-term ambition is to convert all fossil raw materials and energy in production facilities around the world. Since 2010, Perstorp has had a continuously growing portfolio of Pro-Environment products, which are ISCC PLUS-certified products based on renewable raw materials in accordance with a traceable mass balance concept, which reduces carbon dioxide emissions compared with fossil products.

“The consistent theme during my years at Perstorp has been to work with the transition from fossil to renewable and recycled materials. I’ve worked very closely with Sekab in the past five years. This has primarily been in connection to the development of our Pro-Environment products, but also in matters related to the transition of the chemical industry in general.

We often say that ‘no company is greener than its suppliers.’

“We often say that ‘no company is greener than its suppliers.’ For Perstorp, it’s crucial to collaborate and find new paths and solutions with like-minded players that also want to be part of catalyzing the change. Sekab is clearly among them and has been for many years. The collaboration is helping us realize our own transition from fossil to renewable raw materials, and with the development of our Pro-Environment products. In turn, this is crucial for us to be able to align with the Paris Agreement.

“We’ve seen increased activity and more discussions with customers about renewable products in 2021. There is clearly increased interest. A small share of our customers can imagine paying a higher price for a renewable product, but the overwhelming majority cannot. We are working with the transition by driving and communicating the mass balance concept and the long-term sustainability agenda.

“The price for basic chemical products has also risen dramatically in 2021, to the extent that the price of fossil products today is higher than the price for renewable alternatives a year ago. These high market prices mean that premiums for renewable products are lower in terms of percentage. Of course, this contributes positively to choosing a green product.

“Thanks to our collaboration with Sekab, we’ve been able to increase the production and sale of some of our Pro-Environment products in Europe, as well as in the US and Asia. Through Perstorp’s products, renewable raw materials from Sekab have helped value chains in both resins and coatings and engineered fluids for example, to be more sustainable. Together, we can contribute to a share of the transition in the construction industry, automotive industry, furniture industry and energy industry. That feels rewarding and hopeful!”

Anna Berggren, Vice President Sustainability, Perstorp

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