Lianyungang, Jiangsu, China — June 25, 2024 — Changhua Chemical is beginning the construction of the world’s first 80,000-ton manufacturing site for sustainable polyols made from renewable carbon. Located in Lianyungang, the state-of-the-art, world-scale facility will produce Carnol™®, a new line of polycarbonate ether (PCE) polyols with 20-30% fewer greenhouse gases compared to standard chemistries. The technology for Carnol™® is based on a proprietary process and catalyst from Econic Technologies, which replaces fossil feedstocks with captured CO2. Changhua’s new site is expected to produce annual commercial volumes of about 80,000 tons in early 2025 and will scale to over 1 million tons in the coming years.
Carnol™® polyols can be used to manufacture polyurethane foams, coatings, and elastomers with improved environmental and performance claims. They reduce carbon footprint and enable circular design by keeping CO2 out of the atmosphere and inside products like furniture and mattresses, automotive parts, apparel and footwear, and construction materials. Notably, adding captured carbon at the molecular level also lets formulators finetune and enhance performance characteristics such as the comfort of mattress foams, the durability of coatings, and tensile strength in a variety of applications.
Carnol™® polyols are compatible with emerging recycling technologies and can be used in combination with recycled and bio-based polyols to achieve even greater reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
“The chemical sector in China has an important role to play in supporting national and global sustainability goals. At Changhua Chemical, we are proud to be taking a leading position by introducing new sustainable polyols. Carnol™ polyols will help manufacturers across a range of industries bring new solutions to market that have fewer greenhouse gases and less waste,” said Dr. Gu, Chairman and Owner of Changhua Group.
“Addressing climate change is one of the defining issues of our era. Changhua Chemical shows true leadership by investing in new technologies that will help society succeed in reducing carbon emissions and creating more sustainable solutions for generations to come,” said Keith Wiggins, CEO of Econic Technologies.
About Changhua Chemical
Changhua Chemical is the leading supplier of high-quality polyether polyol. Changhua Chemical’s materials and applications solutions are ubiquitous in our lives. Innovation and sustainable development are the driving forces for the continuous development of Changhua Chemical’s products, processes, and facilities. Changhua Chemical is the holding subsidiary of Jiangsu Changshun Group. It was founded in 2010 and located in the port-surrounding Provincial fine chemical park Yangtze River Chemical industrial park, Zhangjiagang city, Jiangsu Province.
About Econic Technologies, a CM Venture portfolio company
Econic Technologies is a UK-based deep tech company focused on renewable carbon. Its innovative catalyst and process technology allows manufacturers to produce polymers based on CO₂ instead of petrochemicals. The use of CO₂ enhances sustainability while creating more cost-effective, higher-performing end products. Econic licenses its technology to polyols and surfactant manufacturers that supply some of the world’s most iconic consumer brands. Econic was founded in 2011 by Dr. Charlotte Williams at Imperial College London. The company is part of Cleantech Group’s Global Cleantech 100. Its global headquarters are in Alderley Park, UK just outside of Manchester.
