Specialty chemicals company LANXESS is reducing the carbon footprint of benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol and sodium benzoate, all of which are manufactured at its Botlek site (Netherlands). These products, marketed under the Kalaguard SB, Kalama, Purox B and Purox S brands, are now produced entirely with low-emission electricity. LANXESS is dispensing with fossil fuels, thereby contributing to the decarbonization of the downstream value chain. The products from Botlek are used in food, beverages, pet food, personal care and home care products.
Michael Zobel, head of the LANXESS Flavors & Fragrances business unit, explains: “Our customers are under increasing pressure to improve their carbon footprint. With low-emission production in Botlek, we enable them to use CO2-optimized solutions – without compromising on the quality or availability of our products.”
Emissions reduced at several sites
LANXESS has already converted the energy supply at several production sites to emission-free or sustainable sources. For example, the energy for the Krefeld-Uerdingen site comes from renewable sources, while in Nagda (India), electricity and steam are largely generated from biomass. These measures reduce the company’s own Scope 2 emissions.
ISCC PLUS certification for many production sites
LANXESS has had all production sites in its Flavors & Fragrances business unit certified to ISCC PLUS. The certification ensures transparency regarding the use of sustainable raw materials along the entire value chain. The sites apply the mass balance method for raw materials. This allows the CO2 footprint of the products to be significantly reduced without changing their original properties or quality. ISCC PLUS has established itself as the central sustainability standard in the chemical industry.
Since the beginning of 2024, the Flavors & Fragrances business unit has also been offering variants of all products in its portfolio under the “Scopeblue” sustainability label. This label identifies products that either consist of at least 50 percent sustainable raw materials or have a carbon footprint that is at least 50 percent lower than that of conventional products.
About the LANXESS Flavors & Fragrances business unit
The LANXESS Flavors & Fragrances business unit develops and produces flavors, fragrances and preservatives for numerous applications in the consumer goods industry. These are used in cosmetics, personal care products, detergents and cleaning agents, beverages, food, candles and pet food, among other things. The portfolio also includes products for the pharmaceutical, agricultural and construction industries. The business unit employs around 780 people. Flavors & Fragrances is part of the LANXESS Consumer Protection segment, which generated sales of around EUR 2.08 billion in 2024.
