#inthistogether

During these unprecedented times, we’re coming together and stepping up to fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19).

Nouryon is a strong advocate of collaboration: the idea that every individual can contribute to solving problems. This is how we help protect the health and safety of our workforce, communities, patients, and first responders through this crisis.

We are working together to finding innovative ways to minimize the impact on public health and to limit disruptions to our operations, supply chains and the economy. Across the world, we are producing essential ingredients, volunteering, and donating critical medical supplies to play an active role in supporting our employees, the communities we operate in and society.

We thank our people for their heroic work to keep each other and our work environments safe, keep our plants running, and keep supplying essential chemistry for life-saving products, including medicine, protective gear, cleaning supplies, and many household staples.

We remain committed to ensuring business continuity while contributing to our global community, and we remain dedicated to our company purpose of “essential chemistry for a sustainable future.”

We have accomplished great things. Here are some ways Nouryon is contributing to fighting the global pandemic via our #inthistogether campaign:

Essential chemistry for society

Nouryon is delivering essential chemistry for critical life-saving products.

Medical supplies

• Test kits: Nouryon has increased production of ammonium thiocyanate, a key chemical reagent used in COVID-19 test kits. Developed at our Cologne, Germany site, Nouryon is the only manufacturer of ammonium thiocyanate outside China.
  
  

• Masks: Our polymer catalysts play a key role in producing materials used in medical masks and N95 masks. Several of our Trigonox^® organic peroxides and triethyl aluminum (TEAL) metal alkyls are key to the production of specific polypropylene grades used to produce the nonwoven fabrics.
  
  
• Protective gear: In addition to medical masks, our polymer catalysts are also used in the production of materials used to make personal protective equipment (PPE), such as medical gloves, safety glasses and goggles, and face shields. 
  
  
• Medicines: Our ingredients are widely used in the healthcare and pharmaceutical industries:
  
  • Our carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is used to produce croscarmellose sodium, a key ingredient in paracetamol tablets and other medicines.
  • Our chloromethanes are used in the manufacture of many medicines, including the majority of the world’s antibiotics.
  • Our monochloroacetic acid (MCA) is used to produce two different types of drugs that are being tested to treat COVID-19.
  • Our Sanal pharma salt is used in intravenous solutions during critical medical treatment to maintain the moisture balance of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). It is also used in hemodialysis to treat patients with kidney failure.
  • Pharma salt is also an essential component in the saline solutions used in and with the Covid-19 vaccines.

     

• Paper and fabric supplies: Caustic soda liquid is an important chemical used in many applications in the pulp and paper industry, including tissue paper, toilet paper, handkerchiefs, and cloth face coverings.

Cleaning supplies

• Hand soap: As a leading supplier of products used in hand washing and hygiene, we provide many ingredients for products used by healthcare professionals, such as strong formulas to kill germs, more natural formulas for sensitive skin, and moisturizing formulas to avoid dryness. For example, both our Dissolvine^® chelates and MCA are widely used in liquid hand soap by major brands worldwide.
  
  
• Sanitizers: Polymer thickeners are used in a variety of leave-on disinfection products to reduce irritation and dryness of the skin and increase skin smoothness. For example, Celquat SC-230M and our betaine amphoteric surfactants, are widely used in hand sanitizers.
  
  
• Cleaning and disinfecting products:
  • Our germicidal surfactants, such as Triameen Y12D, are widely used in medical equipment, public, and household cleaning.
  • Our Arquad medical and general-purpose surfactants are widely used in medical, household, and food and beverage equipment disinfection, and are often used in combination with a Celquat thickener.
  • Broxo salt is also used in household cleaning products, like detergents, dishwashing products, and other cleaners.
  • Hydrogen peroxide is used as an active disinfecting ingredient in many household and industrial products.
  • Sodium hypochlorite (from chlorine and lye) is one of the most important commercial and industrial disinfectants.

Food supplies

• Groceries: Suprasel salt is ideal for optimal food quality, preservation and ensures smooth production processes across all areas of the food industry.
  
  
• Farming: We supply a number of ingredients used in crop protection products. Our micronutrients help farmers transform poor soil into arable land.

COVID-19 initiatives around the world

Nouryon and its employees around the world are working together to offer a helping hand in the fight against COVID-19—from producing and delivering sanitizers to volunteering their time to support local communities.

• Nouryon sites in the Netherlands, Brazil and the US are testing and producing gel and liquid hand sanitizers, and even donating products to employees and local facilities.
  
  
• In Mahad, India (near Mumbai), our employees donated and hand-delivered over 100 packets of essential goods and groceries to families in nearby villages, in coordination with the local Industrial Association.
  
  
• Employees in Sweden donated a surplus of protective gear including disposable lab coats and gloves to help healthcare workers and first responders.
  
  
• Our China employees shipped protective facemasks to share with colleagues in other parts of the world. We also donated a batch to the Red Cross to support hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies.
  
  
• Nouryon’s Americas R&D center donated surgical masks to local medic professionals in the New Jersey region.
  
  
• Nouryon, together with the Grant County Industrial Alliance (GCIA), donated to the Columbia Basin Foundation (CBF) COVID-19 Crisis Fund to financially support local residents and businesses.
  
  
• In Argentina, employees are 3D printing and donating face shields to local medics and healthcare professionals, as well as employees who interact with others frequently on the job.

The right response in a difficult time

Nouryon continues to work proactively to respond to the crisis with dedicated global and regional teams in place. We are constantly monitoring the situation and taking measures to protect employees and prepare for potential impacts of our operations.

• Given the purpose, role and necessity of our products, Nouryon operations generally fall within the “essential business” exceptions of the laws and directives enacted to fight COVID-19. As such, we take great pride in keeping our facilities operating to supply products to our customers.   
  
  
• We are seeking guidance from national and local public health officials and government agencies on an ongoing basis.
  
  
• Proactive preventive measures generally include travel restrictions, protective gear, social distancing, hygiene protocols, and other local guidelines for all employees to ensure a healthy work environment.
  
  
• Nouryon has implemented contagion prevention and wellness training to educate employees about new preventive measures and to support a healthy and steady workplace, offered onsite and via virtual conferencing.

Community of support

Combating the pandemic is an all-hands effort. We are proud to see our employees supporting one another, taking care of themselves and others while also doing what we do best, which is serving customers.

• Employees demonstrate their support for one another amid social distancing by connecting online via Yammer and social media, and sharing pride, gratitude and local stories from around the world.
  
  
• We have set up a company-wide information website to encourage engagement and to provide timely updates, guidance, and additional resources on the rapidly evolving pandemic.
  
  
• Our manufacturing sites and offices have provided employee care packages that include hand sanitizer, disinfecting wet wipes.
  
  
• Employees have frequent check-ins to maintain their team spirit. Even the smallest gestures can make a world of difference, such as a quick “virtual” coffee or happy hour with coworkers.
  
  
• Across the world, our leaders show their appreciation via words of encouragement, video chats, individually packaged food and meals, and more.

The work we do is critical to millions of people and companies around the world. Our employee and customer support make it all possible. Thank you to all our essential chemistry heroes for mobilizing our strengths, stepping up, and coming together when society needs us most.

#inthistogether #essentialchemistry #essentialchemistryhereoes