Kem One’s environmental commitment and energy efficiency initiatives

A leading initiative by Kem One.

Kem One’s Vision and Structural Initiatives  

Kem One, a key player in the vinyl industry, aims to bolster its global presence and emerge as a leader in reducing carbon emissions in the industry. This ambition has led to significant organizational changes, including the establishment of a CSR department in 2023, directly reporting to top management. Moreover, in 2022, the company prioritized safety by creating a dedicated department.  

Commitment to Sustainable Growth and Environmental Responsibility  

Kem One is dedicated to achieving sustainable growth by reducing its environmental impact and improving energy efficiency. As a high-energy consumer, the company has invested since 2014 to enhance industrial processes and minimize environmental impact in alignment with evolving regulations. Kem One is fully committed to responsible and sustainable growth.  

Persistent Pursuit of Energy Efficiency  

Kem One has consistently strived for energy performance improvement, with an annual target of at least 2%, aligning with national and European climate strategies. The commitment extends to all company sites, with support from various central offices, such as Operations, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Processes, IT and Technical divisions.  

2030 Ambitious Targets  

Kem One’s ambitious 2030 targets compared to 2013 are:  

• 33% reduction in energy consumption per ton of PVC produced  
• 50% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for scopes 1 and 2 per ton of PVC produced 

To achieve these objectives and foster an energy-efficient culture, Kem One is ISO 50001 (energy management) certified since 2017 and focuses on three key areas:  

1. Investment in Energy-Efficient Processes and Low-Carbon Technologies.  

2. Introduction of Electrification and Heat Reuse Technologies.  

3. Enhancing Employee Education on Energy Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Reduction.

Major Investments in Sustainability

Kem One has invested significantly in transforming technology and processes to enhance sustainability, such as upgrading the electrolysis unit at Fos-sur-Mer for improved energy efficiency and reduced CO₂ emissions.  

“Elyse” Project for Enhanced Efficiency

Kem One’s “Elyse” project at Fos-sur-Mer aims to replace diaphragm cell electrolysis with membrane electrolysis technology, with the goal of enhancing energy efficiency and reducing CO₂ emissions by 50,000 tons per year, expected to be operational in 2025.  

Focused Efforts on Energy Efficiency

Kem One emphasizes adopting energy-efficient equipment across various departments, optimizing energy consumption and streamlining operations. Notable examples include the elimination of chlorine stockpiles at the Lavéra site, resulting in improved safety and reduced energy consumption.  

Commitment to Reduce CO₂ Emissions in Transportation

Kem One achieved over 9% reduction in CO₂ emissions related to transportation in 2023 vs 2020, through validated actions under the EVE program. Initiatives include optimizing river transport, improving loading rates, modal shifts, and the use of hybrid barges powered by diesel and electricity. Kem One collaborates with Geodis to establish multi-modal rail-road flows, significantly reducing the carbon footprint on certain routes since 2021.  

Sustainable Development Through Innovation

Kem One actively invests in research and development, focusing on areas like PVC recycling, low-carbon hydrogen production, and supporting innovative start-ups.  

Enhancing Product Environmental Footprint

Kem One addresses the environmental impact of its products by marketing bio-circular attributed PVC, being ISCC+ certified since September 2023.  

PVC Recycling Initiatives

Kem One is dedicated to advancing PVC recycling through research projects and innovative methods, including selective dissolution.  

Collaborative Recycling and Reuse Projects

Kem One collaborates in projects for recycling and reusing PVC, aiming to incorporate recycled PVC into various applications.  

Using Waste Materials for Recycled Products

Kem One aims to repurpose waste materials into recycled products, including products within its Lacovyl range.  

Leading in Low-Carbon Hydrogen Production  

Kem One is France’s top producer of low-carbon hydrogen, committed to supplying hydrogen for energy transition applications and collaborating with industry partners.  

Circular Use of Hydrogen  

At the Fos-sur-Mer site, Kem One is modifying equipment to enable the reuse of on-site hydrogen, enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability.  

Safety as a value, at the heart of our activities 

In June 2022, Kem One formally adopted a new safety commitment with the aim of halving the number of accidents involving people and process every two years. 

Kem One’s commitment is based on 3 pillars:  

• redefining how safety is managed within the company 
• simplifying our practices and upgrading our safety tools for better effectiveness 
• placing each employee at the heart of the approach.  

Managerial safety visits are our key approach and now take place in order to reinforce the dialogue on the ground. From January to end of September 2023, over 1600 such visits have already taken place.