“At Moeve we want to build a future based on a more sustainable chemistry”

Interview with José María Solana,
CEO at Moeve Chemicals

Cepsa has evolved into Moeve. A change with which the company wants to lay the foundations for the development of its Positive Motion strategy based on decarbonization. In chemicals, Moeve is the world's leading producer of linear alkylbenzene (LAB), the main raw material used in the manufacture of biodegradable detergents, and at the last edition of Sepawa presented the world's first LAB with a negative carbon footprint. We talked to José María Solana, CEO at Moeve Chemicals, about this evolution and its prospects.

What was the cause and what does this transformation mean?

Our transformation into Moeve is a consequence of the evolution we are carrying out to boost sustainable solutions and become a benchmark in the chemical and energy transition in Europe. This process started with the launch of our Positive Motion strategy in 2022, which was the beginning of a path through which we have been evolving and in which we have undertaken one of the fastest transformations in the sector, oriented towards the development of a more sustainable industrial model.

What objective have you set with this transformation into Moeve?

Moeve has a clear goal: to be the driving force behind the energy and chemical transition in Europe and to accelerate its decarbonization and that of its customers, promoting sustainability in all the businesses in which we are present. We want to build a future based on more sustainable chemistry and energy, and we have set ourselves the strategic goal of promoting decarbonization in all businesses in which the group is present, from second-generation biofuels and green hydrogen to sustainable chemistry. Aligned with the company’s objective to accelerate our own decarbonization, we have a €8 billion investment strategy of which over 60% will be dedicated to sustainable businesses including green hydrogen, second-generation (2G) biofuels and sustainable chemical products.

How are you implementing this decarbonization strategy at Moeve?

At Moeve we are pioneers in launching products with a reduced carbon footprint. We were the first in the world to incorporate renewable raw materials in the production process of LAB and launch a more sustainable LAB with the same technical characteristics as traditional LAB. And now we have developed a whole range of sustainable products aimed at implementing a high degree of decarbonization for our customers. This is our Next platform, the latest member of which, the NextLab-R-Low Carbon, was presented at the most recent edition of Sepawa. The world's first LAB capable of achieving a carbon footprint reduction of up to -102% Cradle to Gate, (according to ISO 14064), with the same efficiency and performance as the traditional LAB. 

What are the special features of these Next products?

NextLab is our sustainable LAB family that consists of four types of products with reduced carbon footprint: NextLab-R, produced with renewable materials from biomass on a mass balance approach; NextLab-Low Carbon, produced by decreasing plant emissions during the production process thanks to the use of renewable energy instead of conventional fossil fuels; NextLab-C, produced by coprocessing circular raw materials from recycling processes together with traditional feedstocks and NextLab-R-Low Carbon, which combines the use of renewable materials  and renewable energy. All of them have the same exceptional properties as traditional LAB, while minimizing their carbon footprint.

How do your customers benefit from Moeve Chemicals' Next product range?

Our goal is to be a reference in the chemical transition and to help our customers in their own transition. This implies that we have developed a deep commitment to put them at the center of our work and make them the core of the Positive Motion strategy. NextLab is a drop-in chemical solution. Customers using NextLab reduce the carbon footprint of their products without having to change their formulations. This reduction depends on the NextLab used in the manufacture of detergents, but surfactants are large contributors to the carbon footprint of the detergents (excluding consumer use). Therefore, NextLab is a great help for our customers to meet the environmental objectives they have set themselves.

Finally, what steps is Moeve taking to lead in sustainability in the chemical industry and reduce its environmental impact?

At Moeve we have developed a multigenerational plan with several projects in the portfolio with new solutions to meet the growing needs of different customers in the field of sustainability and we are going to continue along this path. We want to lead a more sustainable chemistry with a lower impact of emissions that will allow us, as a company, to have more than 40% of our total income coming from sustainable products by 2023 and to reach climate neutrality in 2050. In this sense, in Moeve we have obtained the platinum rating from EcoVadis in 2024, the highest rating awarded by this global platform and which means being positioned in the top 1% of the most sustainable companies in the world according to this index.


https://chemicals.moeveglobal.com/

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