Interview with Cord Landsmann, CEO | thyssenkrupp Uhde

ACHEMA Inspire: There are many megatrends driving new areas of creativity. Where is that creativity coming from - and how can it be accelerated?

• __Mechanical process engineering is a field that combines engineering, chemistry, physics and biology to design and optimise processes for various industries, such as chemical, pharmaceutical, food, and energy. Some of trends that are driving this field into new areas of creativity are: The increasing demand for sustainable and circular solutions that reduce waste, emissions, and resource consumption, and create value from by-products and renewable sources; the growing need for digitalisation and automation that enhance efficiency, reliability, and flexibility of processes, and enable datadriven optimisation; and innovation and the rising complexity and diversity of products and processes that require customized and modular solutions. There are also expanding opportunities for interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration that foster knowledge exchange, synergies, and co-creation of novel solutions. We believe that creativity comes from a culture of curiosity, openness, diversity of teams and learning that encourages our employees, partners and customers to explore new possibilities, challenge the status quo, and come up with new solutions.
  We also believe that creativity can be accelerated by leveraging our global network of experts and co-develop solutions jointly with our scientific and industrial partners as well as our customers and suppliers.

ACHEMA Inspire: Much of the way forward is dependent on international co-operation. What would you say is key to that?

• __International co-operation is essential for advancing the field of mechanical process engineering and addressing the global challenges of sustainability, climate change and energy transition. It also enables us to access new markets, technologies, and talents, as well as to share knowledge, experiences, and best practices. International co-operation also helps us to align our solutions with the needs, regulations, and standards of different regions and countries, and to foster trust and confidence among our stakeholders. We have a long history of international co-operation and believe that the key to successful international co-operation is to have a clear vision, a common goal, and a mutual respect for each other’s values, cultures, and perspectives. We also believe that international co-operation should be based on transparency, honesty, and fairness, and should create value for all parties.

ACHEMA Inspire:  You are a major player in many sectors but I’m intrigued by your ‘liveable planet’ commitment. How realistic is it to live up to that pledge going forward?

• __It’s our mission to make the world a better place by providing solutions that enable customers to produce essential products and services in a sustainable and efficient way. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact as well as supporting our customers in achieving their goals. We are also committed to contributing to the social and economic development of the communities and regions where we operate.
  Our ‘we create a liveable planet’ commitment is both ambitious and achievable, as we have the expertise, experience, and passion to deliver on it. We have been developing and implementing solutions that reduce emissions, increase energy efficiency, and utilize renewable and alternative sources for decades.
  We have also been integrating sustainability into our business strategy, governance, and culture, and measuring and reporting our performance and progress. We have also been engaging with our stakeholders and participating in various initiatives and platforms that promote sustainability and innovation in our industry and beyond. We are aware that the challenges and expectations are constantly evolving and increasing, and that we have to continuously improve and innovate to keep up with them.

ACHEMA Inspire: At the beginning of the year you expressed a commitment to massively increasing your commitment to clean technologies, in particular ammonia production. In your view, where are we on that today?

• __Ammonia is one of the most important chemicals: Used as fertiliser, it helps to feed the world. However, ammonia is also one of the most carbon-intensive chemicals, as it is mainly produced from natural gas or coal, emitting large amounts of CO₂. Therefore, ammonia production is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and a key target for defossilisation. One of the most promising ways to defossilise ammonia production is to combine nitrogen from air together with green hydrogen, which is hydrogen produced from water electrolysis using renewable electricity, and thereby avoiding fossil ressources. This way, ammonia can be produced nearly without CO₂ emissions, and can also be used as a carbon-free fuel for various applications. As an energy carrier for green hydrogen it will be key for the green transformation.

ACHEMA Inspire: Given what we have seen in the few years since, for example, ACHEMA Pulse in 2021, what do you see ACHEMA 2024 looking like?

• __ACHEMA Pulse demonstrated the resilience, adaptability, and creativity of the process industry in the face of the unprecedented challenges and changes caused by the pandemic. ACHEMA 2024 will also reflect the accelerated transformation and innovation of the process industry in response to the global megatrends and challenges, such as sustainability, digitalisation, circularity, and energy transition.