- Email: [email protected]
Asahi Kasei buys Austrian biosafety testing services company
membrane
TECHNOLOGY
ISSN 0958-2118 December 2019 www.membrane-technology.com
Toyobo and SWCC work together to accelerate use of membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine
J
apan’s Toyobo Co Ltd, which manufactures and sells natural and synthetic fibres, and Saline Water Conversion Corp (SWCC) – a government corporation that operates desalination plants and power stations in Saudi Arabia – have signed an agreement covering a joint pilot test aimed at accelerating the use of new membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine. Toyobo’s consolidated subsidiary Arabian Japanese Membrane Co Llc (AJMC) has also joined the two companies in signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU). The three companies say that they are planning to put into practical use what they refer to as “brine concentration (BC) membrane technology” for treating highly concentrated brine. The BC membrane, which is based on Toyobo’s hollow-fibre reverse osmosis (RO) technology, is capable of separating concentrated brine, discharged from sea-water
A
News Toyobo and SWCC work together to accelerate use of membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine
desalination plants, into diluted sea water and highly concentrated brine. Using diluted sea water for desalination again will help make more fresh water, whilst evaporation and crystallisation is expected to efficiently collect useful substances from the highly concentrated brine. This means that BC membrane technology has the potential to boost efforts to fully reuse concentrated brine from desalination plants. Toyobo, SWCC and AJMC are planning to operate a pilot test unit at SWCC’s sea-water desalination plant in Al Jubail, in the Eastern Province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. This will enable them to understand the membrane’s basic properties and gain expertise in operating the equipment. Since the 1980s Toyobo has provided its hollow-fibre RO membranes for desalination plants in the Middle East, where rainwater and groundwater are scarce.
Asahi Kasei buys Austrian biosafety testing services company
For further information, visit: www.toyobo-global.com & www.swcc.gov.sa
Asahi Kasei buys Austrian biosafety testing services company sahi Kasei Medical Co Ltd has bought Austrian biosafety testing services company Virusure Forschung und Entwicklung GmbH. Asahi Kasei says that the acquisition is part of a strategic expansion and reinforces its bioprocess business that focuses on PlanovaTM virus removal filters. It is also indicative of its continuing strategic efforts to develop businesses that contribute to the safety, and efficient manufacture, of biotherapeutics. Bologically derived substances are used to make biotherapeutics, which means that biosafety tests are required at each step of research, development
Contents
and manufacture, in order to prevent harm from viruses or other infectious agents. Driven by strong growth in the biotherapeutics sector, the demand for Virusure’s biosafety testing and cell banking services continues to grow, says Asahi Kasei. By enhancing Asahi Kasei Medical’s ability to provide wide-ranging support to manufacturers of biotherapeutics – including broader services related to bioprocess development and manufacturing – this acquisition expands its sphere of operations and creates new opportunities for further growth. Continued on page 14...
1
1 & 14
Mozambique plant upgrade expands Veolia’s portfolio of projects in Africa
2
SSB’s latest Sartocheck system ensures maximum data integrity
2
Pharmaceutical company selects Memsift technology to treat liquid waste
2
IDA elects its president for the 2019–2021 term
3
Porvair adds PTFE membrane filters and housings to its product portfolio
3
Lanxess makes significant updates to its LewaPlus design software
3
Pentair uses Aquatech to announce new UF element and Web app
4
Agreement confirms IDA’s role as a strategic partner in SIWW 2020
4
Industrial minerals producer selects Biwater as its preferred OEM
4
Sartorius set to acquire parts of Danaher’s life science portfolio
14
Feature Interlayer-free silica–pectin membrane for sea-water desalination
5
Regulars In Brief
3
Research Trends
9
Patents 11
Visit us @
Eventswww.biometrics-today.com Calendar
14
Visit us @ www.membrane-technology.com
ISSN 0958-2119/19 © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
This publication and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
Visit us @
CALENDAR/NEWS
EVENTS CALENDAR 22–25 December 2019
7th Maghreb Symposium on Water Treatment and Desalination (CMTDE 2019) Hammamet, Tunisia
Contact: Tunisian Desalination Association, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Chemistry Department, 2092 Manar II, Tunis Tel: +216 71 871 282 Email: [email protected] www.attde.org/cmtde_2019-3
13–16 January 2020
World Future Energy Summit Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Contact: Grant Tuchten, Group Event Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, Office 1001, 10th Floor TwoFour54 Building, Park Rotana Complex, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 2 491 7615 Email: [email protected] www.worldfutureenergysummit.com
2–6 February 2020
International Membrane Science & Technology Conference (IMSTEC) 2020 Sydney, Australia Contact: Membrane Society of Australasia, CSIRO, Building New Horizons, Room 353 Gate 4, Normanby Road Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia Tel: +61 3 9545 8018
...Continued from front page As reported previously, the company has recently finished building a plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, for spinning cellulose hollow-fibre membranes that are used in Planova
Email: [email protected] www.imstec2020.com https://membrane-australasia.org
16–20 March 2020
2020 Membrane Technology Conference & Exposition Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Contact: American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA), 2409 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart, FL 34996, USA Tel: +1 772 463 0820 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.amtaorg.com/awwa/mtc20reg
17 March 2020
MENA Water Summit Kuwait City, Kuwait
Contact: Ulrika Varela, White Paper Summits Llc, PO Box 1406, PC 133 Al Khuwair, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 24 788 476 Email: [email protected] www.wpsummits.com/menawater
31 March to 1 April 2020
The Water Show Africa 2020 Johannesburg, South Africa
Contact: Terrapinn Holdings Ltd, Wren House, 43 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EL, UK Tel: +44 20 7608 7030; Fax: +44 20 7608 7040 www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ water-africa/Conference.stm
virus removal filters (Membrane Technology November 2019, page 5). Planova virus removal filters are used in the production of biotherapeutics, such as plasma derivatives and biopharmaceuticals.
14–17 April 2020
MELPRO 2020 Prague, Czech Republic
Contact: Česká Membránová Platforma z.s. (CZEMP), Mánesova 1580,470 01 Česká Lípa, Czech Republic, Tel: +420 724 865 177 Email: [email protected] https://www.melpro.cz www.czemp.cz
20–24 April 2020
13th World Filtration Congress San Diego, California, USA
Contact: Deahna Cring, Conference Manager American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS), 529 Myatt Drive, Nashville, TN 37511, USA Tel: +1 615 250 7792, Fax: +1 615 530 1037 Email: [email protected] www.wfc13.com, www.afssociety.org
16–20 May 2020
NAMS 2020 – 29th Annual Meeting Tempe, Arizona, USA
Contact: North American Membrane Society, University of Arkansas, Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201, USA Tel: +1 479 575 3419, Fax: +1 479 575 7926 Email: [email protected] www.membranes.org For further information, visit: www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/medical & www.virusure.com
Sartorius set to acquire parts of Danaher’s life science portfolio
G
ermany’s Sartorius Ag has recently signed an agreement to buy businesses from Danaher Corp – covering label-free biomolecular characterisation, chromatography hardware and resins, and microcarriers – which are part of its life science portfolio. The transaction is worth about $750 million in cash and Sartorius says that the move complements its strong position in the fast-growing bioanalytics and bioprocessing segments. The proposed transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions, and also the successful acquisition of the GE Biopharma business by Danaher. Sartorius – which serves the biopharmaceutical industry and research sector – says that the businesses had combined sales turnover of approximately $140 million in 2018, with a strong 14
Membrane Technology
growth profile and double-digit profit margins. They employ around 300 people worldwide. FortéBio, the label-free biomolecular characterisation business focuses on protein analysis instruments, biosensors and reagents that are used in drug discovery and will become part of Sartorius’ bioanalytics unit, within its Lab Products & Services division. The chromatography hardware and resins business will expand the product range offered by Sartorius’ Bioprocess Solutions division. The business addresses an essential step in downstream bioprocessing and encompasses multi-use and single-use equipment, and columns and resins. The third business, SoloHill, mainly includes microcarrier technology and particle validation standards used in cell culture and other bioprocesses. Commenting on the acquisition, Dr Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO, Sartorius, said: ‘The portfo-
lio proposed for acquisition represents an excellent strategic fit with Sartorius.’ ‘With the Octet platform of FortéBio, we will add a broadly accepted and differentiated technology for advancing and simplifying drug discovery to our laboratory division’s portfolio. The chromatography hardware and resins, and the microcarrier businesses broaden our strong bioprocessing offering, particularly in the downstream area.’ In 2015 Danaher Corp acquired filtration, separation and purification technologies company Pall Corp for $13.8 billion including assumed debt and net of acquired cash (Membrane Technology July 2015, page 1 and May 2017, page 16). For further information, visit: www.sartorius.com & www.danaher.com
December 2019
TECHNOLOGY
ISSN 0958-2118 December 2019 www.membrane-technology.com
Toyobo and SWCC work together to accelerate use of membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine
J
apan’s Toyobo Co Ltd, which manufactures and sells natural and synthetic fibres, and Saline Water Conversion Corp (SWCC) – a government corporation that operates desalination plants and power stations in Saudi Arabia – have signed an agreement covering a joint pilot test aimed at accelerating the use of new membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine. Toyobo’s consolidated subsidiary Arabian Japanese Membrane Co Llc (AJMC) has also joined the two companies in signing the memorandum of understanding (MOU). The three companies say that they are planning to put into practical use what they refer to as “brine concentration (BC) membrane technology” for treating highly concentrated brine. The BC membrane, which is based on Toyobo’s hollow-fibre reverse osmosis (RO) technology, is capable of separating concentrated brine, discharged from sea-water
A
News Toyobo and SWCC work together to accelerate use of membrane technology for reusing concentrated brine
desalination plants, into diluted sea water and highly concentrated brine. Using diluted sea water for desalination again will help make more fresh water, whilst evaporation and crystallisation is expected to efficiently collect useful substances from the highly concentrated brine. This means that BC membrane technology has the potential to boost efforts to fully reuse concentrated brine from desalination plants. Toyobo, SWCC and AJMC are planning to operate a pilot test unit at SWCC’s sea-water desalination plant in Al Jubail, in the Eastern Province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia. This will enable them to understand the membrane’s basic properties and gain expertise in operating the equipment. Since the 1980s Toyobo has provided its hollow-fibre RO membranes for desalination plants in the Middle East, where rainwater and groundwater are scarce.
Asahi Kasei buys Austrian biosafety testing services company
For further information, visit: www.toyobo-global.com & www.swcc.gov.sa
Asahi Kasei buys Austrian biosafety testing services company sahi Kasei Medical Co Ltd has bought Austrian biosafety testing services company Virusure Forschung und Entwicklung GmbH. Asahi Kasei says that the acquisition is part of a strategic expansion and reinforces its bioprocess business that focuses on PlanovaTM virus removal filters. It is also indicative of its continuing strategic efforts to develop businesses that contribute to the safety, and efficient manufacture, of biotherapeutics. Bologically derived substances are used to make biotherapeutics, which means that biosafety tests are required at each step of research, development
Contents
and manufacture, in order to prevent harm from viruses or other infectious agents. Driven by strong growth in the biotherapeutics sector, the demand for Virusure’s biosafety testing and cell banking services continues to grow, says Asahi Kasei. By enhancing Asahi Kasei Medical’s ability to provide wide-ranging support to manufacturers of biotherapeutics – including broader services related to bioprocess development and manufacturing – this acquisition expands its sphere of operations and creates new opportunities for further growth. Continued on page 14...
1
1 & 14
Mozambique plant upgrade expands Veolia’s portfolio of projects in Africa
2
SSB’s latest Sartocheck system ensures maximum data integrity
2
Pharmaceutical company selects Memsift technology to treat liquid waste
2
IDA elects its president for the 2019–2021 term
3
Porvair adds PTFE membrane filters and housings to its product portfolio
3
Lanxess makes significant updates to its LewaPlus design software
3
Pentair uses Aquatech to announce new UF element and Web app
4
Agreement confirms IDA’s role as a strategic partner in SIWW 2020
4
Industrial minerals producer selects Biwater as its preferred OEM
4
Sartorius set to acquire parts of Danaher’s life science portfolio
14
Feature Interlayer-free silica–pectin membrane for sea-water desalination
5
Regulars In Brief
3
Research Trends
9
Patents 11
Visit us @
Eventswww.biometrics-today.com Calendar
14
Visit us @ www.membrane-technology.com
ISSN 0958-2119/19 © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
This publication and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by Elsevier Ltd, and the following terms and conditions apply to their use: Photocopying Single photocopies of single articles may be made for personal use as allowed by national copyright laws. Permission of the publisher and payment of a fee is required for all other photocopying, including multiple or systematic copying, copying for advertising or promotional purposes, resale, and all forms of document delivery. Special rates are available for educational institutions that wish to make photocopies for non-profit educational classroom use.
Visit us @
CALENDAR/NEWS
EVENTS CALENDAR 22–25 December 2019
7th Maghreb Symposium on Water Treatment and Desalination (CMTDE 2019) Hammamet, Tunisia
Contact: Tunisian Desalination Association, Faculty of Sciences of Tunis, Chemistry Department, 2092 Manar II, Tunis Tel: +216 71 871 282 Email: [email protected] www.attde.org/cmtde_2019-3
13–16 January 2020
World Future Energy Summit Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Contact: Grant Tuchten, Group Event Director, Reed Exhibitions Middle East, Office 1001, 10th Floor TwoFour54 Building, Park Rotana Complex, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Tel: +971 2 491 7615 Email: [email protected] www.worldfutureenergysummit.com
2–6 February 2020
International Membrane Science & Technology Conference (IMSTEC) 2020 Sydney, Australia Contact: Membrane Society of Australasia, CSIRO, Building New Horizons, Room 353 Gate 4, Normanby Road Clayton, VIC 3168, Australia Tel: +61 3 9545 8018
...Continued from front page As reported previously, the company has recently finished building a plant in Nobeoka, Miyazaki, Japan, for spinning cellulose hollow-fibre membranes that are used in Planova
Email: [email protected] www.imstec2020.com https://membrane-australasia.org
16–20 March 2020
2020 Membrane Technology Conference & Exposition Phoenix, Arizona, USA
Contact: American Membrane Technology Association (AMTA), 2409 SE Dixie Hwy, Stuart, FL 34996, USA Tel: +1 772 463 0820 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] www.amtaorg.com/awwa/mtc20reg
17 March 2020
MENA Water Summit Kuwait City, Kuwait
Contact: Ulrika Varela, White Paper Summits Llc, PO Box 1406, PC 133 Al Khuwair, Sultanate of Oman Tel: +968 24 788 476 Email: [email protected] www.wpsummits.com/menawater
31 March to 1 April 2020
The Water Show Africa 2020 Johannesburg, South Africa
Contact: Terrapinn Holdings Ltd, Wren House, 43 Hatton Garden, London EC1N 8EL, UK Tel: +44 20 7608 7030; Fax: +44 20 7608 7040 www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/ water-africa/Conference.stm
virus removal filters (Membrane Technology November 2019, page 5). Planova virus removal filters are used in the production of biotherapeutics, such as plasma derivatives and biopharmaceuticals.
14–17 April 2020
MELPRO 2020 Prague, Czech Republic
Contact: Česká Membránová Platforma z.s. (CZEMP), Mánesova 1580,470 01 Česká Lípa, Czech Republic, Tel: +420 724 865 177 Email: [email protected] https://www.melpro.cz www.czemp.cz
20–24 April 2020
13th World Filtration Congress San Diego, California, USA
Contact: Deahna Cring, Conference Manager American Filtration and Separations Society (AFS), 529 Myatt Drive, Nashville, TN 37511, USA Tel: +1 615 250 7792, Fax: +1 615 530 1037 Email: [email protected] www.wfc13.com, www.afssociety.org
16–20 May 2020
NAMS 2020 – 29th Annual Meeting Tempe, Arizona, USA
Contact: North American Membrane Society, University of Arkansas, Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, 3202 Bell Engineering Center, Fayetteville, AR 72701-1201, USA Tel: +1 479 575 3419, Fax: +1 479 575 7926 Email: [email protected] www.membranes.org For further information, visit: www.asahi-kasei.co.jp/medical & www.virusure.com
Sartorius set to acquire parts of Danaher’s life science portfolio
G
ermany’s Sartorius Ag has recently signed an agreement to buy businesses from Danaher Corp – covering label-free biomolecular characterisation, chromatography hardware and resins, and microcarriers – which are part of its life science portfolio. The transaction is worth about $750 million in cash and Sartorius says that the move complements its strong position in the fast-growing bioanalytics and bioprocessing segments. The proposed transaction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2020 and is subject to customary closing conditions, and also the successful acquisition of the GE Biopharma business by Danaher. Sartorius – which serves the biopharmaceutical industry and research sector – says that the businesses had combined sales turnover of approximately $140 million in 2018, with a strong 14
Membrane Technology
growth profile and double-digit profit margins. They employ around 300 people worldwide. FortéBio, the label-free biomolecular characterisation business focuses on protein analysis instruments, biosensors and reagents that are used in drug discovery and will become part of Sartorius’ bioanalytics unit, within its Lab Products & Services division. The chromatography hardware and resins business will expand the product range offered by Sartorius’ Bioprocess Solutions division. The business addresses an essential step in downstream bioprocessing and encompasses multi-use and single-use equipment, and columns and resins. The third business, SoloHill, mainly includes microcarrier technology and particle validation standards used in cell culture and other bioprocesses. Commenting on the acquisition, Dr Joachim Kreuzburg, CEO, Sartorius, said: ‘The portfo-
lio proposed for acquisition represents an excellent strategic fit with Sartorius.’ ‘With the Octet platform of FortéBio, we will add a broadly accepted and differentiated technology for advancing and simplifying drug discovery to our laboratory division’s portfolio. The chromatography hardware and resins, and the microcarrier businesses broaden our strong bioprocessing offering, particularly in the downstream area.’ In 2015 Danaher Corp acquired filtration, separation and purification technologies company Pall Corp for $13.8 billion including assumed debt and net of acquired cash (Membrane Technology July 2015, page 1 and May 2017, page 16). For further information, visit: www.sartorius.com & www.danaher.com
December 2019