Research & Development
OUR R&D EXPENSES
2018, the Company significantly strengthened its core research activities with third parties. The Agronomic research collaboration between ICL and the Volcani Institute (CPFN), which is based in Gilat in the southern part of Israel, executed 21 active projects in addition to field trials and agronomic workshops. The activities of ICL Innovation, which focuses mainly on high‑risk technologies in the initial stages of development, has 22 running projects, which are conducted in collaboration with academic and business external partners. YPRTECH, a part of the YPH joint venture in China, is currently running 10 projects for new products and technologies, based on Phosphorus derivatives.
The agronomic research collaboration between ICL and the Volcani Institute (CPFN), has thus far executed 21 active projects, in addition to field trials and agronomic workshops.
The defined goals of ICL’s research and development operations are:
- Implementing an innovative approach within the company and encouraging ideation processes;
- Focusing on balanced portfolio based on time to market, value and risks;
- Increasing the Company’s new products contribution;
- Continuous process improvement in the Company’s manufacturing facilities by reducing production costs, operating optimization and reduction of waste streams and environmental impacts based on circular economy initiatives;
- Cultivating the R&D human resources, technological leadership and an innovative culture.
- Investing in external collaboration for achieving new ideas and/or know-how.
- Joining consortiums for external funding and backward integration over the entire project value-chain, in order to reduce risks and enhance controls.
R&D Activities
These are some of the R&D activities we focused on:
ICL Industrial Products business line
- New Flame retardants for Printed wire boards: Development of new phosphorus‑based solutions for PWB.
- Brominated polymers: continuing development of polymeric/active brominated flame retardants, which are expected to become the next generation of environmentally friendly flame retardants.
- Textiles: continuing development of TexFRon®, a series of textile flame‑retardant products. The series includes TexFRon AG and TexFRon 5001, both are non-halogen flame retardants. Another series product is TexFRon® 4002, an effective and environmentally friendly solution for diverse textile products, replacing DECA and offering a transparent and laundry‑durable solution that is not currently available in the market. In addition, unique ATO-free (Antimony Trioxide) flame‑retardant systems were introduced to the market. These sustainable solutions created interest among the Company’s customers and are being commercially evaluated. TexFRon 4002 and TexFRon 5001 are Oeko-Tex® certified.
- Energy storage: continued development of bromine‑based energy storage solutions for Br-Battery companies, using diverse compounds.
- Environmental research to reduce all emissions, e.g., wastewater management, air emissions and solid/organic waste reuse.
- Biocides: continued development of new materials for water treatment and prevention of biofilm in industrial water cooling systems and pulp & paper plants.
- Magnesia-based products: development of formulations in order to fulfil unmet needs in the markets, such as replacing aluminum products in deodorants and zinc oxide in several consumer products.
- Troubleshooting and equipment maintenance cycle improvement using better construction materials preventing of accelerated corrosion, wear and tear, and equipment adaptation.
Support of production: improving product quality, production cost, energy saving, recycling and waste treatment. Changing and improving processes while using the principles of green chemistry.
ICL Potash and Magnesium business line
- Activities of efficiency and synergy measures in order to increase potash production and reducing cost per tonne at the potash and magnesium plants in Sdom.
- Advancement of research regarding environmental protection, including the development of methods for treating and reducing effluents.
Granular Polysulphate – optimization of the process on two aspects: output and quality, as well as implementation of a new organic coating.
ICL Phosphate Solutions business line
- The division continues to check the adaptation of various potential types of phosphate rock (bituminous and brown phosphates) for the production of phosphoric acid and its downstream products as part of an effort to utilize and increase existing phosphate reserves.
- Research regarding environmental protection, including the development of methods for treating and reducing effluents;
- Development of applications for water conservation and improving the availability of the fertilizers around the root;
- Implementation of software to track global product life cycle to support global visibility of projects and formulas;
- The R&D unit continuously looks out for new areas of innovation, for example to translate megatrends like sodium reduction with the target to create a full product portfolio based on ICL’s mineral tool box. This trend is relevant for processed meat applications. Furthermore, the division participates in the trend of meat substitutes to complement a competitive product portfolio for classical phosphate customers in the meat, poultry and seafood industries;
- At the end of 2018, the R&D departments for food specialties and industrial phosphate applications were integrated into one support platform.
Innovative Ag Solutions
The IAS division will function as ICL’s innovative arm, promoting innovation, developing new products and services as well as digital platforms and technological solutions for farmers and agronomists.
The Innovative Ag Solutions division will drive collaborations with innovative technologies and its goal is to introduce and integrate new digital solutions for the agricultural world by utilizing, among other things, external knowledge and platforms.
Additional targets:
- Improvement of product portfolio with new product formulations; Mainly tailored formulations on customer demand.
- Development of improved production options for HiPea.
- Development of controlled‑release NPK fertilizers with a quicker fully degradable coating.
- Development of applications for water conservation and improving the availability of the fertilizers around the root.
- Initiation and development of new technologies to increase nutrient use efficiency.
Read more about ICL’s R&D projects in the ICL’s 2018 Annual Report (pp.183-187).
ICL IMI TAMI – Institute of R&D Ltd.
The ICL Chemical Research Center in Israel – IMI TAMI -is a world-class research institute. Its primary goal is to expand the business of the ICL Group by improving existing chemical production processes and developing new, proprietary chemical compounds having a commercial advantage. IMI TAMI offers research, analytical, testing and consultancy services and can manufacture to requirements in quantities from less than a kilogram to tens of tonnes. IMI TAMI’s team includes chemists, engineers, microbiologists, and analytical and corrosion chemists.
IMI TAMI’s accumulated expertise are leveraged by ICL and used as a driver for sustainable growth and to create added value for ICL’s customers in its end markets. The institute also provides a broad range of services, including research and development, production, testing and a very large selection of analysis options for customers from the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and environmental quality service industries.
