MOL completes new polyol R&D center in Százhalombatta, Hungary

MOL has opened a new polyol research and development center, named after György Mosonyi, the late CEO of MOL, in Százhalombatta, Hungary to develop polyol products that meet the needs of customers.  The experimental reactor system, which is the most modern in the world, was supplied and commissioned by thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions. 90% of the other assets in the project were procured from Hungarian suppliers. In addition, MOL and thyssenkrupp have entered into a joint research and development agreement.

MOL Group’s 2030 strategy sets the goal of increasing the share of contribution of the petrochemical business to the results of the entire group. The EUR1.2 billion (USD1.4 billion) investment in the polyol complex in Tiszaújváros serves to achieve this. To underpin this investment and ensure that the plant meets the needs of the markets it serves, MOL established the research and development center at the Danube Refinery. The EUR10 million (USD12 million) investment center will fund up to 12 engineers and seven technicians and the most advanced experimental reactor system in the world, supplied and commissioned by thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions.

MOL and thyssenkrupp have also entered into a joint research and development agreement to facilitate the entry of both companies into the polyol market: thyssenkrupp as a technology service provider and engineering-procurement-construction (EPC) contractor, and MOL as a manufacturer and seller of various polyol products.

“The research and development center bears the name of György Mosonyi, the late CEO of MOL, who was deeply committed to innovation throughout his work, so this is a worthy tribute to his memory.  It is a state-of-the-art laboratory, equipped with all the necessary tools, instruments and most importantly it has great experts who will ensure that the R&D activities can serve the development of market-ready products, to be later produced by the polyol plant in Tiszaújváros,” said Gabriel Szabó, EVP of MOL Group, Downstream.

“With our agreement on joint research and development, this R&D center is a big step forward to explore and win the new markets MOL is addressing with the polyols. We are excited for this new chapter in our joint journey and confident that this partnership will be an important success factor on our path to develop advanced and sustainable technology and products for a better future,” Sami Pelkonen, CEO of thyssenkrupp’s Chemical & Process Technologies business unit added.

The research and development center will conduct tests of the physicochemical properties of polyols, as well as laboratory tests and application experiments of polyurethane foams made from them. By July 2022, at least 10 polyol grades will be developed in the newly built facility. In order to compare and validate the results of the measurements, the company also plans to cooperate with the laboratories of several Hungarian universities and independent research institutions. These collaborations will help to further develop the methodologies used in the polyol R&D center and increase the knowledge base of universities. As well as to the MOL Group, the center will offer outstanding value to the Hungarian and international scientific community for years to come.

About MOL Group

MOL Group is an integrated, international oil and gas company with its headquarters in Budapest, with an international and dynamic workforce of 25,000 in more than 30 countries and an industrial history of more than 100 years. MOL’s exploration and production activities are supported by more than 80 years of experience in the hydrocarbon industry. It currently has extraction activities in nine countries and has research assets in 14 countries. MOL Group operates three refineries and two petrochemical plants under integrated supply chain management in Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia. Its retail network includes 1,940 filling stations in 10 countries in Central and Southeastern Europe.

About thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions

thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG, with around 11,500 employees worldwide, is a leading partner for the engineering, construction and service of industrial plants and systems. The company supplies tailored, turnkey plants and components for customers in the chemical, fertilizer, cement, mining and steel industries.