Qemetica Soda Polska is one of the largest and most important economic operators in the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Province, with its activities affecting numerous sectors of the economy. Soda ash produced by the company is a key raw material for the glass industry, necessary, among others, for the production of flat glass and glass packaging, and for the automotive industry. The company's plant in Janikowo is the largest Polish manufacturer of evaporated salt, and its share in the national production capacity of this economically crucial raw material accounts for approximately 80%.
The investments implemented by the company, in line with the strategic development assumptions of the Qemetica Group in 2022-2024, include the implementation of a number of advanced technological solutions in cooperation with the largest companies in the industrial technology sector. These solutions include for instance: Advanced Process Control (APC) - a system optimising the operation of soda ash production lines, and Digital Twin - a soda production line simulator.
With the use of specialised technologies, Qemetica Soda Polska strives not only to improve its operational efficiency, but also to minimise its impact on the environment, which is a reflection of the Group's ambitious ESG Strategy, which assumes achieving climate neutrality of the group of companies by 2040.
Another of the many projects implemented for more sustainable operation of plants is the recovery and recycling of carbon dioxide during soda production - an original innovation on which the Qemetica Group's research and development team has been working for several years, contributing to the reduction of the consumption of raw materials - limestone and coke.
In total, in 2023 alone, Qemetica Soda Polska will invest approximately PLN 287 million in the technological transformation of its business - PLN 125 million in the Inowrocław plant and as much as PLN 162 million in the Janikowo plant.
Large investment projects are also being implemented to reduce coal consumption. The German company EEW plans to build an installation for thermal waste treatment (“ITPO”) at the Qemetica Soda Polska production plant in Inowrocław.
This investment is aimed at securing one third of the energy demand of the entire Qemetica Soda Polska plant in Inowrocław and will replace part of the energy obtained in coal boilers from the late 1970s. Qemetica has been successfully using a similar solution for 15 years in Stassfurt, Germany, where such an installation supplies the local soda factory with approx. 30 percent thermal energy.
– Modern technologies implemented by Qemetica Soda Polska do not only improve the efficiency and competitiveness of our Inowrocław and Janikowo plants, but also contribute to the stabilisation of jobs for over 1,500 employees and support the local economy. In turn, our social and sponsoring activities cover a wide range of initiatives, and together with the ITPO investor, EEW, we plan to allocate PLN 6 million to support social projects in the years 2023-2028 – emphasises Tomasz Molenda, President of the Management Board of Qemetica Soda Polska.
Qemetica Soda Polska employs over 1.5 thousand people in the Inowrocław County and is not only one of the largest employers in the region, but also an important partner for the local community. The company directly influences the condition of nearly 250 companies in the county, generating annually approximately PLN 200 million in turnover. Moreover, in 2022 alone, Qemetica Soda Polska supported around 50 various social, cultural and sports initiatives, allocating about PLN 500,000 for social and sponsoring activities in the Inowrocław region in the last 12 months.
One of the latest ventures of Qemetica Soda Polska is the establishment in October this year, together with EEW Polska, of the Social Initiatives Support Fund, which supports valuable local initiatives targeted at the residents of the city and commune of Inowrocław. The total amount allocated for the implementation of projects in this year's edition of the programme is PLN 700,000. These activities are an element of the Qemetica Group's ESG strategy, which, in addition to environmental and resource protection obligations, also includes the goal of being a “good neighbour” for the local communities in which the Group’s factories operate.