Antonius Quarterly – Rob Derix

What are the key developments at Antonius? This is what Rob Derix, Commercial Director at Antonius, discusses in this quarterly. He looks at market developments, the labor market, and looks forward to an interesting trade fair, Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe 2023. With this article, you will be fully informed of our outlook and get a glimpse into our beautiful company.

In this quarterly, we will discuss:

• Last quarter was busy for Antonius, driven by large projects in offshore and shipbuilding.
• The company secured a partnership with a Nordic company involved in offshore supply, developing it from scratch to a genuine partnership within six months.
• The 6th European NH3 event Europe in Rotterdam highlighted the emerging role of ammonia as the leading carrier for hydrogen.
• Antonius aims to be a reliable and knowledgeable partner for your production of pressure vessels for the storage and transportation of hydrogen or ammonia
• The company recognizes the importance of green hydrogen but expects a temporary window for blue hydrogen production with carbon capture.
• Antonius expanded its workforce by adding over 10 colleagues to the production team and strengthening the sales department.
• Antonius will exhibit at The Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe in Bremen, focusing on low-carbon hydrogen production and applications.
• The company anticipates continued growth in the next quarter, with a focus on operational processes and marketing to European equipment manufacturers.

Last quarter

Last quarter was intense for Antonius. We remained extremely busy, driven in part by several large projects, particularly in offshore and shipbuilding. The underlying trend was positive, resulting in a well-filled order book for the upcoming quarters. I am especially proud of securing a partnership with a Nordic company involved in offshore supply. We developed this client from scratch to a genuine partnership within six months. The onboarding process went smoothly, thanks to the excellent teamwork of the Antonius team, with a special mention to Marco Hamersma for his significant role.

NH3 event Europe in Rotterdam

In June, the 6th NH3 event Europe took place. Our sales representatives attended the 2022 edition, and their enthusiasm convinced me to attend this year as well. It turned out to be a wise decision. It is becoming increasingly evident that ammonia is emerging as the leading carrier for hydrogen, surpassing options like methanol and benzene. How might the world of hydrogen look in the future? I envision vast solar fields, powered by green energy, in places like the Sahara, producing hydrogen. This hydrogen will need to be transported to end-users using a carrier like ammonia. Antonius can play a role as a supplier of pressure vessels components and other parts We have the experience, the capacity and the location that is perfectly fit for large sizes.

Carbon capture: a temporary window

We discuss the importance of green hydrogen. However, during the transition, we will also encounter blue hydrogen, produced from sources such as natural gas or LNG. In such cases, carbon dioxide must be captured, requiring tanks, and we aim to contribute to this process. I anticipate that this will be a temporary window lasting around 10 to 15 years until we can produce hydrogen entirely through green energy. The development in this carbon capture are happening rapidly, and I expect the first projects to commence next year.

Antonius grows with new personnel

Over the past few months, we have expanded our workforce to meet current and future demands. We have added over 10 colleagues to our production team and strengthened our sales department. Recently, Jonathan joined as an inside sales representative, and Ralph as an outside sales representative. With these team expansions, we are well-equipped to manage future growth effectively.

Exhibitor at the Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe in Bremen

We are delighted to announce that Antonius will be an exhibitor at The Hydrogen Technology Expo Europe, the world’s largest trade fair for hydrogen technologies, materials, components, and engineering solutions. The event will take place on September 27 and 28 this year in Bremen. It serves as a crucial conference and exhibition exclusively dedicated to advanced technologies for the hydrogen and fuel cell industry. The expo will gather the entire hydrogen value chain to focus on developing solutions and innovations for low-carbon hydrogen production, efficient storage and distribution, and various applications. We are excited to, learn about the latest developments, and engage with (some of the) over 10,000 attendees. Our aim is to forge stable partnership for the large projects to come. If you plan to visit the expo, please let us know, and we will be happy to welcome you at Stand 4D180 for a cup of coffee and a chat about how we can form a partnership.

Next quarter

Our order book is full, and we will continue to focus on operational processes. Given the increased demand, we have positive expectations. Together with our marketing partner Merkelijkheid, we will actively promote our services to European equipment manufacturers, particularly in tank  construction. This market is rapidly evolving due to developments in hydrogen and other sustainability initiatives, and we anticipate the emergence of new parties with whom we would like to engage in discussions about potential partnerships and roles in this transition. Capacity remains a challenge, and I expect it to persist in the coming years. Partnerships and integration within the value chain are becoming increasingly essential for progress.

Finally

If you have any questions, comments, or require vessel heads ranging from 1 to 10 meters, I would be delighted to connect with you!

Rob Derix – Commercial Director, Antonius Vessel Heads