Antonius Quarterly – Rob Derix
The first quarter has flown by once again. We are performing well and are eagerly looking forward to the upcoming quarter. As you are accustomed to from me, I will take you through the developments of the past months and look ahead. In this piece, we will discuss our steps in expanding our services, our presence at the World Hydrogen Summit in Rotterdam, and developments surrounding carbon capture. We also share, hot off the press, that we are ASME certified again for the next three years and our collaboration with new material partners.
Market developments surrounding Carbon Capture
We now see a significant increase in interesting CO2 reduction Carbon Capture projects being initiated, along with a rise in the number of applications. In the Netherlands, for example, we have the Porthos project, where CO2 is injected back underground into depleted gas fields. Similar projects are emerging in Belgium, such as Kairos@C and Antwerp@C. Capturing and storing CO2, and eventually reusing it as a raw material for various applications, are seen as crucial pathways in the transition to reducing emissions.
“What we’re seeing is that carbon capture is ahead, and hydrogen is following. We can’t wait for hydrogen to meet the 2030 goals; action to reduce CO2 needs to be taken now,” says Rob Derix. That’s also the reason why we’ll be for the third consecutive time at the World Hydrogen 2024 Summit in Rotterdam from May 13th to 14th, with almost our entire team. It’s an excellent opportunity to engage in discussions about challenges and possibilities. We already have a few meetings scheduled with ambitious parties working on hydrogen and carbon capture. If you’d like to speak with us, please send me a message.
ASME Certifications and material partnerships
We are ASME (U-part/U2-part) certified again for the next 3 years. ASME, as most of you already know, stands for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, which is one of the two primary standards. This is the counterpart to the EN regulations in the EU. We have projects in the EU build according to American rules, for example, because they are based in the US.
We can continue to manufacture welded products according to this standard for the next three years. In a two-day audit with a local inspection authority and an auditor from the ASME board, we were thoroughly examined on processes and regulations. Naturally, we are proud that according to the auditor, we are a high-quality company. We will provide further details in an extensive news release once the certificate is officially obtained.
Expansion with service activities
We observe an increasing demand in the market for service-related activities regarding the products we deliver. This includes installation works as well as maintenance and repair works. Ralph Hofman is currently exploring this new service offering. With extensive experience in the chemical and petrochemical sector, , he understands the landscape and how best to organize this. These services mainly focus on repairing on-site or in our factory, especially welding work on items such as pressure vessels, reducers, and pipework that often have a inner wear layer. Antonius aims to provide added value to existing and new customers with these additional services. If you are active in the process industry and see opportunities in your business, Ralph would be happy to contact you to discuss how Antonius can provide these services.
In conclusion
I strongly believe in the power of partnerships. We need these partnerships to effectively tackle the challenges we face. Together, we can enable real innovation and, at the same time, conduct successful business. I am eager to hear where and how we can strengthen each other. If you have any questions or comments regarding this Quarterly, I look forward to hearing from you.
Best regards,
Rob Derix – Commercial Director, Antonius Vessel Heads
