RDI
At Bondalti, Research, Development, and Innovation (IDI) are essential drivers for our growth and success. We believe that continuous innovation is fundamental to facing the challenges of the future and creating sustainable solutions that benefit society and the environment. Our dedication to IDI allows us to develop emerging technologies, optimize processes,
and create high-quality products that meet the needs of our customers and partners. With a collaborative approach and an unwavering commitment to excellence, Bondalti is at the forefront of innovation, driving progress and building a more sustainable future for all.
invested in RDI projects
projects in progress
partnerships
Research and Development
R&D: constant action - Bondalti stands out for its strong commitment to Research and Development (R&D), systematically and continuously developing projects in both the company's core areas and new areas of business development, contributing to its leadership and competitiveness in the markets in which it operates
In 2024, the Industrial Chemicals division allocated €1.3 million to support 23 R&D initiatives. With a view to future challenges, Bondalti has been investing in diversifying its areas of focus, with the aim of improving process, environmental, and safety efficiency in its core areas, but also developing solutions that can lead to carbon neutrality in its operations. Some of these initiatives are the result of partnerships with the scientific community, ensuring community involvement in defining new technological solutions.
In the year that just ended, two projects were implemented focusing on the reintegration and recovery of end-of-life products and a project researching alternative raw materials to conventional sources. With the aim of reducing scope 3 emissions, Bondalti has been actively seeking new technologies that will enable it to obtain benzene with a lower carbon footprint, one of the main raw materials in the Aniline and Derivatives area.
In another aspect of circularity, the project "Valorization of Industrial Waste by Pyrolysis," developed in partnership with the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto, has made it possible to study thermochemical technologies as an alternative for transforming waste from the chlor-alkali process into value-added products that could be reintegrated into the value chain.
Bondalti seeks to invest in the creation of training opportunities for students from partner national institutions, involving them directly in some of Bondalti's R&D initiatives. In 2024, three doctoral projects were underway through the EngIQ Business Environment Doctoral Program, two of which were dedicated to new products and one to reducing the carbon footprint of raw materials. Four master's degree internships were also carried out, focusing on environmental improvement of processes and emission reduction. These partnerships resulted in eight scientific publications in 2024.
Innovation Strategy
Creating chemistry that has an impact on people, business, and the transition to a more digital and green economy is the motto for innovation at Bondalti. We are committed to collaboration and co-creation with our stakeholders to discover new green opportunities that generate value and promote business with impact.
Our innovation strategy balances the search for new solutions that maximize existing value ('Horizon Today') with the future ('Horizon Beyond') in the development of new transformative business models, and focuses innovation in five macro areas: (1) New Business; (2) Operational Efficiency and Effectiveness; (3) Circularity; (4) Low-carbon products; and (5) Incorporation of renewable energies.
Priorities in innovation
Bondalti will explore innovative solutions in five macro areas, focusing on the integration of emerging technologies that drive business transformation and operational efficiency and effectiveness, reducing the carbon footprint throughout the value chain with the production of new green products, the use of non-fossil raw materials, the integration of renewable energies into production processes, and the adoption of circular practices.
During 2024, Bondalti invested €3.0 million in innovation and made more than 33 employees available, compared to 2023, to maximize the value of the innovations implemented. The resources invested in 2024 have been mainly allocated to innovation projects that responded to the challenges of the macro areas of 'Operational Efficiency and Effectiveness' and 'Digital, Data and AI'.
Twenty-one innovation projects were identified, an increase of six new projects compared to the previous year. As a result, Bondalti accelerated the integration of new advanced, intelligent, and efficient solutions/technologies that ensure the availability of facilities, improve safety and revenue levels, and incorporate renewable energies into energy-intensive processes.
Bondalti will continue to invest in innovation with the aim of promoting a productive knowledge economy, diversifying its business model, and creating successive impacts on the efficiency and effectiveness of its industrial processes.
Partners for a greener and more digital tomorrow
Bondalti is committed to a collaborative and agile approach to accelerate and overcome industrial and regulatory challenges, generating value for all.
Through the 'ImpactLab' Innovation Program, Bondalti promotes experimentation with the external ecosystem, including start-ups, entrepreneurs, universities, SMEs,
business associations, and large companies, with the aim of being an accelerator in the exploration of innovative and sustainable solutions, as well as fostering partnerships that allow for the management of risk and uncertainty in projects with different maturities and return potential.
In 2024, 57 partners were identified and 29 partnerships were established, a 16% increase compared to the previous year.
Impact Committee - A new structure focused on innovation
To manage the Innovation strategy, the Innovation Committee - Impact Committee was created, composed of a multidisciplinary team appointed from among the company's various departments, including a member
of the Board of Directors and the Innovation team. This committee is responsible for managing the Innovation strategy and fund, in collaboration with the Executive Committee, as well as discussing and evaluating new ideas,
analyzing their feasibility and potential impact, and prioritizing initiatives based on their relevance and resource requirements.
Digital Transformation
Following Bondalti's priority of qualifying and training its human capital and process efficiency, a new Digital Transformation strategy was implemented in 2024 that seeks to bring all areas of the company closer together, with its efforts segmented into three fundamental pillars:
People are at the heart of digital transformation and are the key drivers of the success of these initiatives. If the main objective of 's Digital Transformation is to improve work processes, this can only be achieved by involving those who carry them out on a daily basis.
Making existing processes more effective and efficient through the application of proven technologies, allowing people to focus on tasks with greater added value.
Technology should be seen as a support for processes and people. Access to the latest technologies and their correct application ensure that the company operates in an integrated and efficient manner.
Inteligência Artificial
Aware of the increasingly pressing challenges of digitalization, related to the responsible and effective use of the latest Generative Artificial Intelligence tools, and how these are shaping the IT market and other companies in general, Bondalti has set itself apart by launching a series of Artificial Intelligence (AI) training courses in 2024.
This initiative was attended by over 150 employees, reflecting the growing interest in emerging technologies within the company. This introduction served as a basis for a broader discussion on current and future trends in AI, including Generative AI.
Technologies such as these are already transforming our daily lives and were addressed in order to show how they can be immediately applied to our reality.