Process21 forum presents it’s second expert report on product development

The process industry has several significant contributions it can make to the transition to a low-emission society. In addition, to reducing it’s own direct greenhouse gas emissions, the process industry can contribute to the green shift by providing materials, technologies and solutions that enable additional emission reductions in other sectors, both in Norway and internationally.

Reduced its emissions 

The Norwegian process industry has significantly reduced its emissions over the past 25 years, these achievements have implications for future opportunities for continued emission reductions. We can’t continue to count on emission reductions by following a step-by-step improvements in technology and efficiency measures. Therefore, to deliver the further necessary emission reductions, the development of new technology and new solutions is needed to much greater extent than before.

If greenhouse gas emission in Norway are priced significantly higher than other countries, there is a risk that the process industry with its international owners may re-locate. We must avoid relocation of the Norwegian process industry to countries and regions with a less ambitious climate policy than our own.

This forms the background for the creation of the Process21 forum.

Mandate

The main task of Process 21 is to provide strategic advice and recommendations on how Norway can best achieve a trend towards minimal emissions from the process industry in 2050 and at the same time facilitate that businesses in the process industry have sustainable growth during this period. The Process21 forum will pay attention to both emissions from the Norwegian process industry and how this industry contributes indirectly to emissions reductions in other companies and sectors in Norway and internationally.

Second expert report – product development

The Expert Group for Product Development presented its final report at the Industri Futurum conference, which was organized by Norwegian Confederation of Industries in Oslo 22-23. January. The expert group leader, SVP, Chief Technology Officer at Hydro, Hans Erik Vatne presented the main features of the work. The process industry must avoid the "commodity trap" that involves producing standard products that the customer experiences as being independent of the supplier. To counteract this the industry should focus is on the following opportunities:

• Greener: increased margins and value creation by developing, marketing and selling green, sustainable products and solutions based in renewable energy produced in Norway.
• Specialization: develop advanced specialty products in co-development customers
• Product Solutions: Widen the product range from material deliveries according to customer specifications to comprehensive solutions that meet customers and end users' needs
• Service / service elements: combine quality products with digital and traditional service elements to increase margins and competitiveness

The report is now available for download on Prosess21 websites - here.
 
The first expert report from the forum Process21 focused on Entrepreneurship and was handed over to the Minister for Trade and Industries in August 2019 - The report can be found here