Bohumín Bochemie belongs to the esteemed list of innovative companies with a long tradition. And although its name still evokes chemistry, it is far from being just a chemical plant. We asked Miloslav Vodička, Chairman of the Board of Directors, about the current directions of the company’s development.
It has been nine years since the successful and noticeable SAVO brand left your brand portfolio. What did that mean to you, and what is now your core business?
The production of SAVO started in 1973, and gradually, we have managed to build a strong brand of disinfectants and cleaning products for households and the demanding hygiene segment, which has gained a large part of the market in the countries of Central Europe. This success culminated in its sale to Unilever in 2013. While we are proud to still be associated with SAVO, Bochemie has never been just SAVO.
Few people know that we have manufactured battery materials for nickel-cadmium industrial batteries for seventy years. The German industrial Ni-Cd battery manufacturer GAZ has been part of our business since 2019. Our cells are used worldwide in power generation and distribution, the oil industry, transport and telecommunications. They ensure the reliable operation of UPS systems, emergency lighting, security systems, ships and aircraft.
We are, therefore, not an ordinary chemical company; part of our operations are of an engineering nature. And it is there that we are now investing most heavily in automating production, increasing process safety and improving the quality of the working environment. Over the last three years, these investments have exceeded CZK 150 million, and more will follow.
We are also intensively developing the production of fungicides under the Bochemit brand, which has an even longer tradition than SAVO, dating back to 1968. We are investing in technology upgrades as well as in the research and development of new formulations, efficacy tests and registration processes. This has made us a leading European manufacturer of products for the protection of construction timber against wood pests, both in industrial solutions and in the hobby sector.
Since 1967, we have also manufactured metal surface treatment products which we export worldwide. Our reduction technology for descaling stainless materials with Feropur is key for pickling socalled long products such as coils of wire and bars. Other products of this kind are zinc chloride, used most often as part of the flux in the hot-dip galvanising process, and nano zinc oxide, one of the most advanced nanomaterials.
GAZ industrial Ni-Cd batteries have an exceptional lifetime of 20 years or more even in extreme environments (e.g. in the desert)
The chemical industry is an energy-intensive industry. How are you responding to the current turbulent energy price environment?
We have been reducing the energy intensity of our production for a long time, investing in more efficient technologies and optimising energy consumption. For example, we are currently completing the reconstruction of the steam production and distribution system, installing combined heat and power generation, and upgrading the related measurement and control systems.
Our next step towards energy self-sufficiency is constructing a photovoltaic power plant with an output of just under 2 MWp. It will be implemented in two phases and will be commissioned in 2023 and 2024 with a payback period of approximately ten years at current prices. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it will include battery storage from our industrial batteries. In addition, we are installing hybrid heat sources that can use electricity or gas in the event of a natural gas supply failure or curtailment. In total, we will invest around CZK 100 million between 2021 and 2024 to reduce consumption, increase self-sufficiency and energy security, and reduce our energy carbon footprint.
Production of Ni-Cd industrial batteries in Bochemie.
Bochemie was founded in 1904. What is behind your success across centuries, markets and industries?
Defi nitely our people. That is, those who are not only highly qualified but also have a spirit of initiative and innovation are open to new ideas and paths, from machine operators to managers. We highly value such employees and retain them with appropriate remuneration and a system of employee benefits and perks. We are not only looking for experienced professionals but also for fresh graduates with whom we make contact during their studies. They are often able to fi nd new solutions and new opportunities. Recent innovations include MEFTEX, a fabric plated with our unique patented electrochemical method, which is now entering new sectors such as electrical engineering, automotive and personal safety and security. Bochemie continues to grow in different directions and has done so for almost 120 years.
Thank you for the interview.
