Facebook Twitter 17.01.19 Global trends, continental differences "The clearest trend is that customers expect a very high quality level in process design and project management, but also in terms of finalization, efficiency, reliability and safety in process installations", said Jonathan Van Steelant, business development director at J-Tec Material Handling in Kapellen (Belgium). Continental differences On the other hand, Van Steelant sees continental differences in global trends. “In Europe, the continuous efficiency-improvement demands that we think along creatively and conceptually about the most optimal solutions. It is important to exploit installations maximally. This means that we already strive for the lowest operational costs during the design phase. In addition, automation is important when considering the flexibility of processes. However, in emerging markets such as South-East Asia the focus lies more on applying Western expertise, proven technology and a high level of reliability.” In USA, the industry focuses more on the functionality of individual components and systems, and less on conceptual improvements. In this region, maintenance and after sales service is valued the most. “However, we are often asked to brainstorm with the customer about solutions,” concludes Van Steelant. Globalization Globalization drastically changed the industry. With the introduction of the euro, markets became more transparent. This trend continued during the last decennia. However, it is important to see opportunities and to acknowledge threats. “The start-up of a new plant in an emerging economy or in an exotic location creates opportunities, but can bring along threats as well,” tells Van Steelant. “We also come up with solutions for that, such as the development of flexible and easy movable installations. Sometimes we advise customers to use the warehouses of Katoen Natie anywhere in the world, to start-up a production environment with a production installation designed by us. This could reduce risks and costs. By executing projects around the world, we gained a lot of experience with cultural differences. We know how to deal with language- and communication issues, local habits and legislation, but also with time zones, exchange risks, political turbulences and so on.” Fluctuations During the 50 years that J-Tec has been active in the chemical and food industries, the company has become familiar with the cyclic course of the chemical industry. “The food industry is a more stable market,” according to Van Steelant. Both industries ensure a nice balance in our activities. When we talk about fluctuations, we see that this is more of a regional aspect. Five years ago, the South-American and Russian market were the center of action for us, whereas now we are realizing more projects in Europe and USA. Towards the future, we expect a lot of the South-Asian market. The increasing prosperity in this region results in a growing demand for premium-quality process installations. Furthermore, we take into account the recovery of the South-American and Russian market.” Recycling Van Steelant fears that the cyclical upturn of the previous years in Europe is over. A market segment that still has significant growth opportunities is the recycling industry. “The pursuit of sustainability and regaining raw materials demands high-quality, energy-efficient process installations. An example of such a development is the ‘Plastic to Chemicals’-project of Indaver to process used synthetic packaging to reusable raw materials.” Legal game As a result- and technical driven company, J-Tec Material Handling regrets the advance of the ‘legal game’. “In the last 10 years, the importance of the small print in contracts has grown exponentially,” says Van Steelant. “It is a pity when companies are competing in terms of liability instead of the content of projects. We understand of course the importance of clear agreements, but the balance between commercial technical goals and the contractual approach is sometimes far gone.” Industry 4.0 A possible game changer is Industry 4.0, and more specifically the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In practice, however, not many companies can already demonstrate proven applications. According to Van Steelant, the speed of its implementation is prevented because of the complexity and risks of this technology: “There are issues in terms of process safety and confidentiality. Often, there is still a large distance between innovating start-ups and the industry, especially with multinationals.” J-Tec Material Handling is already working with Virtual Reality (VR) for some years to acquaint customers with process installations in design or construction phase. At this moment, the company is taking its first steps in the field of Augmented Reality (AR) in order to increase its service levels, particularly by performing remote maintenance. Near future In the near future, J-Tec Material Handling sees opportunities for ‘big data’ when it comes to optimizing the analysis of production processes. The possibilities of AI are predictive maintenance and even the set-up of 24/7 auto-response bots. Van Steelant: “By continuously challenging ourselves to find better solutions, increase the production efficiency, improve sustainability and guarantee even more safety, we hope to contribute to a better world in the coming years.” From idea to turnkey Many customers of J-Tec Material Handling are successful in the organization of an efficient sales- and production system, but do not have enough in-house knowledge and/or capacity to translate ideas into adequate process installations. The added value of J-Tec is that they have the expertise and capacity to realize such projects, and that they can meet the high standards of multinationals in the food and chemical industry. J-Tec Material Handling focuses on five specific industry sectors: PVC Processing, Plastic Compounding, Infant Nutrition, Food Ingredients and Snacks & Baked foods. The benefits of this strategy include a higher level of expertise, improved and tailor-made problem solving capabilities and a better understanding of our customers’ needs. Other news articles 19.01.21 Whitepaper: Efficient cleaning will boost productivity Have you ever considered your cleaning strategy and the implications it has on your manufacturing line? Find out what the key points are and how J-Tec goes beyond traditional engineering to improve the performance of your factory. Read the whitepaper: Efficient cleaning will boost productivity Read more 01.04.19 Katoen Natie announces major investments in the Netherlands Chemelot Covering an area of over 800 hectares, the Chemelot site is one of the major chemical hubs in Europe and has been expanding in recent years. The integrated cluster of companies produces a variety of chemicals and performance plastics for a wide range of markets and applications. Chemelot also hosts a research campus, with over 8,000 people working on-site. Katoen Natie investments Since 2013, Katoen Natie has acquired a number of logistics terminals in Limburg. Its sites in Nuth, Born, Geleen, Elsloo, Tüddern and Maasmechelen currently employ 250 people. With the expansion, Katoen Natie will anchor its strategic presence in the region. Central to the investment is a 12 hectare green field project on the Chemelot site. Here, Katoen Natie will build a brand new multi-customer terminal consisting of 54,500 m² state-of-the-art warehouse and 207 silos. Aside from warehousing operations, Katoen Natie will offer a full range value-added services including repackaging of chemicals, purifying of contaminated products, compounding and compacting services. The Chemelot terminal is expected to be operational in Q2, 2020. In addition to the investments on-site, Katoen Natie will expand its Nuth logistics terminal with 10,000 m² of warehouse space and 60 silos expected to be operational by the end of 2019. Another plot of land was acquired at Mitsubishi Avenue in Born, where Katoen Natie will construct and operate a 35,000m² warehouse to service the automotive industry. Investments in the local transport capacity will continue over the next year. With the purchase of 115 new lorries, 45 dry bulk trailers and 10 liquid bulk trailers the existing fleet will be renewed and expanded. Gateway to Central and Eastern Europe Aside from their proximity to Chemelot, the Katoen Natie terminals in Limburg are located just a few kilometers from the Belgian and German border. This strategic location, close to the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam and with easy rail and water access, make them an ideal stepping-stone for import flows into the Ruhr area and Eastern Europe. With this expansion, Katoen Natie affirms its position as the leading logistics and industrial services provider for the chemical industry in Europe. The implantation of its logistics platform on the Chemelot site will produce significant transport savings for Katoen Natie’s existing customers and reduce overall CO₂-emissions. In total, the 100,000 m² of added warehouse capacity and value-added logistics operations will create 75 new full time jobs in the region. Katoen Natie Katoen Natie is a private Flemish enterprise and its activities consist of value add logistical services with activities in 30 countries and more than 13.000 employees. For more about Katoen Natie go to https://www.katoennatie.com/who-we-are/ Read more 14.02.19 J-Tec Material Handling establishes its (South-East) Asian headquarters in Rayong, Thailand As a subsidiary of Katoen Natie, a global provider of smarter logistics and engineering solutions, J-Tec Material Handling has become an established partner for the leading players in the chemical and food industries worldwide. In order to be close to our customers and to serve them in the best possible way, we have steadily expanded internationally over the last decades. Today, J-Tec is present in Brazil, Poland, Austria, Germany and has opened a regional office in Texas, USA in 2015. In light of our continuous goal to offer customers the most optimal service, we recently opened our Asian headquarters in Rayong, Thailand, right in the midst of one of the region's most dynamic industrial hubs. Operating under the name J-Tec Material Handling, Ltd. and with a team of highly skilled local and international employees, J-Tec shows its commitment to the fast growing (South-East) Asian market. Benefits for our customers "Together with Katoen Natie, we have been active in South-East Asia for over 20 years now. The decision to establish our Asian headquarters here will definitely benefit our customers in several ways", says Arnaud Nelissen, Sales Director J-Tec Material Handling, Ltd. "Our service level and project management performance will improve thanks to proximity to regional customers, increased knowledge of the local market and the ability to manage projects regionally. Furthermore, it will improve our competitiveness by leveraging the power of local manufacturing." With this new set-up, J-Tec Material Handling is confident to become an even better partner for its customers. Contact J-Tec Material Handling, Ltd. Read more 04.01.18 Construction of six wind turbines at Katoen Natie, Loghidden City, Kallo Katoen Natie recently developed a 216 hectare site into an active logistics park. The area is used as a 23 MW PV plant, and now has six wind turbines with a height of 185 meters each on the limited available surface. Contribution to a sustainable environment The turbines, with a total installed capacity of 19 MW, generate about 52 GWh per year. This comes down to the yearly electricity consumption of 13.000 households. In combination with the solar panels, Katoen Natie utilizes its assets as sustainable as possible, contributing to limit CO2 emission and helping to achieve the climate targets. Partnerships in creating green energy In order to exploit a wind farm, a strict 24/7 follow-up by highly trained people and highly professional equipment is required. There we found a partnership with EDF Luminus, who is the largest windmill constructor in Belgium. Together with their manufacturer, they built six high-tech wind turbines on Loghidden City. This project is EDF Luminus’ largest one ever executed on an industrial site. A challenge One of the key requirements was to keep the site operational during the construction period. The terminal is very active, as hundreds of trucks are loaded and unloaded every day. In order to meet this requirement the largest components were delivered only just in time, and were transported during night on trailers of up to 66 meters long. In addition, the wind turbine foundations are located very close to the warehouses, which causes the least obstruction. Inauguration On December 14 2017, Deputy prime minister and minister of Employment, Economy and Consumer Affairs Kris Peeters inaugurated the six windturbines. Watch the video: construction of wind turbines at Katoen Natie Kallo Read more Load more J-Tec Material Handling Lieven Gevaertstraat 11 B-2950 Kapellen info@j-tec.com +32 3 660 51 11 LinkedIn Facebook Instagram YouTube Home To Katoen Natie Industries Services Technologies Locations Careers News & Media Contact Sitemap Downloads 2021 © Katoen Natie. All rights reserved. - Cookie policy - Visitor’s privacy policy This website uses cookies Manage your cookie preferences below. For an optimal user experience, accept all cookies. Read more STRICTLY NECESSARY PERFORMANCE TARGETING ACCEPT ALL DECLINE ALL SHOW DETAILS