Neste Oil's new laboratory to play a key part in the company's cutting-edge R&D
Press Release
Neste Oil Corporation
2 June 2010 at 10.45 am (EET)
Neste Oil's new laboratory to play a key part in the company's cutting-edge R&D
Neste Oil inaugurates a new Central Laboratory at its Porvoo refinery today. The laboratory will play a key part in the company's R&D and in analyzing the refinery's products and quality assurance work. The project was carried out between 2008 and 2010 and cost approximately EUR 18.5 million.
"Around 1,000 of our more than 5,000 personnel work in areas related to research and technology development, and our annual R&D budget today is around EUR 37 million," says Lars Peter Lindfors, Neste Oil's Senior Vice President, Technology and Strategy. "Cutting-edge R&D calls for the latest technology, both in terms of equipment and facilities. The new laboratory, combined with our strong research expertise, will give us an excellent foundation for continuing our successful research into the future."
Neste Oil's main laboratory carries out around 250,000 analyses on some 100,000 samples annually. Half of these samples are linked to process monitoring, something over a quarter to quality assurance on end-products, 7.5% to feedstocks, and around 15% to research projects. Around 300 analytical methods are currently in use. Some 80 people - primarily chemists, laboratory technicians, and laboratory analysts - will work in the new building.
The new laboratory is located close to key parts of the refinery, the Research and Technology organization, and Neste Oil's engineering company, Neste Jacobs. The close cooperation that takes place between people in these various organizations gives Neste Oil a valuable competitive edge. Neste Oil has developed a number of cutting-edge technologies in use around the world. One of the latest of these is NExBTL technology, used to produce the world's leading renewable diesel fuel.
Neste Oil also recently invested in a new laboratory at its other refinery at Naantali, which was opened in December 2008.
Neste Oil Corporation
Hanna Maula
Director, Corporate Communications
Further information: Kari Kolsi, Vice President, R&D, tel. +358 (0)50 458 2317
Neste Oil in brief
Neste Oil Corporation is a refining and marketing company concentrating on low-emission, high-quality traffic fuels. The company is the world's leading supplier of renewable diesel. Neste Oil's refineries are located at Porvoo and Naantali in Finland and have a combined crude oil refining capacity of approx. 260,000 bbl/d. The company had net sales of 9.6 billion in 2009, employs around 5,100 people, and is listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki.
Neste Oil is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index and is featured in the Ethibel Pioneer Investment Register. It has been awarded 'Best in Class' recognition for its social accountability by the Norwegian bank, Storebrand, and is on Innovest's Global 100 list of the world's most sustainable corporations. Further information: www.nesteoil.com.