Founded more than 50 years ago, CONSER can claim an extremely diverse portfolio of technology patents dedicated to energy transition and chemical processes. With the acquisition – in 2023, by the subsidiary NEXTCHEM Holding – of an 83.5% stake in CONSER, the MAIRE group expanded into the markets for high value-added derivative technologies and biodegradable plastics intermediates.
Upon the acquisition, CEO Alessandro Bernini appreciated the added value that Flavio Simola brought to the company, «We are excited to continue working with him and his team. This important step allows the MAIRE group to expand its technology portfolio in the area of sustainable chemicals. »
«Our group's focus on CONSER has long roots,” explains Andrea Vena, Commercial & Operations VP of MAIRE. "We have always seen CONSER as a center of excellence for technologies related to the energy transition: the acquisition coincided with the 54th anniversary of CONSER's founding. The company's integration into the NEXTCHEM family extends to both fuels&chemicals (through its patented technologies on C4 derivatives) and to polymers, thanks to the DuettoTM technology, which enables the production of the raw materials necessary for the synthesis of biodegradable plastics. »
With the acquisition of CONSER, MAIRE has strengthened its leadership in the field of energy transition and circular economy. To learn more about the history of this center of technological excellence, here are the accounts of engineer Flavio Simola (Innovation & Intellectual Property Director of CONSER) and Andrea Vena (Commercial & Operations VP of MAIRE).
More than half a century of history
CONSER was founded in 1969 as an industrial consulting company in the field of chemical processes. In the first decades, it focused mainly on services in the field of Oil&Gas and petrochemical processes. «The first important turning point, » says Flavio Simola, «occurred in the early 1990s, when the company decided to evolve: from a service company to a company dedicated to the development and commercialization of technologies. Another pivotal moment began during that same period, but was fully implemented by 2005, with the company's entry into the Chinese market, which was growing rapidly in the industrial manufacturing sector. The most recent decisive step was the entry into the MAIRE group, which opened new horizons both for new business fields and the opportunity to enter markets outside of the Asian region. »
The technologies developed by CONSER are the result of synergies between laboratory research and internal development, often in collaboration with Italian universities. The company has always maintained a close relationship with the world of production and industry, making the contribution of external collaborators with experience in industrial plant management indispensable. «From a business point of view, » Simola continues, «CONSER's flagship technology is that of maleic anhydride and its derivatives, a sector in which the company is considered one of the global leaders. From a technological point of view, the most innovative technology is that of halobutyl rubber, which is distinguished by a particularly complex polymerization reaction at extremely low temperatures (-100°C), giving CONSER prestige and satisfaction. »
The most important factor for CONSER has been finding experienced and well-connected local agents or partners in the industry. Especially significant was the collaboration in China with companies such as Synocal Technology Development and Chemarti Technology Development. «Cultural and regulatory differences have not posed great difficulties, » says Simola, «partly because CONSER has been familiar with Chinese culture for many years and partly because of the prestige and reputation it has acquired with major Chinese industrial groups over the course of the three decades it has been there. »
Collaborations with universities and industrial partners
CONSER – which, despite its limited size, has distinguished itself by its ability to adapt to the demands of the international market – has developed a distinctive methodology and technical capability in the research and development of petrochemical technologies, through constant interaction with industry, manufacturing, and a number of Italian universities. Some of the technologies licensed by CONSER have resulted from the collaboration with manufacturing companies and integration with their R&D centers. «Since the early 2000s, CONSER has established important collaborations with prestigious Italian universities, such as Federico II University of Naples and La Sapienza University of Rome, for the development of technologies such as epichlorohydrin from glycerin, brominated butyl rubber, HPPO, maleic anhydride, PTMEG and butanediol/dimethylsuccinate, the latter being fundamental for the transition to bio-degradable plastics. »
«Looking to the future, » Andrea Vena concludes, «CONSER intends to focus on the development and continuous improvement of technologies for biodegradable plastics, in response to market developments that aim to reduce or ban the use of non-biodegradable plastics. In addition, CONSER will focus on expanding technologies for the production of a wide range of chemicals needed for the creation of everyday materials and objects, benefiting from innovative and sustainable production processes. »
Leaving a trail to change the future