“Outside the box”: Digitalization in the C4 Verbund moves on to the next round

The intelligent shaping of the ChemicalBusiness means consistent development of these strengths - working together with our customers. In the chemical sector, the days are gone when market growth was achieved primarily through a closed-shop mentality, patents and isolationism. On the contrary: In the age of digitalization, crowd sourcing and outside-the-box thinking, progress is increasingly being achieved through transparency and cooperation. And that along the entire value chain.

This is confirmed by a survey carried out recently by Performance Intermediates (PI) among approximately 150 customers. In addition to a personal relationship, customers are primarily looking for contact opportunities via various additional communication channels and partnerships in the areas of product and technology development.

“Making use of chemical and technological knowledge in collaboration with customers in the form of partnerships, and as a result, developing new products, services and technologies – this is the formula for future success,” says Dirk Höhler, head of Marketing & Sales in Performance Intermediates. “By working with the customer to jointly optimize and expand our online platform C4Connect®, we are setting new standards in our markets and shaping the future of C4-based chemicals together with our customers.”

Based on this logic, the C4Buy® platform recently went online. So far, almost 7,000 metric tons of products have been sold via this spot platform: MTBE, butadiene and n-butane. In terms of tank trucks, this would be enough to cover the turf of the Signal-Iduna-Park 1.5 times over.

Performance Intermediates is currently working on the next module of the C4Connect® world: C4Business®. There, customers can find an overview of their key figures with PI, there is a collaboration facility for joint projects, and access to customer-related market insights. A pilot application is currently being developed with three customers, and this will be rolled out to all customers later in the year.

“In C4Business® too, the focus is on the customer. The findings that we gain from the close collaboration are critical for further development. Only this way can we develop solutions that provide added value to the customer. These solutions must fit seamlessly into the customer’s world,” says Waldemar Fuchs, head of eBusiness Interfaces in Performance Intermediates. The desired effect: Faster and more efficient information and material flows and, as a result, greater customer satisfaction.

The same is true for Robert van Nielen, Managing Director Large Industries of our customer Air Liquide Deutschland GmbH: "As part of our corporate strategy, digitalization is also an important issue for Air Liquide worldwide, with a focus on our customer’s needs. We can respond optimally even in an increasingly fast-paced environment due to our innovative solutions.”

As the PI slogan goes, “We make digitalization simple”. You can find out more about the growing number of digital opportunities here: