Innovative APC Intern Creates Huge Impacts for Evonik Industries

The Company

Mobile, Alabama, on the Gulf of Mexico, is home to Evonik Corporation’s largest North American site. With approximately 700 employees, the site produces hydrogen peroxide, fumed silica, methionine (an animal feed additive), and other chemicals. Evonik is also the global market leader in specialty catalysts for biodiesel production.

The MMAT (methylmethacrylate transesterification) Business Unit at Evonik’s Theodore facility requested assistance with 5S projects, a new product launch, customer packaging complaints, and regulatory requirements involving OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standards and the Department of Transportation (DOT).

Engagement Objectives

The objective of this engagement was to support the MMAT Business Unit in continuing its 5S program while also advancing project work related to safety, environmental compliance, OSHA (PSM), and DOT regulations.

For the 2016 summer semester, the Alabama Productivity Center (APC) assigned an intern from the University of Alabama’s Chemical and Biological Engineering Department, supported by center professional staff, to assist with these initiatives.

Key Accomplishments

The APC intern successfully completed a wide range of projects that strengthened both compliance and operations within the MMAT Business Unit:

• **5S Warehouse Reorganization**

Reorganized the unit’s warehouse, reclaimed and sold scrap material and equipment, and designed shelving for improved material storage.

• **Improved Batch Cleanup Standards**

Developed updated cleanup standards to ensure no contamination of future products.

• **Emergency Notification Systems**

Compiled a listing and created a map of emergency notification pushbutton stations to facilitate faster response times during emergencies.

• **New Product Launch Support**

Wrote laboratory procedures for testing new product characteristics.

Created operating procedures, including production protocols and appropriate PPE requirements.

Conducted employee training on new procedures.

• **Environmental Compliance**

Improved product emission calculations for submission to the EPA.

• **Customer Complaint Resolution**

Investigated and resolved packaging-related customer complaints.

• **DOT Compliance**

Completed a placarding and labeling compliance check.

Edited procedures to capture and verify this data.

• **PSM Documentation**

Checked and updated unit P&IDs (Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams) and PFDs (Process Flow Diagrams).

Completed risk-based inspection check sheets to ensure compliance with PSM requirements.

Measurable Impacts

• Retained Sales: $2,877,200

• Cost Savings: $146,096

• Added Investments: $17,750