Arkema – Rho Plant

ARKEMA, a world-leading multinational group in the specialised chemicals sector, has always integrated environmental sustainability into its industrial strategy. Present in Italy with seven production complexes, in 2013 the company started a deep reflection on its energy and environmental impacts, translating its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) vision into concrete objectives.

Among the targets set for 2020:

• Reduction of CO₂ emissions by 30%,
• 1.5 per cent cut in annual energy costs, with 2012 as the baseline.

In the same year, Quantum was selected as technical partner for the design of an innovative industrial LED lighting solution, applied to the large production site in Rho (Milan), a plant of over 220,000 m², highly complex due to the variety of processes, extreme operating conditions and the presence of particularly aggressive materials.

The first step of the project concerned the sulphite warehouse, a highly critical environment, subject to strong corrosion due to the constant presence of fine fertiliser dust. Here Quantum installed an intelligent lighting system consisting of highly resistant LED bodies, capable of guaranteeing operational continuity and light quality even in unfavourable environmental situations.

A distinctive element of the project was the integration with the ‘Warehouse Internet of Things’ software : an advanced platform for real-time monitoring of consumption, precise control of light intensity based on actual conditions of use, and management of the operating status of luminaires, including those intended foremergency lighting, which is essential in high-risk contexts.

After a long testing period of more than two years and a series of technical and performance checks, Quantum received final approval for the system from the Arkema Group in January 2016. From that moment, the rollout of the entire system started, which has been developed in phases until the complete redevelopment of the plant by mid-2018.

The latest installations involved the finished product storage areas, the internal roadways and the security lighting of the employee car parks, served by two custom-designed light towers to ensure visibility, safety and compliance with light pollution regulations.

The project generated overall energy savings of 2.6 GWh per year, with a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions. A concrete result that confirms howenergy efficiency and plant digitisation can coexist perfectly even in complex industrial environments, making a decisive contribution to achieving the company’s environmental objectives.A pioneering intervention that has outlined a replicable model within the Arkema group and demonstrates, once again, howintelligent lighting represents a strategic asset in the transition towards a more sustainable and conscious chemistry.