Refrigeration technologies – contributing to a sustainable future from the very start of innovation

At Perstorp, refrigeration innovation and technology development is an essential part of how to create a more sustainable future. Meet Eva and Amir from the Perstorp innovation team who works with developing sustainable building blocks for lubricants used in cooling systems –  and thereby making an environmentally friendly impact on refrigeration already from the very first starting point.

“Sustainability is getting concrete now. With Perstorp´s sustainability direction and targets, in combination with the Innovation department initiatives, we have a guidance in our development work that involves sustainable manufacturing systems, circularity thinking and different aspects of sustainability in use of products. We believe that by making chemistry more sustainable you will at the end of day contribute to making the products that our chemistry goes into, more sustainable,” says Eva Gustavsson, Application Development Specialist, at Perstorp.

Eva has worked at Perstorp’s innovation department for more than 25 years and has been part of the development of more environmentally friendly chemistry products since she started at Perstorp. The focus on environment was something that attracted Eva to Perstorp and that is still valid today, almost two decades later.

“Our team at the Innovation department have a clear sustainability ambition in everything we do. We strive to find technical solutions that can solve the needs from a customer and product perspective, while at the same time reduce the impact on the environment. As a team, we function as a partner, to both internal colleagues as well as external contacts, like customers and other companies, and together we bring new and exciting products and solutions to the world. No one can create a better future alone, and at Perstorp we are working together to make a difference from the very beginning. Where it all starts, with the tiny building blocks of chemistry.”

During her years with Perstorp Eva has had the opportunity to work with many different areas of innovation. Since a few months back she has been presented with new challenges and a new area of innovation development, refrigeration lubricants:

“I have never worked with cooling systems before, but they are truly essential to so many aspects of our lives and help to protect, preserve and provide platforms for other technologies to develop from. We provide the building blocks of polyols and acids that goes into the cooling systems and I look forward to venture into this new area of technology innovation. I get to bring all my expertise in to a new area and together with my colleagues help to develop even better cooling comfort to the world.”

One of the colleagues that Eva will be collaborating with, and who is an expert in the field of refrigeration lubricants, is Amir Farzaneh, Technical Market Development Manager at the Innovation department. Amir joined Perstorp three years ago and has an extensive background in engineered fluids. During his time with Perstorp he has found what he believes is a perfect match between his innovation technology expertise and drive for sustainable improvements:

“At Perstorp I get to impact chemistry for the better already at the very first starting point, while also considering the whole value chain until the end consumer use. We innovate and develop building blocks that at the end of the day helps both people and the planet. Cooling systems are needed everywhere in our modern society; they are enablers for safe transports, medicine functionality, internet availability, food preservation, comfort in homes, hospitals, cars, well: it is simply everywhere. And in our team we focus on innovation technology to make sure that the impact to environment is a low as possible while the use for society is a high a possible.”

The innovation focus on engineered fluids and in particular refrigeration lubricants, provides opportunities to collaborate with partners both inside the company as well as with other companies, customers and academic institutes. A work environment that is stimulating according to Amir, but also a necessity to move forward with realizing the technology innovations.

“Every day is different when you work with innovation technology for refrigeration lubricants. There are new learnings more or less daily and it is there the power of innovation lies for me: when you take the learnings and findings you make, merge them with those from a collaborating partner and come up with a result that fulfils -  or even goes beyond – the need that was identified. And all of it under the umbrella of contributing to a more sustainable future. For real.”

More information about Engineered Fluids and Refrigeration Lubricants
Go to Perstorp’s career pages to find out more about working at Perstorp