Sabento Case Study with ASA Special Enzymes GmbH

Successful Use of Sabento to Evaluate a Method for Surface Rust Removal

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The Task

Currently used etching methods for rust removal from metallic surfaces cause technical  and health problems for operators. In order to address this issue, the goal was to develop a gentle and efficient method for the removal of corrosive layers based on biotechnically developed siderophores (microbial iron chelators). Sabento was used to assess the chances and risks at developing this  method in advance at the basis of a biotechnical model.

Strategy and Implementation

Rust mainly consists of Fe2O3-Molecules, which have a trivalent content of iron. Some microorganisms are able to use microbial chelat builders (siderophores) to absorb Fe3+ ions with high affinity and to thereby remove rust layers. The chances and risks of this biotechnical process are analyzed in three steps:

1. Economic process evaluation
2. Ecologic process evaluation
3. Social process evaluation
   
   

Economic process evaluation

Within this step, the economic efficiency of the planned rust removal method is assessed. This can be done already in an early stage of development, and it encompasses a global examination of the process and also a local examination of specific process elements. Once the materials and process steps that create the highest costs are identified, this knowledge can be used for optimization purposes in later process planning stages. The following performance indicators are determined:

• Contribution margin
• Profit
• Return on investment
• Payback period
  
  

Measureable Results and Benefits

• Economic evaluation
  
  As a result of the preceding analyses a high profit for the product line, with a payback period of 3.4 years is forecast. Optimization potentials related to investment costs and material costs for important raw materials can be easily identified.
  The turnover that can be realized through the sale of etching powder amounts to about 34 mio. Euro per year. Taking into account variable costs of about 15 mio. Euro, the contribution margin amounts to more than 19 mio. Euro. With fixed costs at the order of 8.5 mio. Euro, the resulting profit is more than 11 mio. Euro. This amounts to a net profit ratio of 32.2 %.
• Ecologic evaluation
  
  To produce 1 kg of product, more than 1000 kg of material are needed on the input side. The energy requirement is 17.5 kWh/kg and the amount of waste water is one million cubic meters per year. A further result is, that none of the materials used in the process is classified as ecologically precarious.
  
• Social evaluation and knowledge management
  
  Because of the research intensity in biotechnology, knowledge management is an important factor of production, which makes an elementary contribution to the success of a company. Part of that are processes for the creation, collection, distribution, development, and application of knowledge. Knowledge management of ASA Special Enzymes has been awarded 11 out of 12 in the process development phase, and 12 out of 12 points in the process application phase as a result of the social assessment.