Research, Development and Innovation

ICL’s research, development and innovation (RD&I) activities support the Company’s growth strategy. The main objective of these activities is to enable new product sales (NPS) and new business creation in the areas of next-generation fertilizers, food technology, e-mobility/sustainability, novel materials and digital agriculture. Developments encompass products, formulations, processes and new business models. Development activities are implemented in the company’s RD&I centers around the world and in external labs in universities, research institutes and start-ups with whom ICL is collaborating on several RD&I projects. A thorough analysis of market and customer needs precedes strategic research projects. ICL also continuously searches for new uses for ICL’s core minerals and their derivatives. \

The Company’s core RD&I activities support each of ICL’s business segments, while longer term strategic projects, digital platforms and technological solutions for farmers and agronomists are coordinated at the corporate level. ICL drives collaborations with companies offering innovative technologies for crop nutrition, and agronomy, in general, with the goal to introduce and integrate new digital solutions for the agricultural world by utilizing, among other things, external knowledge and platforms.

OUR R&D EXPENSES

Fields of RD&I include:

Next-generation fertilizers: nutrient use efficiency, biodegradable coatings for controlled release fertilizers; biostimulants, nutrient sensing technologies; growth enhancers; nitrogen fixation for crops.

Food Technology: texture improvement, stabilization, salt reduction, shelf-life extension, meatless and alternative proteins.

E-Mobility and Sustainability: energy storage; lithium battery recycling.

Novel Materials: flame retardants; paint & coating additives; biocides; natural cosmetics.

Circular economy: waste to product; recycling; efficiency improvement using ICL’s minerals and chemistries.

Industry 4.0: IoT (Internet of Things) in manufacturing, safety and environment; machine learning and artificial intelligence for manufacturing optimization and product development.

Agro Digital platform:

ICL is in the process of developing an open digital platform, integrating multiple precision-ag technologies for agriculture professionals with partners’ data.

9.4

By 2030, upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable, with increased resource-use efficiency and greater adoption of clean and environmentally sound technologies and industrial processes, with all countries taking action in accordance with their respective capabilities.

RD&I Activities

ICL Industrial Products Division

New flame retardants for printed wire boards: Development of new phosphorus‑based solutions for PWB.
Flame retardants for polyurethanes: development of new phosphorus‑based solutions and integrated phosphorus/bromine solutions as flame retardants for the polyurethane market (flexible and rigid foam). The VeriQuel® F series, is a new flexible halogen free active flame retardant for flexible polyurethane recently launched to the market and VeriQuel®R100, is a new reactive phosphorus-based flame retardant for rigid insulation foams in building and construction markets.
Textiles & Adhesives: Continuing development and sales of the TexFRons® series. Sustainable and durable flame-retardant products for textile and adhesives, replacing former flame‑retardant products. The series includes polymeric flame retardants that are “Oeko‑Tex®” certified that also allow ATO free FR solutions.
Energy storage: continued development of bromine‑based energy storage solutions for Br-Battery companies, using diverse compounds.
Biocides: continued development of new materials for water treatment and prevention of biofilm in industrial water cooling systems and pulp and paper plants, including the use of signaling molecules as a non-biocidal additive to prevent biofilm.
Magnesia-based products: development of formulations in order to fulfil unmet needs in the markets, such as replacing aluminum components in deodorants and zinc oxide in several consumer products.
Support of production: improving product quality, production costs, energy savings, recycling and waste treatment. Changing and improving processes, while using the principles of green chemistry.
Troubleshooting and equipment maintenance cycle improvement, using better construction materials, preventing accelerated corrosion, wear and tear, and equipment adaptation.

Magnesia-based products: CareMag® D, developed by ICL, is already marketed by leading international cosmetics companies and another product is in the process of being launched. This product won the bronze medal for innovation in the In‑Cosmetics International Conference.

7.1

By 2030, ensure universal access to affordable, reliable and modern energy.

ICL Potash and Magnesium Division

Efficiency and synergy measures in order to increase potash production and reduce cost per tonne at the potash and magnesium plants in Sdom.
Advancement of research regarding environmental protection, including the development of methods to treat and reduce effluents.
Development of new downstream products to diversify ICL’s product offering, utilizing current waste streams and raw materials.

Improvement of product quality by tackling emerging issues such as degradability, organic content, etc.

Granular Polysulphate – optimization of the process in two aspects: output and quality, as well as implementation of a new organic coating.

ICL Phosphate Solutions Division

Continued diversification of the product portfolio for meat substitutes. In this context, ICL developed a continuous process to manufacture wet protein fibers that are sold under the ROVITARIS® brand. Main application areas are white meat substitutes for chicken, fish and seafood. Investment in a dedicated plant in the US began in 2020, with start-up planned for H2/2021.
The development of paint additives for enhancing scratch and abrasion resistance for application in UV cured paints in floor and kitchen panels was finalized and the product was launched into the market. Further applications of this new technology are under evaluation.
Development of applications for water conservation and improving the availability of phosphorus fertilizers around the root.
Continuous trials for adaptation of various potential types/quantities of phosphate rock for the production of phosphoric acid and its downstream products, as part of an effort to utilize and increase existing phosphate reserves.
Research regarding environmental protection, including development of methods for treating and reducing effluents.

In accordance with the strategy to expand ICL Food Specialties’ business by adding natural, cleaner(er) label ingredients for improving texture, shelf life and pH management, the ICL division began broader screening of technologies, start-ups and molecules. Initial promising results were achieved in the fields of new functional proteins and natural acidulants.

ROVITARIS® is a proprietary technology developed by ICL that supports the production of allergen free plant-based food. Using ROVITARIS® technology, food manufacturers can create plant-based meat alternatives. In late 2019, ICL's Rovitaris® technology won the Food Ingredients Europe Innovation Award in the protein category. ICL is the first company to launch fava bean technology as a new alternative protein solution in the meatless category.

Innovative Ag Solutions

Main targets:

Upgrading the product portfolio with new product formulations; mainly, tailored formulations based on customer demand.
Development of improved production options for the unique HiPeak product line.
Development of controlled‑release NPK fertilizers with a quicker, fully degradable coating.
Development of applications for water conservation and improving the availability of fertilizers around the root.
Initiation and development of new technologies to increase nutrient use efficiency.
Development of peat alternatives for horticulture growing media.

Read more about ICL’s RD&I projects in the ICL’s 2020 Annual Report (pp.155-157).

IMI TAMI - R&D Institute

The ICL Chemical Research Center in Israel – IMI TAMI (TAMI) – is a world-class research institute. Its primary goal is to expand the business of ICL by improving existing chemical production processes and developing new, proprietary chemical compounds with a commercial advantage. TAMI’s team includes chemists, engineers, microbiologists and analytical and corrosion chemists. The institute also provides a broad range of services, including research and development, production, testing and a very large selection of analysis options for customers from the chemical, pharmaceutical, food and environmental quality service industries.

As a one-stop-shop facility, TAMI’s infrastructure and expertise enable the development of processes from the basic idea to the full industrial process. TAMI offers its expertise in every step of the process: idea validation, lab feasibility, parametrization, Process Safety Analysis, Scale-Up and waste treatment. Development relies on a state-of-the-art infrastructure containing in house development tools, and is assisted with cutting edge customized simulation capabilities, such as ASPEN PLUS, VISIMIX, etc. TAMI also deals with scaling down processes for trouble shooting or changing and upgrading processes. TAMI works under strict regulation requirements e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 GLP, etc. To meet customers’ requirements, TAMI provides various solutions for raw materials recycling and waste treatment and analysis, as well as sophisticated analytical tools to face any new challenges.

Some examples of fields in which TAMI developed processes, for internal and external customers, include: flame retardants, fertilizers, polymers, composite materials, nano materials, biocides, pharma, cannabis, biotech, food, and many more. It works with startups, as well as established companies.

Research, Development and Innovation

Fields of RD&I include:

RD&I Activities

IMI TAMI - R&D Institute

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