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Bosch Energy and Building Solutions Global
Safety solutions for industry clients

Good Chemistry

To prevent major accidents involving dangerous substances, certain industrial activities and facilities must comply with strict safety requirements. The Dutch branch of Bosch Energy and Building Solutions is now implementing advanced safety and security solutions to minimize risks at a chemicals factory.

Vehicles from Bosch and the Sabic plant fire department in front of the company's branch office in Bergen op Zoom, the Netherlands
SABIC’s own fire brigade protects the eight production plants on the factory premises.

SABIC, a global diversified chemicals company, headquartered in Saudi Arabia, has five large production sites in Europe. These sites are required to comply with the stipulations of the so-called Seveso III Directive, the main EU legislation on measures to manage major hazard control in connection with dangerous substances. The Dutch branch of Bosch Energy and Building Solutions is currently upgrading the safety systems of SABIC in Bergen op Zoom, a multistage project that will run until 2024. The goal is a comprehensive, standalone safety solution that will meet and exceed the requirements of the relevant standards well into the future.

The Seveso III Directive calls for extensive monitoring of all chemical plants in the European Union at which there is a risk of major accidents. “The companies operating them are required to prove that they have taken suitable precautions to prevent and contain accidents and mitigate the associated risks,” says Ferry Ditewig, business development managerat the Dutch branch of Bosch Energy and Building Solutions.

Ferry Ditewig, Business Development Manager at Bosch Energy and Building Solutions, portrait
Ferry Ditewig of Bosch: “We will implement the complete safety concept in just four years.”

In the first phase of the project, the Dutch branch of Bosch Energy and Building Solutions is installing new fire alarm systems in the 200-hectare site’s 14 buildings, which include eight production plants. SABIC also has its own fire brigade that can quickly respond if required. Fire protection there involves considerably more than defensive measures for preventing damage. The system can now use sophisticated innovative technologies, including artificial intelligence and intelligent sensors, to detect and pinpoint fires at an early stage while reducing false alarms. The intelligent solutions being installed will also ensure a high level of safety well into the future, having been designed to facilitate their expansion or the integration of new systems as the requirements evolve.