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Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe: Pioneering the Future of Ion Exchange Membranes

by M. Köster January 15, 2024 Comments0

In the dynamic world of membrane technology, Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe has been making remarkable strides that deserve a closer look. With a sharp focus on high-volume membrane supply, they are not only a manufacturer but a catalyst for transformative membrane processes. We believe in celebrating the achievements of our industry colleagues, especially when their innovations are at the forefront of shaping the future.

In this blog post, we’re excited to delve into the fascinating realm of ion exchange membranes (IEM) and how our relentless commitment to excellence is driving us further. If you’re passionate about cutting-edge membrane technology, this is a journey you won’t want to miss.

Drive for Incomparable Quality

The heart of these thin, anion and cation ion exchange membranes lies in the cutting-edge coating and polymer technology, which allows to precisely engineer the composition and structure of the membrane materials and produce membranes with exceptional functionality and durability. Years of experience in working with sensitive photo films have honed our understanding of the coating process slightest specifics. Just the same way, we’ve perfected the art of applying uniform and precise layers of active materials onto the polymer membranes, which lets us ensure consistent, exceptional quality and performance, eliminating variations that could impact product quality.

Applications Beyond Imagination

The world of electro-separation technologies is broad and diverse, with unique requirements for each application. Whether it’s fresh water production or wastewater concentration, Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe has engineered a membrane portfolio designed to cater to the specific needs of our customers. The portfolio boasts a wide spectrum of ion exchange membranes, including those with low electrical resistance, broad pH range suitability, and low water permeation capabilities.

Membrane Production

Situated on a sprawling 61-hectare site in Tilburg, Netherlands, Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.V. is a powerhouse of production. The diverse range of products, including photo paper, offset plates, membranes (ion exchange and gas separation), and cell culture media, underscores the magnitude of their operations. With a workforce exceeding 700 employees, this facility stands tall as one of Fujifilm’s largest production centres, serving the photographic products, membranes, and bio materials industries.

Our dedication to research and development is a cornerstone of our success. We have two cutting-edge R&D laboratories dedicated to membranes:

Advanced Research Laboratory in Kanagawa, Japan

This laboratory specializes in Synthetic Organic Chemistry, focusing on high-performance polymer technology, and Highly Functional Materials Research, dedicated to innovations in coating technology.

Tilburg Research Laboratory

Located at the production site of Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe B.V., this lab houses an exceptional analytical laboratory. It plays a pivotal role in supporting customer and application activities related to ion exchange membranes and gas separation membranes.

In the quest for perfection, the laboratory is equipped with an extensive set of validated test methods. These methods include perm selectivity, electrical resistance, ion exchange capacity, water permeation, and burst strength, ensuring the evaluation of membrane properties and performance is held to the highest standards.

Paving the Way Forward

Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe’s journey is a testament to the remarkable advancements that can be achieved when a company relentlessly pursues excellence. Our team is excited to spotlight such achievements in the industry and share them with our dedicated readers. We encourage you to explore Fujifilm Manufacturing Europe’s website to learn more about their pioneering work in ion exchange membranes. It’s a step toward not only celebrating success but also drawing inspiration from the remarkable progress made by our colleagues. We look forward to seeing how their work continues to shape the landscape of membrane technology in the years to come.

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Crafting Quality: A Glimpse into FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe

by M. Köster October 24, 2023 Comments0

FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe in Tilburg is a state-of-the-art facility that produces a wide range of high-quality photo paper and photographic film. Located in the heart of the Netherlands, the facility is one of the most advanced manufacturing plants in the world, with cutting-edge technology and processes that ensure exceptional product quality and consistency.

Since its establishment in 1982, FUJIFILM Manufacturing Europe in Tilburg has been at the forefront of photographic technology, constantly developing new products and improving existing ones. The company’s focus on innovation has led to a range of industry-leading products, including the Crystal Archive photo paper, which is widely used in the photographic industry due to its high image quality, color reproduction, and longevity.

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Unique way of purifying water at Fujifilm Tilburg together with four neighbour companies

by Fujifilm EMEA March 22, 2021 Comments1

Sustainability is a key subject for Fujifilm in Tilburg. Therefore, let us tell you a story about clean water on today’s World Water Day.

At Fujifilm in Tilburg the Netherlands, we make use of a collective company water treatment. In this water purification installation Fujifilm purifies water on the site, together with three neighbour companies, Coca-Cola European Partners Nederland B.V, International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF Nederland), Agristo. This water purification installation was the first of its kind in the Netherlands: the water purification plant is located on Fujifilm’s premises, it is over 3,000 square metres in size and can purify 10 million litres of process water a day. The companies are connected to the water treatment plant by over 8 kilometres of pipes. Each type of process water runs through its own pipe, so that the chemical composition of the process water can be taken into account.

The water purification takes place by means of biological cleaning through a membrane filter, also called Membrane Bio Reactor (MBR). This technique is well known, but this was one of the largest industrial MBR installations of its kind, and it is unique in the Netherlands.

Alex van Rijn, Manager Environment, Safety, Health & Sustainability at Fujifilm, explains: “The collective company water treatment plant is an initiative, started 10 years ago, by the four neighbour companies. Looking at composition, the combination of the waste water streams of these four companies fits well together to be able to process the waste water in a way that it can be cleaned and discharged in a safe and efficient way. The reason to start the project was that the wastewater plant of the local water board came to its limits and was not able to clean and discharge the future waste water streams of the four involved companies. Fujifilm needs the water for its processes: the products we make, for example photo paper, offset plates, membranes and cell culture media, are sensitive and need very clean water. One of the reasons for starting the factory in the 1980’s in Tilburg, is the presence of very clean well water. Next step in the project for the coming years is to make use of the purified waste water in a way it can be given back to nature and /or agriculture. This fits well in the situation in Noord-Brabant where we face increasing drought in the summers.” Currently, fulfilling all legal specifications, this water is drained to the Wilhelmina canal and in the end to the sea.

Sustainability is a key subject for Fujifilm Tilburg. In the area of sustainability, for the coming years the focus will be on Energy transition, working towards zero carbon production at Fujifilm Tilburg and focus on optimized use of well water by reducing the amount of well water that we use and by making optimal use of the waste water for nature / agriculture. Next to this, the electricity of the production process operates already on wind energy for 100%. Fujifilm generates energy with an afterburner and the waste streams of Fujifilm are recycled for 100%.

The basis of the purification system is the membrane bioreactor (MBR); this is a type of water treatment plant where a membrane filter separates sludge and water under pressure. The membrane consists of a polymer sheet with pores of 0.01-0.5 micrometre. The membrane sheet is in the form of a hollow fibre. The membrane bioreactor consists of a biological water purification unit and membrane filtration unit.
Fujifilm is working together with Coca-Cola European Partners Nederland B.V, International Flavors and Fragrances (IFF Nederland), Agristo and the province, the local waterboards and the local municipalities. The Company “New water Business” (NWB) is exploiting the waste water treatment plant for the four companies.
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