Press Releases

Marcell Ulrichs acceeds position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at CHOREN. CHOREN Group steps up international expansion

On September 1st Marcell Ulrichs will acceed position of Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at CHOREN. He will be responsible for marketing and product strategy, sales and corporate development.

Freiberg, July 2009

Mr Ulrichs, who holds a master degree in business administration and is a graduate of the Advanced Management Programme at Harvard Business School, has many years of experience in the strategic management of companies in the oil and automotive industries.

"The energy sector including the fuels industry is going through a period of radical change. Sustainability and security of supply are becoming major factors for success in global competition", says Professor Stephan Schüller, chairman of CHOREN’s supervisory board.

Mr Ulrichs is convinced that "with its unique technology portfolio, CHOREN is ideally placed to become an important partner as a licensor and engineering services provider to the main international players in the chemical and petrochemical industries and in the energy sector".

CHOREN has specialist expertise in the field of synthesis gas production from biomass, coal and carbon-containing residues. The energy-rich, high-purity synthesis gas can be used as a source of various products such as the next generation of biofuels (BTL) and green electricity.

The global marketing of our differentiated technological capabilities is a central aspect of the CHOREN Group’s future strategy. "We now need to make our products and technologies available for worldwide use", says Prof. Schüller. "This involves organic growth in this high-tech field, which requires a high level of strategic skill based on a fundamental understanding of the development of markets and long-standing international expertise. We are very pleased to have Marcell Ulrichs on board, as a leader who has the necessary background of experience."

Marcell Ulrichs has been employed by BP/Castrol since 1998 in various international, executive posts. As Vice President for Strategic Cooperations since 2004, he has had particular responsibility for the sustainable development of relations with the oil group’s global partners.
Prior to that, Ulrichs spent ten years in the German automotive industry working for Continental AG. He began his career with the Japanese electronics manufacturer Pioneer in Germany.

Marcell Ulrichs (CEO) joins a senior management team made up of Olaf Schulze (CTO), Dr. Jochen Petersen (CFO) and Jan Boon (COO).
At present, CHOREN has about 300 employees worldwide. International subsidiaries exist in the USA and in China.

contact

Dr. Ines Bilas
CHOREN Industries GmbH
Frauensteiner Straße 59
09599 Freiberg
Tel. +49 3731 2662-226
www.choren.com

background

CHOREN is an internationally leading supplier of technologies for synthesis gas production from carbon-containing solids. By gasification a high-purity, high-energy synthesis gas is produced, that can be used for the production of BTL, a second-generation biofuel, as well as traditional synthesis gas products (e.g. ammonia and methane) and for the generation of electricity especially in CHP (combined heat and power) plants.

Currently the world’s first commercial BTL production plant, the so called Beta plant, is starting up in Freiberg. The production of synthesis gas is due to start in autumn of this year. Fuel production with an annual capacity of 15,000 t of BTL is scheduled to begin in early 2010.

BTL is a high-purity synthetic biofuel, de facto free of sulphur and aromatics. BTL burns with extremely low emissions and is virtually CO2-neutral, since its combustion only releases the quantity of CO2 that was captured during the growth of the biomass feedstock.
Storage and distribution of BTL require no alterations to existing fuel infrastructure.
Moreover, BTL is fully compatible with current and future diesel engine technology.