Earlier this year, Bruce Chinn became CEO of Chevron Phillips Chemical Co. (CPChem).
Bruce Chinn, CEO, Chevron Phillips Chemical Co.
Chinn recently reflected on the accomplishments of his first 100 days as CEO and pinpointed three specific highlights of his experience so far.
"I attended the groundbreaking ceremony for our 1-hexene unit in Old Ocean, Texas," Chinn said. "It feels really great to help shape the company's growth in areas that really matter to our customers, like 1-hexene, a critical component of producing high-performance plastics."
This investment positions CPChem as a leading 1-hexene supplier by building its capacity to keep up with customer demands.
"That's very important to us," he added. "There's strong growth now in the polyethylene sector that's driving demand for 1-hexene, and our selective 1-hexene technology has positioned us to support that demand."
According to Chinn, a second highlight has been "shepherding the progress" CPChem is making around sustainability.
"We are continuing efforts to address really significant societal issues such as plastic waste and climate change," he said. "We're progressing our circular polymers after announcing the commercial-scale production in the U.S. of our circular polymer product line, Marlex® Anew™, which uses advanced recycling technology. We're targeting about 1 billion pounds of annual production for sale by 2030."
The target startup date for the new plant is 2023.
Chinn also referred to the strides that CPChem's performance pipe division is making by working with Water Mission, a nonprofit organization, to provide clean drinking water in a remote area in Peru.
"This project's scope will impact nearly 300 households and 17 institutions in that area," he said.
Pointing to the third highlight of his first 100 days, Chinn said he is proud of CPChem's efforts to advance diversity, equity and inclusion.
"This organization is focused on building a diverse pipeline of talent that is ready to lead the industry now and into the future," he said. "During my first 100 days, we announced our support of the Future of STEM Scholars Initiative, an industry-wide program that provides scholarships, internships, mentorships and leadership development for students studying STEM disciplines at historically Black colleges and universities.
Going forward with sustainability, innovation
Discussing the company's vision as it takes these achievements forward, Chinn noted that CPChem's mission and strategy have remained consistent since its formation in 2000.
"Even as the pace of change accelerates, we are committed to many of the key principles that got us to where we are today," Chinn said. "I want CPChem to continue to be the premier chemical company that's also known as the employer, supplier, neighbor, partner and investment of choice. We want to continue responsibly manufacturing chemicals and polymers."
According to Chinn, providing enriching careers and creating shareholder value will remain priorities for CPChem because the company cares about its employees, work, customers and communities.
"As we move forward with sustainable growth, I want to continue to invest in circular solutions that contribute toward a lower-carbon future underpinned and sustained by our overall enterprise resilience," Chinn said.
Although it is a concept that cannot be monetized or easily benchmarked, fostering a culture of innovation will continue to be one of the company's top priorities, Chinn explained.
"As have many companies, we have embarked upon some digital transformation, but I believe that company culture is the foundation for any transformation, including digital," he concluded. "We will continue to focus on all these things that we can control and impact as we produce sustainable products in the future."
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