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Then join us at The Chemical Summit — happening September 30 to October 1 in Houston, Texas.
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Can environmental biotech finally crack the code on PFAS, “forever chemicals,” and other persistent pollutants? Ray Sambrotto, CEO of Allied Microbiota, joins Victoria Meyer to share how advances in microbial technology are reshaping the landscape of remediation in the chemical industry. With a foundation in environmental microbiology and years of academic research, Ray explains his journey from oceanography to entrepreneurship, revealing how precise strains of bacteria can tackle tough contaminants—speeding up processes previously measured in years down to mere weeks.

Victoria and Ray discuss the shift from traditional clean-up methods to scalable, biologically driven solutions for soil and wastewater. The conversation covers regulatory hurdles, the integration of AI for microbial discovery, and how collaboration between specialty biotech firms and established engineering players can expedite commercial scale-up. As regulatory standards tighten and the demand for cost-effective cleanup grows, Allied Microbiota’s approach signals a new era where biology is not just an afterthought but a strategic asset in achieving industrial and environmental goals.

Victoria and Ray discuss the following topics in this week's episode:

• Transforming university research into commercial products
• Utilizing microbiology to break down "forever chemicals" in soil and water faster.
• Building strategic partnerships to enable scale-up
• How AI and machine learning can accelerate development

00:00 Chemical Industry Innovators Podcast

05:01 Bioremediation Challenges: Emerging Contaminants

08:39 Bioremediation of Contaminated Soil

11:35 Environmental Engineering Permitting Strategy

12:51 PFAS Breakdown: Cost-Effective Alternatives

16:28 Proactive Industrial Waste Management Solutions

22:18 Academic vs. Industrial Challenges

24:23 "Join & Share: The Chemical Show"

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Are you ready to think bigger about your business?

Then join us at The Chemical Summit — happening September 30 to October 1 in Houston, Texas.
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At the midpoint of 2025, the chemical industry is navigating a turbulent landscape marked by geopolitical conflicts, trade uncertainties, and shifting supply-demand dynamics. Host Victoria Meyer examines how leaders are driving innovation during times of economic uncertainty, sharing recent insights from established and emerging companies including Hexion, Lummus Technology, Pilot Chemical, Lanzatech, and others. She explores how companies can break out of the “we’ve always done it this way” mindset, overcome barriers to change, and embrace both incremental and disruptive innovation.

Victoria highlights practical strategies for fostering an innovation mindset—ranging from creating psychological safety for risk-taking to encouraging diverse internal and external partnerships. She underscores the importance of balancing operational excellence with a willingness to experiment, empowering teams to learn from failures, and aligning incentives to support new ideas. With a focus on actionable practices, this episode provides chemical industry professionals with a roadmap for building resilient, future-ready organizations.

Victoria breaks down these topics in this week's episode:

• How chemical industry leaders stay resilient and innovative amid uncertainty.
• Building change-embracing cultures over traditional approaches
• Creating safe spaces for innovation.
• Accelerating innovation through strategic partnerships
• Strategies for embedding small and large improvements into daily operations.

Additional Links:

"This is how we do it"

00:00 Balancing Innovation and Stability

05:56 Breaking the "We've Always Done It" Mindset

09:17 Embrace Change and Innovate

13:21 "Driving Innovation through Diverse Partnerships"

18:15 "Prioritizing Communication in Innovation"

19:42 Innovation and Human Collaboration

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***Don’t miss an episode: Subscribe to The Chemical Show on your favorite podcast player.
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Are you ready to think bigger about your business?

Then join us at The Chemical Summit — happening September 30 to October 1 in Houston, Texas.
Visit www.thechemicalsummit.com

How does a century-old technology company stay at the forefront of industrial innovation? Leon de Bruyn, CEO of Lummus Technology, joins host Victoria Meyer to share Lummus’s transformation story and the company’s unique approach to navigating change in the chemical industry. Leon reflects on Lummus’s evolution into an independent, pure-play technology leader, the challenges and opportunities in a rapidly changing market, and why fostering a culture of fearless innovation is critical to success.

Victoria and Leon explore the balance between traditional and sustainable technologies, the practical steps chemical businesses can take toward decarbonization, and the strategic role of digitalization and AI in modernizing asset performance and project execution. With real-world examples of rapid commercialization and thoughtful insights on talent, culture, and the future of process technology, this conversation offers a fresh look at how established companies can lead and adapt in today’s chemical sector.

On this episode, Victoria and Leon explore the following topics:

• Lummus Technology from a 100-year-old firm into an innovation leader.
• How Lummus is balancing growth in traditional and new, sustainable solutions
• How encouraging quick ideas, rapid testing, and smart risks speed up product development and market response.
• Striking a balance between new investments and ongoing process support during economic changes.
• How AI and digital tools are changing how Lummus designs, operates, and improves chemical facilities.

Additional Links:

How Lummus Technology is Applying Startup Energy to a Legacy Business with Leon de Bruyn

00:00 "Lummus: Renewing a Century-Old Legacy"

03:48 "Revitalizing a Legacy Tech Brand"

07:23 Circular Polymers, Water, and Biomass

10:52 Fearless Innovation through Open Ideas

15:49 Optimizing Investments & Asset Lifecycle

18:57 Energy Industry's Environmental Responsibility

20:55 Optimizing Petrochemical Investments

25:16 AI Integration Boosts Industrial Efficiency

29:36 Balancing Data Security and Innovation

33:28 Innovation and Passion Fuel Success

35:47 AI's Impact on Design Speed

38:01 "Engineering: Challenges and Rewards"

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***Don’t miss an episode: Subscribe to The Chemical Show on your favorite podcast player.
***Like what you hear? Leave a rating and review.
***Want more insights? Sign up for our email list at https://www.thechemicalshow.com