## Responding to customer demand 

Worldwide demand for hard wax is expanding and already exceeds supply. Increasing consumer demand for products packaged and sealed with hot-melt adhesives – particularly in the developing world – is one of the major drivers supporting this growth. Demand is also being underpinned by environmental considerations. Sasol has patented an environmentally friendly application for hard wax as an additive to bitumen in road construction. Sold as Sasobit™, it lowers the temperature at which bitumen can be laid, reducing emissions and greenhouse gases. This innovative product, which also improves resistance to rutting, was recently used at South Africa’s newest international airport, King Shaka, north of Durban. 

Regulatory requirements to replace lead-based stabilisers in PVC have driven up demand for hard wax as an additive in the PVC extrusion industry. However, demand for wax from the construction industry as a whole, although fi rmer, is not yet back at the levels seen before the global economic crisis began in 2008. 

Sasol has patented an environmentally friendly application for hard wax as an additive to bitumen in road construction. 

## sasol infrachem 

Sasol Infrachem  provides a services platform for reforming natural gas and providing utilities, infrastructure and site support at our Sasolburg complex. It is responsible for Sasolburg site governance and reputation management in the Free State Province. 

## Creating the platform for Sasolburg’s expansion 

Efforts to improve safety and enhance energy efficiency, as well as preparatory work on the additional utilities and services required for the Sasolburg site expansion projects of Afrox, Sasol Wax, Sasol Polymers and Sasol Synfuels International, were the focus of Sasol Infrachem’s activities in 2010. 

These efforts were, however, marred by the death of a service provider on our site in the year. On 23 June 2010, Skerp Mofokeng, a driver employed by HIFA Carriers, was fatally injured when a sudden pressure release occurred from the manhole of the ISO container he had transported. At the time of the incident the vehicle was stationary in the HIFA Carriers Yard on the Sasol Infrachem site. We extend our sincere sympathy to his family and friends. 

Instilling a culture of safety awareness remains a challenge. Greater management focus is being placed on implementing Sasol group safety mechanisms and driving Sasol Infrachem’s recordable case rate down. Our RCR in 2010 of 0,62 was 

our best performance in many years but still above the group target of 0,45. 

We are pleased to report no safety incidents during the major scheduled shutdown of an auto-thermal reformer in the second half of the year. The shutdown also allowed Sasol Infrachem to improve plant integrity. Changes in the configuration of the gas distribution system assisted in boosting the performance of our customers, including Sasol Wax, Sasol Solvents and Sasol Nitro. 

At 37,2 M GJ, reformed gas production from Sasolburg’s two auto-thermal reformers was 4,2% above that produced in 2009. 

We improved our gas efficiency on site due to the increased recycling of tail gas to the methanol plant and, at the same time, reduced flare gas by 76%. At year- end we commissioned the start-up of additional power generators, which had previously been mothballed. This will ensure that the Sasolburg site’s consumption of electricity, provided by state power utility, Eskom, remains within the 10% savings target. 

Sasol Infrachem recently began engineering work on the first phase of the utilities expansion necessary to support Sasol Wax and Sasol Polymers’ growth projects. As part of our efforts to reduce our environmental footprint, we intend to reduce the water intensity of utilities at Sasolburg. We are also working closely 

