National Institute for Research & Development in Chemistry and Petrochemistry
ICECHIM
History
ICECHIM and the Romanian applied chemical research - a short history
In 1948, the Chemical Enterprises for Research, Design and Semi-Industrial Production (ICEPS) was established on the Dudești platform in Bucharest, at the initiative of professors from the Department of Organic Chemistry (Polytechnic School of Bucharest), department led by Professor Costin D. Nenițescu. By the Decision of the Council of Ministers no. 604/1950, ICEPS was divided into two institutes belonging to the Ministry of Metallurgy and Chemical Industry: the Institute of Design for Chemical Factories - IPROCHIM and the Institute of Chemical Research - ICECHIM. Some of the ICECHIM employees were well reputed academics, and others later became reference names in the field: Costin Nenițescu, Ecaterina Ciorănescu, Margareta Avram, Ion Gavăt, Hipolit Sanielevici, Raul Mihail, Emilian Bratu, Ileana Necșoiu, Dan Costescu, Emil Ionescu and many others.
Acad. Costin D. Nenițescu
In order to coordinate the entire Romanian chemical scientific research and to synergize initiatives on all the major areas the Central Institute of Chemical Research was established in 1970, with ICECHIM as the main pillar. This institute grouped all the departmental research institutes, research centers and laboratories associated to the existing industrial and chemical plants, as well as all the research activity in the higher education institutions.
In 1973, the technological design institutes came under the direct subordination of the Central Institute, which thus became the Central Institute of Chemistry. During 1976-1980, ICECHIM's research activity marked multiple industrial units-refineries and petrochemical plants (Borzești, Midia-Năvodari, Brazi, Teleajen, Timișoara and Pitești), tire factories (Zalău, Caracal and Turnu-Severin), manufacturers of technical rubber articles (Botoșani and Tg. Jiu), plastics manufacturers (Tulcea, Focșani, Năsăud, Drăgășani, Sf. Gheorghe, Miercurea Ciuc and Cehul Silvaniei), yarn and fiber manufacturers (Câmpulung-Muscel, Vaslui, Roman, Corabia and Botoșani).
Images from ICECHIM laboratories
From 1981 to 1989 the activity of ICECHIM was directed towards two main goals: modernization of technologies for installations in operation and qualitative development of products, including those intended for export, and embedding new industrial capacities on the following industrial platforms: Timişoara Detergent Company, Colorom Codlea Enterprise, Pesticides Section of Oltchim Plant, Brazi Polyisoprene Rubber Industrial Plant, Giurgiu Chemical Plant, Oradea Synthesis Chemical Plant, Valea Călugărească Chemical Fertilizer Plant, Făgăraș Chemical Plant, Victoria Chemical Plant, Stela București and DERO Ploiești Detergent Enterprises.
