The ’Yellow Submarine’ team from the upper-secondary school in Česká Lípa ranked first in this year’s chemistry competition for talented students. They were rewarded with a tablet for each member of the winning team, a rucksack, a pen case, and other promotional items. Their school was also rewarded, receiving equipment worth CZK 20,000 according to their choice.

“We are truly delighted to witness the great diligence of the students in this year’s contest. We want to congratulate the winning team from Česká Lípa. Chemistry is a varied, attractive and important discipline. Its correct application requires deep insights and knowledge. It’s a matter of great pride to see that young students possess such great talents in this field,” said Piotr Kearney, executive director at Spolana, which regularly organises the ‘Challenge for a Chemist’ competition for students.

The ’Nitrogens’ team from the Žižkov primary school in Kutná Hora placed second, receiving CZK 15,000 for their school’s equipment. The ‘Gama’ team from the Háje primary school in Slaný was in the third position and received CZK 10,000 for their school’s equipment.

“The victorious team won their way amongst the top-quality competition of other teams, yet all the other teams should also be acknowledged for their diligence and performance. Chemistry is one of the crucial disciplines nowadays, and it keeps developing all the time. Competitions such as the Challenge for a Chemist are a fantastic motivation for the young generation to continue their study of this promising field,” says Milan Dundr, principal of the upper-secondary school of Václav Třebízský in Slaný, a co-organiser of the competition.

Spolana regularly organises the ‘Challenge for a Chemist’, a competition designed for primary and secondary school students in Central Bohemia, in an effort to encourage interest in and motivation to study chemistry and its application among young students. In this contest, teams solve various chemical assignments and showcase their knowledge and skills in chemistry.

SPOLANA s.r.o. is one of the largest chemical manufacturing companies in the Czech Republic. The only manufacturer of PVC and caprolactam also produces ammonium sulphate and sulphuric acid. It currently employs over 700 people. Spolana has been owned by the ORLEN Unipetrol Group since 2016. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and production, distributing and selling fuels and petrochemical products – mainly plastics and fertilisers. It is one of the major players in the Czech and Central European markets in all these areas. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group includes refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo in Pardubice, Spolana in Neratovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. ORLEN Unipetrol also includes the ORLEN network of filling stations in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. ORLEN Unipetrol is one of the largest companies in the Czech Republic in terms of turnover. It employs almost 6,000 people. In addition to its business development, ORLEN Unipetrol is proud to be a socially responsible corporation. Therefore, it pays equal attention to initiatives focusing on cultivating and supporting sustainable development, education, local communities, and the environment. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became part of the PKN Orlen Group, the largest oil processor in Central Europe.