Competitive Supplier

Chlorine production recovered after the Covid-19 crisis and intense efforts continue to safeguard access to cost-competitive energy.

Wouter Bleukx

Chairman of the Management Committee

Membership expands along the value chain

Moving towards climate neutrality and circularity, especially in projects relating to sustainability and hydrogen, requires a close collaboration along the value chain. This is why we are delighted to note that Euro Chlor received six new partner applications over the past year. We regularly report on members’ and partners’ news on the Euro Chlor website.

2021 Chlorine Production

According to Cefic figures, 9,645 kilotonnes of chlorine were produced in 2021, which is 4.6% higher than 2020. This is most likely due to industry recovering after the Covid-19 pandemic. Utilisation rate, meanwhile, rose from 79.5% in 2020 to 82.5% in 2021. Installed capacity increased over the past year by almost 1%.

Manufacturing Technology

Membrane remains the dominant technology to produce chlor-alkali in Europe, representing 84.5% of installed EU capacity. Diaphragm technology, meanwhile, represents 11.5% of capacity and the remaining 4.0% covers chlorine-alcoholate production, hydrochloric acid conversion to chlorine, metal production and chlorine and caustic production without hydrogen as a by-product.

84.5% of European chlor-alkali uses membrane-based production technology

European chlorine and caustic soda applications in 2021

European hydrogen applications in 2021

In 2021, Euro Chlor also started to measure the applications of our hydrogen as shown here.

*Note: Figure for hydrogen vented varies from that under Climate Neutral Player due to difference in products covered and different reporting lines.

Electricity and CO2 costs

In order to measure our competitiveness in the third Sustainability Programme, we are now publishing data on the cost of electricity in Europe compared to the USA and the cost of CO2 in Europe compared to other regions in the world.

Data on electricity reflect the average situation of 2021, but the situation has completely changed (giving an even larger difference) since the beginning of 2022, mainly caused by the war in the Ukraine.

Net caustic soda imports

Another new competitiveness measure is the level of net imports of 50% caustic soda into the EU.

These have decreased since 2018, following an increase from 2016-2018, which was mainly linked to the conversion of mercury to membrane technology.

Chlorine production plants

1st January 2022

Country Company Site Total D M Others
Austria Donau Chemie Brückl 77 77
Austria Total 77 0 77 0
Belgium INOVYN Lillo 500 500
Belgium INOVYN Jemeppe 174 174
Belgium Vynova Tessenderlo 400 400
Belgium Total 1074 0 1074 0
Czech Republic Spolek (Spolchemie) Ústí nad Labem 78 78
Czech Republic Total 78 0 78 0
Finland Kemira Joutseno 75 75
Finland Total 75 0 75 0
France Vynova PPC Thann 42 42
France Vencorex Pont de Claix 119 119
France KEM ONE Fos 333 178 155
France Arkema Jarrie 75 75
France KEM ONE Lavera 341 341
France Arkema St Auban 20 20
France MSSA Pomblière 42 42
France INOVYN Tavaux 370 370
France Kuhlmann France Loos 35 35
France Total 1,377 178 1157 42
Germany BASF Ludwigshafen 595
Germany Covestro Dormagen 480 400 80
Germany Covestro Leverkusen 390 390
Germany Covestro Krefeld-Ürdingen 290 290
Germany Covestro Brunsbüttel 220 220
Germany Dow Schkopau 252 252
Germany Westlake Vinnolit Hürth-Knapsack 250 250
Germany CABB Group Gersthofen 57 55 2
Germany Dow Stade 1624 1024 600
Germany Neolyse Ibbenbüren GmbH Ibbenbüren 82 82
Germany Nobian Bitterfeld 99 99
Germany Evonik Performance Materials Lülsdorf 77 77
Germany Nobian Frankfurt 283 283
Germany INOVYN Rheinberg 220 110 110
Germany VESTOLIT Marl 260 260
Germany Westlake Vinnolit Gendorf 205 205
Germany Wacker Chemie Burghausen 55 55
Germany LEUNA-Harze Leuna 15 15
Germany Total 5454 1134 3346 378
Greece Kapachim Inofita Viotias 10 10
Greece Total 10 0 10 0
Hungary BorsodChem Kazincbarcika 480 384 96
Hungary Total 480 0 384 96
Ireland Micro Bio Fermoy 11 11
Ireland Total 11 0 11 0
Italy Altair Chimica (ESSECO GROUP) Saline di Volterra 75 75
Italy Società Chimica Bussi (GIG) Bussi 18 18
Italy Società Chimica Assemini (GIG) Assemini 27 27
Italy INOVYN Rosignano 150 150
Italy Hydrochem Italia Pieve Vergonte 42 42
Italy Fater Campochiaro 20 20
Italy Caffaro Green Chemicals (GIG) Torviscosa 24 24
Italy Total 356 0 356 0
The Netherlands Nobian Botlek 637 637
The Netherlands Nobian Delfzijl 121 121
The Netherlands Sabic Bergen op Zoom 89 89
The Netherlands Total 847 0 847 0
Norway Borregaard Sarpsborg 40 40
Norway Elkem Bremanger 11 11
Norway INOVYN Rafnes 315 315
Norway Total 366 0 366 0
Poland PCC Rokita Brzeg Dolny 209 209
Poland Anwil Wloclawek 195 195
Poland Total 404 0 404 0
Portugal Bondalti Estarreja 142 94 48
Portugal Total 142 0 94 48
Romania Chimcomplex Râmnicu Vâlcea 106 106
Romania Chimcomplex Borzeşti 102 102
Romania Total 208 0 208 0
Slovak Republic Fortischem Nováky 70 70
Slovak Republic Total 70 0 70 0
Slovenia TKI Hrastnik Hrastnik 16 16
Slovenia Total 16 0 16 0
Spain Electroquimica Onubense Huelva/Palos de la Frontera 44 44
Spain Ercros Sabinanigo 45 45
Spain Ercros Vilaseca 172 172
Spain Electroquimica de Hernani Hernani 30 30
Spain Química del Cinca Monzón 50 50
Spain Bondalti Chemicals Torrelavega 68 68
Spain Biomca Química Santa Cruz de Tenerife 3 3
Spain Total 412 0 412 0
Sweden INOVYN Stenungsund 123 123
Sweden Total 123 0 123 0
Switzerland CABB Group Pratteln 47 47
Switzerland Total 47 0 47 0
UK Brenntag Thetford 7 7
UK Industrial Chemicals Ltd West Thurrock 44 44
UK Runcorn MCP Runcorn 430 430
UK Total 481 0 481 0
Grand Total 12108 1312 9636 565
Per process 11.4% 83.7% 4.9%

Process:

D = diaphragm

M= membrane

“Others” includes HCI electrolysis, ODC molten salt electrolysis, alcoholates.

Non Euro Chlor members are indicated in italics.

Euro Chlor Members and Partners

Click here to get a visual overview of our member manufacturing locations, countries where our members operate and their capacity.

 

Also click on the links below to see the Euro Chlor members and partners

Read more in our paper report here.