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.
