Akzo targets Europe first for remote chlorine plants

03 April 2008 17:18  [Source: ICIS news]

By Anna Jagger

 

COLOGNE (ICIS news)--Akzo Nobel will market its remote-controlled chlorine production system in Europe first and other regions later, executives from the Dutch company said on Thursday.

 

“At the moment, we are concentrating on Europe and building up the concept here,” said Ellen Holmen, business manager for Akzo’s remote controlled chlorine production.

 

In about five years, Akzo could start looking at other regions including North and South America and Asia, she told ICIS news.

 

Holmen was speaking at the launch of the production concept, which is being undertaken by Akzo and engineering company Uhdenora, and involves the construction of small-scale chlorine plants.

 

The plants will have a maximum capacity of 15,000 tonnes/year.

 

The concept would provide an environmentally-driven alternative to chlorine transportation or an economical alternative to the replacement of smaller plants that still use the outdated mercury electrolysis, the companies said.

 

Akzo’s target customers are small-scale chlorine consumers that currently receive chlorine at their production sites by rail, said Holmen.

 

The company was talking to several potential customers, she said, without revealing details.

 

It was understood that one of the plants could be located in Switzerland, where restrictions on the transport of hazardous goods are tighter than in many other European countries.

 

In the Netherlands, where the transport of chlorine has been banned, Akzo customers have already been attached to the company’s two Dutch production plants, Holmen said.

 

The remote controlled production plants will be module-based and skid-mounted, operated by Akzo from a control room at one of its three existing chlorine sites.

 

At least five plants can be controlled from one control room, said Holmen.

 

The plants were expected to take about two years to build and commission, although the first plant would take longer. Off-site construction was expected to take about 14 months, she said.

 

Transportation of the modules to the manufacturing site, assembly and commissioning could then take a further six-to-10 months, she added.

 

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Author: Anna Jagger
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