AkzoNobel is investing €140 million to convert its chlorine plant in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, to state-of-the-art membrane electrolysis technology. The new facility will increase current capacity by around 50% and will increase annual production of chlorine at the location to an expected 250,000 t, up from 165,000 t today.

In 2010, the five AkzoNobel Industrial Chemicals facilities in Frankfurt, Bitterfeld and Ibbenbueren, Germany, and Rotterdam and Delfzijl, The Netherlands, exceeded one million tons in total production.

Mostly known as a disinfectant for drinking water and in swimming pools, chlorine is used for a wide variety of applications, including PVC, epoxies and polyurethanes. It is also used in the production of 85 % of all pharmaceuticals.

• AkzoNobel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands