European Chemical Industry News & Insights

Kemira Starts Production at New Tarragona Plant

At a glance
  • The new plant produces aluminum and iron-based coagulants for water treatment.
  • Located on Bayer MaterialScience's site, it uses hydrochloric acid from MDI production.
  • The plant is one of the largest coagulant manufacturing sites in EMEA.
  • Products include Polyaluminum chloride (PAX), Aluminum sulfate (ALS), and Ferric chloride (PIX).

New Coagulant Plant in Tarragona

Kemira Oyj has successfully commenced production at its new coagulant plant in Tarragona, Spain. This facility is capable of producing a full range of aluminum and iron-based coagulants used for drinking water and wastewater treatment.

Strategic Location and Raw Material Access

The plant is situated on Bayer MaterialScience's site, ensuring a sustainable and long-term supply of raw materials. Kemira utilizes hydrochloric acid, a co-product from Bayer MaterialScience's methylene biphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) production, in its coagulant manufacturing process.

Production Capacity and Market Impact

The Tarragona plant is one of the largest combined coagulant manufacturing facilities in the EMEA region. It produces Polyaluminum chloride (PAX), Aluminum sulfate (ALS), and Ferric chloride (PIX). This capacity is crucial for maintaining Kemira's leadership in the municipal and industrial water treatment market in EMEA.

Consolidation of Manufacturing Footprint

The new plant represents a significant step in consolidating Kemira's manufacturing footprint for coagulants in the EMEA region, following the successful startup of a similar facility in Dormagen, Germany, last year.