Recent developments
Securing salt feedstock
The Netherlands approved the extension of salt mining in Heiligerlee to 2035, securing high-purity salt for chlorine and caustic production feeding chemical parks in Delfzijl and Rotterdam. Permit conditions require studies on cavern closure and long-term subsidence. The decision underpins continuity for chlor-alkali routes and downstream derivatives used across PVC, alumina, and electrochemical value chains while new mining areas are developed.
French cracker upgrade
INEOS announced a €250 million investment to modernize its cracker at Lavera, supported by the French Government, targeting reliability, efficiency, and emissions reductions. The site is integral to regional olefin and derivative supply and employment. INEOS highlighted structural pressures from high energy and carbon costs; subsequent phases and deeper CO2 cuts are planned but depend on further state support.
Circular methanol capacity
Clariant and Repsol will equip Europe's first waste-to-methanol plant at El Morell, converting 400,000 t/y non-recyclable municipal waste into 240,000 t/y methanol via Enerkem gasification. Clariant’s syngas purification and MegaMax synthesis catalysts are central. Start-up is slated for 2029, with an estimated 3.4 Mt CO2 reduction over ten years and output suitable for marine and road fuels, chemical feedstocks, and SAF pathways.
Semiconductor chemical supply
BASF is building a new Electronic Grade Ammonium Hydroxide plant in Ludwigshafen, starting 2027, to support wafer cleaning and etching. The project aligns with expanding European chip capacity, strengthening local, high-purity supply for advanced-node manufacturing serving automotive and AI hardware, and reinforcing upstream availability of critical wet chemicals within the regional semiconductor ecosystem.