The new electrolysis unit at Arkema's Jarrie plant near Grenoble, France, inaugurated today, marks a new milestone in the site's modernisation. This €100 m investment has enabled the facility to adapt to the latest regulations on industrial risks ('PPRT') and to convert its mercury electrolysis to the membrane technology, thereby pre-empting the mandatory deadline by several years.
The inauguration on Wednesday 30 April of the new 70,000 tonne membrane electrolysis room, which uses the latest technologies, officially establishes the new industrial organisation of the Jarrie site's activities.
Jarrie ranks among the world's leading hydrogen peroxide sites and is also positioned in the chlorine and derivatives market.
With this investment Arkema complies with the latest safety and environment regulatory requirements. The new industrial organisation, implemented as part of the plant's Technological Risks Prevention Plan (Plan de prévention des risques technologiques – PPRT], has indeed helped significantly reduce the risk exposure area for the local population.
At the same time, the conversion of mercury cell electrolysis to membrane electrolysis pre-empts by several years the mandatory deadline for the phase-out of mercury cell electrolysis operations by end 2019. Furthermore, the site's energy efficiency has improved.
This industrial overhaul has represented investments of some €100 m overall, including €60 m from ARKEMA, the balance being financed by the French State as part of the above-mentioned PPRT.
Finally, this project could not have been carried through without excellent cooperation between Arkema, the public authorities and the local communities.
The Jarrie facility, which operates in activities – hydrogen peroxide and chlorine – for which the cost structure is key, will continue to work on its competitiveness both at site level and in terms of external factors such as the cost of energy and access to salt, all of which are essential for the long-term future of the activities.
With this investment, Arkema continues the major drive to upgrade its French facilities undertaken since the Group's stock market listing in 2006, thereby confirming its firm roots in France.
