Once more into the bleach for Air Liquide's hydrogen peroxide business
15 Jan 2000
French chemical major Elf Atochem is poised to buy the hydrogen peroxide business of Air Liquide. The deal, which capitalises on a long-standing collaboartion between the two companies, would push Atochem into fourth place in the world peroxide league.
The two companies have worked together in the peroxide field for some years. Jointly-built plants include the largest H2O2 unit in the world, at Jarre in France, with a capacity of 105000tpa; a 73000tpa unit at Becanour in Canada; a 35000tpa plant at the Leuna complex in eastern Germany; a 25000tpa plant in Tomakomai in Japan, operated as a joint venture with Dai Nippon Inks; and a 35000tpa plant, currently under construction, in Shanghai.
Peroxide is a traditional part of Air Liquide's product mix, the company says, but actually accounts for less than 1 per cent of its overall turnover. However. it plays a major role in Elf Atochem's businesses, as a vital raw material for products like hydrazine hydrate, sodium perborate and chlorite, and organic peroxides. Air Liquide will retain its facilities for making ultrapure peroxide, which is used to manufacture semiconductors and peracetic acid for the health sector. The purchase price was not disclosed.
