Inovyn (London / UK; www.inovyn.com) has completed its new EDC import facility at Martorell / Spain, about 40 km west of Barcelona. The now wholly-owned vinyls subsidiary of Ineos (Rolle / Switzerland; www.ineos.com) said the improvement has secured an ongoing supply of EDC to the site, which had earlier been hampered by a dispute over electricity supply between the Solvin Spain unit of former joint venture partner Solvay (Brussels / Belgium; www.solvay.com) and the Spanish government – see Plasteurope.com of 31.08.2015.

By importing the chemical through the port of Barcelona, Inovyn said it will be able to maintain the site’s PVC and VCM production at current rates beyond the end of 2017, and thus demonstrate its commitment to the Iberian market. According to Plasteurope.com’s Polyglobe database (www.polyglobe.net), Martorell has output capability for 285,000 t/y of PVC. The existing mercury chlorine cellroom at the complex will be closed to comply with the terms of the EU’s Industrial Emissions Directive, Inovyn said, adding that it “continues to evaluate the competitiveness of a potential cellroom conversion project” at Martorell.

Business director Filipe Constant said the company “is engaged in ongoing dialogue with Spanish authorities to secure the long-term competitiveness of the site against a backdrop of high energy costs for electricity-intensive companies.” A decision to invest will also be contingent on the cost of raw materials going forward, he noted. In remarks evidently directed at the Spanish government, the Inovyn director said a cellroom conversion would be “highly beneficial” in securing a domestic supply of caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and sodium hypochlorite. Otherwise, downstream companies “will become increasingly dependent upon imports.”