Chemical producers, major Europe

Shaped products used for adsorbent purposes are generally less sophisticated and therefore less expensive than catalytic products. In 1985, it was reported that 10,000 t/yr of activated alumina adsorbents were produced in the United States. North American producers of Bayer process-based activated aluminas include Alcoa, La Roche (formerly Kaiser Chemicals), Discovery, and Alcan. Gel-based activated aluminas are produced by La Roche, Vista, and several of the major catalyst manufacturers. In Europe, principal sources of supply are Rhc ne-Poulenc and Condea. 

Acetic acid has been produced in relatively large quantities for more than 100 years. The changes in the methods used for its production over this period reflect some of the underlying general trends in the chemical industry. It was originally produced via fermentation, as were many other organic chemicals in the early days of the chemical industry. The first major synthetic process for acetic acid was based on the hydrolysis of acetylene to acetaldehyde catalyzed by mercuric ion. This process was the dominant method of production for more than 40 years, until 1955— 1960, when two new processes were developed which have dominated the acetic acid markets in the past 20 years. Celanese in the United States and British Petroleum in Europe introduced short-chain paraffin oxida-... 

The light hydrocarbons produce only minor amounts of by-products, while naphtha and heavier feeds produce substantial quantities of propylene, butadiene, and aromatics. Thus, while in the United States these products are obtained generally from other routes at present, in Europe and Japan ethylene production serves as a major source of these chemicals. As discussed in greater detail later, by-product outlet considerations can play an important role in feedstock selection, and by-product realizations can have a major effect on the ethylene production economics. 

Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for dyes and other chemicals are customarily used to provide the necessary information for safety handling to the user. Although in Europe they must only be legally provided for hazardous substances and preparations according to the EU Directive 91/155/EEC, the majority of dye producers provide MSDS for all products, including those which are not classified as hazardous. 

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