News

December 2012 Chlorine Production Figures

14/01/2013

In December, the European chlorine production stood at 785,480
tonnes.  With 25,338 tonnes, the December average daily
production was 5.5% lower than in the previous month (November
2012: 26,809 tonnes), but 2.8% higher than in December 2011 (24,644
tonnes).

Following the record lows of October and November, caustic soda
stocks showed a Christmas increase at the end of December (241,462
tonnes), i.e. 22,278 tonnes above the previous month (November
2012: 219,184 tonnes) and 2.5% above December 2011 (235,576
tonnes), in keeping with December 2012's higher chlorine
make.

Details of chlorine production and caustic soda stocks in the
EU-27 countries plus Norway
and Switzerland in December 2012 are provided in the following
tables.

Chlorine production & capacity utilisation  -  EU
27 + Norway/Switzerland

Month

Production (tonnes)

Capacity Utilisation (%)

 

2011

2012

% change

2011

2012

January

861,834

849,431

-1.4

80.5

79.5

February

809,138

759,089

-6.2

83.6

75.9

March

874,060

858,271

-1.8

81.6

80.3

April

832,085

833,820

+2.0

80.3

80.6

May

796,716

829,050

+4.1

74.4

77.5

June

863,890

760,463

-12.0

83.4

73.5

July

889,061

829,458

-6.7

83.0

77.6

August

845,338

821,323

-2.8

78.9

76.8

September

809,708

800,537

-1.1

78.1

77.4

October

807,205

766,899

-5.0

75.4

71.7

November

774,311

804,267

+3.9

74.7

77.7

 December

774,152 

785,480 

+1.5 

72.3 

73.5 

Caustic soda stocks (tonnes)

 

2011

2012

January

271,668

250,408

February

281,587

262,822

March

243,409

256,397

April

260,675

285,845

May

236,790

275,936

June

266,265

255,678

July

251,385

254,833

August

259,526

255,696

September

248,588

255,458

October

242,282

213,986

November

266,558

219,184

 December

235,576

241,462 

Further information:
Alistair J Steel, Executive Director,  tel: +32 2
676 73 50

Footnote to Editors
Some of the totals for each month may vary slightly
compared with figures used earlier. Please rely on the most recent
information since it sometimes happens that estimates have to be
made when data is supplied late by a producer. This is subsequently
adjusted when the actual figure becomes available.

Euro Chlor is a Brussels-based business
association representing chlor-alkali producers in the EU and EFTA
regions employing about 39,000 people at 71 manufacturing
locations. Almost 2,000,000 jobs in Europe are directly or
indirectly related to chlorine and its co-product caustic soda
(sodium hydroxide). These two key chemical building blocks underpin
55% of European chemical industry turnover.