Dow-Mitsui Chlor-Alkali, the joint venture of U.S. chemical giant Dow Chemical and Japan's Mitsui & Co, has started full-scale, commercial production at Freeport, Texas.

The jv will produce chlorine and caustic soda as feedstocks for a number of industrial and chemical processes and products.

Dow said its share of the chlorine produced by the joint venture will be used to meet the increasing feedstock needs of its performance and market-driven businesses. The group also will market the caustic soda produced.

The new plant uses Dow's state-of-the-art membrane chlor-alkali technology and is also back integrated into the chlorine value chain at Freeport. The U.S. group said this will enable it to invest in businesses that are customer-driven and which it hopes will produce "greater and more consistent earnings."

In late 2013, Dow said it would close roughly 800,000 t of chlorine and caustic equivalent capacity at its Freeport site. Supply from the new facility with capacity for around 800,000 t/y will replace this.