Swedish specialty chemicals company Perstorp has announced plans to build a 12,000 t/y plant to produce granulate sodium formate de-icer at its headquarters in Perstorp.

The company said the plant will increase availability and security of supply for its Pergrip Run NF de-icer, which is used by many major European airports. According to Perstorp, Pergrip has by far the lowest carbon footprint in relation to comparative de-icers as well as a low chemical oxygen demand.

“By being integrated all the way from formate production to granulation, we’ll be able to offer our customers an even better level of service,” said Erik Himmer, business development director, de-icer.

“This investment is also an important step in our work to establish formate as a better choice from an environmental perspective for de-icers in non-runway applications, compared to existing chloride-based alternatives,” Himmer said.

The plant is due to start operating ahead of the 2019-2020 winter season. Perstorp did not disclose the cost of the project other than saying the plant is a “large” investment.

Separately, Ulrika Andersson, Perstorp’s executive vice president for the business area Specialty Polyols & Solutions, said the company is on track to complete its pentaerythritol expansion at Bruchhausen/Arnsberg in Germany this month. Work on the project to raise capacity by 12.5% started in June 2018.

Andersson added that the plant in Bruchhausen/Arnsberg has successfully obtained a PLUS certificate under the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC) scheme, a sustainability certification system to enable fully traceable and deforestation-free supply chains.

Together with its Stenungsund and Perstorp sites in Sweden, Perstorp said its German plant is now part of its strategic shift from fossil to renewable raw materials and energy.

At Bruchhausen, Perstorp is also introducing production of its Voxtar renewable pentaerythritol.