Kem One Converting Lavera PVC Site to Membrane Process

French PVC producer Kem One, the former Arkema subsidiary recently rescued from bankruptcy by private equity investor OpenGate Capital and industrialist Alain de Krassny, has begun revamping feedstock production at its Lavera, France, site.

The conversion process, which is receiving financial support from the French government, is expected to be completed by 2016.

Kem One said it is converting its chlorine electrolysis production from the mercury process currently used to the membrane process in order to comply with the European directive to phase out the mercury technology by the end of 2019.

The company did not quantify the cost of the process switch, but described it as "a major investment." Along with improving product quality, the investment also is expected to significantly reduce energy consumption and reduce the environmental footprint of the Lavera site, said de Krassny, who is president of Kem One.