Interested? Ask us a question.
Back to overview

Intermediate chemicals

Delfzijl mainly produces intermediate chemicals, sustainable building blocks for companies around Emmen, which focus on the manufacture of fibers and plastics.

Formaldehyde, dimethylether and ethylene

Methanol

Methanol is used by the chemical industry to produce formaldehyde, dimethylether or even ethylene. BioMCN in Delfzijl is Europe’s largest producers of bio-methanol. They use bio-gas from biomass fermentation for the production of methanol.

Ethylamine

Amines

Chemical Cluster Delfzijl produces ethylamine from dichloroethane and ammonia. In the process, washing soda from the chlorine plant in Delfzijl is also used. Ethylene could be produced from bio based sources, as could the ammonia, which is now produced from natural gas.

Chlorine and acetic

Monochloroacetic acid

Nouryon produces monochloroacetic acid using chlorine from Delfzijl and acetic acid from Rotterdam. Currently, these materials are produced from petrochemicals.

Electrolysis

Hydrogen

in Delfzijl, servicing regional busses with green hydrogen from the Nouryon Specialty Chemicals chlorine plant. Evonik Peroxide produces bleach (H2O2) from hydrogen. Any excess hydrogen produce by the chlorine plant is used for heating, through the Nouryon Delesto cogeneration power plant.

Bio diesel

Glycerine

Glycerine can be made from vegetable oil, but it is also a by-product in the production of bio diesel from e.g. used cooking fat. The Dutch Glycerine Biorefinery in Delfzijl developed a process that yields high quality purified glycerine by removing fatty acids and salts.

Biomass

Benzene, toluene, xylene (BTX)

A pilot plant was opened at the Zernike Advanced Processing facility. There BioBTX is producing BTX from biomass. They also works closely with Teijin Aramid, towards producing bio based Twaron fibres.

Biomass

Methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI)

MDI, an aromatic diisocyanate, is mainly used to make polyurethane. MDI isomers are purified in Delfzijl by chemical company Dow, to be exported again. As with BTX, it should be possible to use biomass to produce MDI.

Looking for something else?

Check it all out

Feedstock

Feedstock

Polymers and materials

Polymers and materials

Recycling

Recycling

Related news items

6 January 2019 - Article

Discover the unique opportunities for closing green cycles

15 December 2018 - Article

Hydrohub tests sustainable hydrogen technology

29 November 2018 - Article

BioBTX and Teijin are looking at sustainable feedstock for super fiber

See all News items