Inovyn Closing U.K., German Plants

Inovyn, the vinyls joint venture formed earlier this year between Solvay and Ineos, will close its last remaining mercury-cell chlorine unit in Runcorn, England, in November. The company says the move is due to a directive from the European Union to abolish mercury-cell-based chlorine production by 2017. The company says it will conduct reliability tests on a new membrane chlorine plant in Runcorn early next year. Separately, Inovyn will not restart a polyvinyl chloride unit in Schkopau, Germany, that has been idle since the end of last year. The company says it couldn’t come to terms with Dow Chemical on a vinyl chloride contract to keep the plant running.