Vynova's UK Chlor-Alkali Business Enters Bankruptcy Administration!

On December 22, Zhuansu Shijie learned that according to a recent statement published on the website of the Belgian Vynova Group, its chlor-alkali business located in Runcorn, UK, has entered bankruptcy administration.

According to data from Platts, part of S&P Global Energy, the Runcorn plant has an annual production capacity of 495,000 tons of caustic soda, 440,000 tons of ethylene dichloride (EDC), and 450,000 tons of chlorine.

The base includes two factories: one is a joint venture factory with INEOS Inovyn, with each holding a 50% stake, mainly producing caustic soda and chlorine; the other is an epichlorohydrin (EDC) production factory, where the produced EDC will be transported to the Vinnova Wilhelmshaven factory for the production of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a raw material for polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

Previously, the Vinova Wilhelmshaven plant submitted an application for bankruptcy proceedings for its PVC plant in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, to the Wilhelmshaven District Court on December 11.

In 2025, chlor-alkali producers are facing a severe market environment, with not only weak demand but also the impact of low-priced imported products from the United States. Similarly, the PVC market is affected by weak demand from the construction industry, while competitive imported products from South Korea, mainland China, and Taiwan have surged, putting pressure on prices of locally produced materials in Europe.