Formic acid production investment for Finnish chemicals conglomerate
The Finnish chemicals group Kemira is to invest € 17 million in its existing formic acid production facility at Oulu, Finland. The main applications for formic acid are in feed preservation, textile and leather processing, and chemical and pharmaceutical processing.
Under the investment programme, the oldest production facility at Oulu will be partially replaced, allowing increased production capacity and the more flexible production of formic acid derivatives.
Formic acid is the simplest organic acid, found naturally in many living organisms. It is biodegradable and in many applications replaces more harmful chemicals.
Kemira says global demand for formic acid approximates to 400,000 tonnes annually, one half of which is consumed in Europe. Kemira’s share of this figure totals approx. 13%, making the company the world’s second largest producer after BASF of Germany.
