Solvay Starts $22 Million Hydrogen Peroxide Expansion in Longview

 

According to an article late this past week by The Daily News, Longview, Wash., USA, it’s been 28 years since Mike Banigan first started working at the Longview Solvay Chemicals (Belgium) as an engineering and maintenance manager, back before construction of the hydrogen peroxide plant was complete. He’s overseen many expansions, and now he’s going to retire when the latest one is complete.

"It’s kind of a closing of the loop. I came to Solvay when we were just designing the plant in 1988. I’ve been here since initial construction and on all of their expansions, and now I’ll finally close my career out with this one," said Banigan, 64, of Battle Ground, who recently stepped down as plant manager to focus on the expansion before his retirement.

JH Kelley and DeWitt Construction began underground work at the end of March. Solvay has not yet awarded a contract for above-ground construction. The goal of the two-phase "Titan Project" is to boost hydrogen peroxide production by 10%. The first phase is costing $22 million; the second phase will be more expensive and begin when market conditions are right, Banigan said.

The company is responding to rising demand for hydrogen peroxide from segments of the pulp and paper industry.

"We wanted to make an investment in the future of the business," Banigan said. "We have been tracking the (pulp) industry ... and the Northwest has really taken off."

Solvay makes hydrogen peroxide used for bleaching pulp and paper, as well as a host of other applications in the clothing, food processing, environmental, chemical, and metal industries. NORPAC (located across the street) is a key customer for Solvay, but it also ships products to California, British Columbia, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Washington.

The plant has been unable to meet all its orders for peroxide for more than a decade, so Solvay has had to fill orders with its plant in Deer Park, Texas. That takes away from products the Deer Park plant can provide to the booming electronics industry, Banigan said.

 

 

Pictured above: Construction workers prep the ground for Solvay's expansion in Longview by drilling 16-in. auger pilings underground about 80-90 ft. As the drill is extracted, the space is filled with grout. Once the drill is completely removed from the hole, a special rebar cage is lowered into the wet grout to provide the required strength to the pile. 

 

And even though Americans seem to be reading fewer printed newspapers and books, their need for disposable diapers certainly isn’t slowing.

"The growth in diapers is incredible, both in the world because the population is growing (and there are more) babies, but also for adults," Banigan said. Peroxide is used in manufacturing fluff for diapers.

And NORPAC is projecting growth as well, he said. Weyerhaeuser Co., which has a joint ownership of NORPAC, wouldn’t confirm this Friday. The forestry products company announced last fall that it is considering selling or spinning off its cellulose fiber division, including the NORPAC Longview plant.

In the Titan project’s first phase, Solvay will add a second steam methane reformer, which is used to make hydrogen from natural gas. It will also add process vessels, pumps, compressors, piping, and instrumentation to extract more peroxide from an organic working solution.

"What we decided to do in this Titan Project, is we’re going to push the chemistry harder," Banigan said. The second phase will be more intensive capital upgrades, such as adding bigger pumps.

The first phase will generate an estimated 40 jobs at peak construction, according to Solvay. There have been two permanent employees hired as a result of the expansion, with another operator slated to be hired. The highly-automated plant currently employees 40 staffers, plus 10 resident contractors, according to the company.

Construction is slated to end in October, and the upgraded plant will fire up in December.