Chemical Industry

Penrice Soda Products was founded by ICI in 1935 at Port Adelaide. The only soda ash production facility in Australia this plant was closed in 2014.

Limekilns at the Winnington works of Brunner Mond & Co from the south. There were originally six shaft kilns which were extended to nine in the 1950s. Since this photograph was taken the production of soda ash here has ended and the kilns are disused and awaiting demolition.

A memory of the Monckton cokeworks as another oven is pushed.

Synthite Ltd founded in West Bromwich in 1920 to produce resins but soon became a successful manufacturer of formaldehyde. In 1928 the business was incorporated into the Charles Tennant Group, a diverse international network of manufacturing and distribution companies. 1950 saw formaldehyde production begun at the newly acquired plant at the Alyn Works in Mold, North Wales and in 1991 all production moved to North Wales. Since 2014 acquired amino resin manufacturing facilities in Mold and Cork from Dynea and renamed that business TS Resin and Marinochem.

Chemical works always have an interesting range of buildings and shaped. Synthite Ltd was founded in West Bromwich in 1920 to produce resins but soon became a successful manufacturer of formaldehyde. This is their Alyn Works at Mold where amino resins are also manufactured.

Winnington soda ash works of Brunner Mond back in 2008. Soda ash production has since ended here but the works continues on a lesser scale producing other chemicals.

Inside the coke car at the Monckton cokeworks on the way to the quenching tower.

Tidying up on the pushing side at Monckton coke works.

Chemical works always have an interesting range of buildings and shaped. Synthite Ltd was founded in West Bromwich in 1920 to produce resins but soon became a successful manufacturer of formaldehyde. This is their Alyn Works at Mold where amino resins are also manufactured.

This plastics manufacturing plant at Siddick was opened by Eastman Kodak in the early 1980s and was later acquired by Indorama Ventures PCL. It produced around 160,000 tonnes pa of PET granules. mainly used in the forming of plastic bottles. As Asian competition increased the plant became uneconomic and production was first halved and then stopped completely in early 2014. The site was mothballed in hope of better times until Indorama decided in 2017 that it would not reopen. Demolition was completed during 2018.

Chemical storage vessels at the LyondellBasell plant at Carrington, Greater Manchester. Polythene and polystyrene production here was originally by Shell and it was on this site that polythene was first created.

This plastics manufacturing plant at Siddick was opened by Eastman Kodak in the early 1980s and was later acquired by Indorama Ventures PCL. It produced around 160,000 tonnes pa of PET granules. mainly used in the forming of plastic bottles. As Asian competition increased the plant became uneconomic and production was first halved and then stopped completely in early 2014. The site was mothballed in hope of better times until Indorama decided in 2017 that it would not reopen. Demolition was completed during 2018.

Oil is pumped from wells across a large area of Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire. This well is close to the River Trent at Beckingham, opposite Gainsborough. It is operated by Island Gas Ltd.

A small convoy from Manchester to Ellesmere Port is passing the Stanlow oil refinery. Narrowboat Victoria leads the way with Short Boat Severn close behind and then some way behind comes tanker narrowboat Spey. An easy short day's boating compared with the long haul via Middlewich and Chester.

Tennants Fine Chemicals Ltd in Leek was, until 2011, a subsidiary of the Tessenderlo Group, the works having previously been owned by the Coutaulds Group. The site opened in 1920 producing and dyeing fabrics and then in 1956 chemical production began to replace the fabrics business. 1987 saw the start of aroma chemicals manufacturing and today the business concentrates on acetate esters and aroma chemicals.

Synthite Ltd founded in West Bromwich in 1920 to produce resins but soon became a successful manufacturer of formaldehyde. In 1928 the business was incorporated into the Charles Tennant Group, a diverse international network of manufacturing and distribution companies. 1950 saw formaldehyde production begun at the newly acquired plant at the Alyn Works in Mold, North Wales and in 1991 all production moved to North Wales. Since 2014 acquired amino resin manufacturing facilities in Mold and Cork from Dynea and renamed that business TS Resin and Marinochem.

Gasholder at Monckton cokeworks with the coal stockpile in the foreground. All now gone.

Byeproducts area, pushing side and oven tops at the Monckton Cokeworks. This view was from the top of the coal bunker at the end of the ovens.