The installation of giant columns at Arkema’s Carling acrylic acid plant in eastern France marks the first stage of a project that began in 2024 and has required years of preparation. The large-scale industrial project, a €130 million investment, involves the construction of a new unit with an innovative acrylic acid purification process, which will improve energy efficiency by 25% and the carbon intensity of operations by 20% and optimize resource and waste management while increasing the site's production capacity.

Arkema reports that the scale of the project is such that it is comparable to building a plant within a plant. At least 100 employees out of a total of 385 on site are currently mobilized, and a peak of 200 workers is expected, including external contractors from numerous trades and experts, including pipefitters, mechanics, electricians, and industrial IT specialists.

Transporting the 60-meter-long columns, each weighing 150 tons, onto the platform was already a major challenge. The next operation of lifting and installing these columns was a delicate phase that went perfectly: this is the first concrete stage of the new distillation unit, which will come online in 2026.

Arkema Carling plays a leading role in the acrylics market. Arkema reports that it is the second largest chemical company in the world in terms of installed capacity in Europe, the United States, and Asia. Acrylic monomers, the Carling plant's specialty, are used to manufacture the metal coatings for laptops and tablets, paints, adhesives, super absorbents (for diapers), and flocculation agents for water treatment.

Learn more about Arkema at www.arkema.com.