British Hydrocarbon Chemicals
British Hydrocarbon Chemicals Ltd, manufacturer of chemicals
1950 Distillers Co established a joint venture with Anglo Iranian Oil was called British Petroleum Chemicals Ltd which was constructing a new project at Grangemouth that would produce synthetic ethanol which would alleviate Distiller's supply problems with molasses. Grangemouth would also be the location for a new plant to make styrene monomer by a new company, Forth Chemicals Ltd, which was owned two-thirds by Anglo Iranian Oil and one third by Monsanto Chemicals Ltd - this was part of a plan to make derivatives from the petrochemicals made by the main plant at Grangemouth[1].
1956 British Petroleum Chemicals Ltd was renamed British Hydrocarbon Chemicals to avoid confusion with the name of the partner in the venture, BP. It had 2 subsidiaries - Forth Chemicals and Grange Chemicals, the latter being one third owned by the Oronite Co of California. Expansion at Grangemouth was progressing well; new butadiene plant was nearly complete[2].
1956 Low density polyethylene plant to be built at Grangemouth[3].
1960 A new petrochemical plant would be built at Llandarcy, taking feedstock from BP's nearby refinery[4].
1961 Grange Chemicals would build a new phthalic anyhyride plant at Hull, adjacent to Distillers Co's site at Salt End[5].
1962 New methanol plant commissioned[6].
1963 A joint venture of BP and Distillers Co[7].
1963 Border Chemicals formed to manufacture acrylontrile at Grangemouth from ammonia made by ICI and propylene made by British Hydrocarbon Chemicals Ltd[8].
1966 Acquired the adjacent polybutenes plant at Baglan Bay from W. R. Grace[9].
1967 Distiller's interests sold to BP[10].