Thermphos International

The Thermphos International B.V. was a venture of the chemical industry, which produced phosphorus and inorganic phosphorus compounds. In 2005, it earned about 550 Million Euros and employed about 1200 people. It was Europe's only producer of elemental phosphorus.[2] The company was also involved in recycling phosphorus.[3] It used to be a former affiliate of the German chemicals company Hoechst AG and was taken over in 2003 by a group of private investors, led by the Italian-Israeli businessman Nahum Galmor.[4]

Thermphos International B.V.
TypeBesloten Vennootschap
IndustryChemical
FoundedVlissingen, Netherlands
FateBankrupt
Headquarters
Vlissingen
,
Netherlands
Key people
Rob de Ruiter (Managing director)
ProductsPhosphorus Compounds
Number of employees
about 450 (end 2012)[1]
Websitehttp://www.thermphos.com/

Sites

The headquarters of the venture was in Vlissingen (in the Netherlands), with supporting production centres in Europe, Asia, and South America.

In North America, the company operates a sales center in Anniston, Alabama and Mattawan, Canada.[5]

Worldwide, the company has 16 daughter corporations:

Products

Thermphos products center around phosphorus and phosphates. This ranges from elemental phosphorus to base chemicals of phosphate chemistry, such as phosphoric Acid and polyphosphoric acid, phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus oxychloride, phosphorus pentachloride, phosphorus pentoxide, phosphorus pentasulfide, aluminium phosphate, calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, potassium phosphate, and sodium phosphate, as well as other additives for plastics and ceramics as well as food industries. Phosphorus is one of the three main nutrients present in fertilizer.

Environmental issues

In September 2010, the Public Health authorities of The Netherlands (VROM) issued an ultimatum on the Thermphos Industrial Park Vlissingen because of enduring severe environmental and safety problems related to emission of and exposure to cadmium and dioxine. If these problems were not solved quickly, VROM said, the factory must be closed.[6]

Bankruptcy

On November 21, 2012, the district court of Breda declared the company bankrupt.[7]

References
  1. Dutch: http://www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2012/11/13/fosforfabrikant-thermphos-vraagt-faillissement-aan-wegens-dumpprijzen/ (in Dutch)
  2. Thermphos banks on China's exit from phosphorus.
  3. Phosphate Recycling in the Phosphorus Industry.
  4. "Kazakhstan Phosphate Producer Buys Thermphos.", Chemical Week. February 19, 2003
  5. Global Distribution Archived 2013-05-27 at the Wayback Machine. About Thermphos International B.V.
  6. Dutch: VROM dreigt fosforfabriek met sluiting 8 Sep 2010.
  7. English: Thermphos declared bankrupt 21 Nov 2012.
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