Chemical companies open doors to the public

These are highly secured Seveso companies, which even have their own fire station. The production site is more than 100 years old and the companies are global players in their sector.

The Union Chimique Belge, UCB, CNO, Proviron, Huber Fine Chemicals: it has already known many names. It once employed 2,500 people. Today there are still 300, but it remains a major chemical player. Proviron is now the best known, but there is also Evonic and Ostend Basic Chemicals. Evonic and OBC, just next to it, are global players in the production of so-called silicates or salts that are used in toothpaste or in the construction industry. Chemicals to make plastics flexible, for example.

The companies pay a lot of attention to safety. The chemical site is strictly controlled, often with extreme safety procedures. A visit to the chemical companies is not always obvious. With the open day they want to show what they are doing.