BorsodChem

Beginnings

The establishment of the Borsodi Vegyi Kombinát (BVK) the predecessor of Wanhua-BorsodChem, was decided at the end of 1949, based on the Borsod coal, the water of the Sajó, the proximity of the road and the railway. In the new industrial area, a decision was made to build a coal classifier, a coking plant, a coal-fired power plant and a Lignite-based chemical plant (nitrogen plant), as well as service plants, with a budget allocation of HUF 1 billion. The giant investment took place between 1950 and 1955, and was inaugurated on 10 December 1955. It became the largest industrial facility in the country at the time. Deficiencies and errors made during construction delayed the start of continuous production for 3 years.

PVC era

The year 1963 brought the biggest changes in BVK's life to date. They switched to the production of natural gas-based synthesis gas, and in parallel, coke-based operations were discontinued. They merged with the Berente Chemical Works and launched the Olefin I program, under which the production of thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride (PVC) began for the first time in the country. They built their mercury cathode chlorine and hydrochloric acid plant.

The second expansion of the nitrogen plant began in 1964, during which the construction of their urea plant was also started. In 1969, the PVC-II Factory, which also produces PVC powder, was put into operation. At that time, BVK was the 6th largest company in the Hungarian chemical industry in terms of headcount.

A modern plastic factory capable of producing 150,000 tons of PVC per year was built in 1971. This became the largest chemical investment in Hungary to date. Three years later, the expansion continued with the construction of a new PVC plant (PVC III), which was built on oil instead of natural gas and processed ethylene purchased from the Tiszai Vegyi Kombinát (TVK). From the early 1980s, great emphasis was placed on plastic processing. In 1983, the mixing plant and the PVC window plant, the last plants in the program, were put into operation and the installation of the phosgene plant was completed.