Becancour, Canada

Our Products and Markets | Community Involvement | Local Associations | Key Figures | About Arkema | Download Overview (PDF)

Contact Us 655 Alphonse-Deshaies Boulevard Bécancour, Quebec Canada G9H 2Y8 Phone: 819-294-9965 FAX: 819-294-9588 Facility Manager: Yves Hamelin

Our Products and Markets

The Becancour, Quebec plant produces primarily 35%, 50% and 70% hydrogen peroxide solutions. These products are manufactured with leading-edge technology and are used as bleaching or antiseptic agents in a wide variety of industries such as pulp and paper, textile, food processing, mining and metallurgy, as well as the environmental sector.

• In the pulp and paper industry, hydrogen peroxide acts as an effective bleaching agent. Bleached chemical pulps may reach brightness levels as high as 90-92%. 
• In the chemical industry, hydrogen peroxide is an outstanding reagent for various syntheses. 
• In the textile industry, it is a desirable bleaching agent for natural fibers as well as synthetic fibers. Because of its compatibility with various fabric and textile dyes, it achieves a permanent whiteness without any fiber damage. 
• In the pharmaceutical or medical fields, it is used as a disinfectant. 
• In the food processing industry, it is widely used for disinfecting and cleaning. It is also used as a sterilizing agent for the aseptic filling and packaging of milk and fruit juices. 
• Hydrogen peroxide is used for the purification of drinking water.
• In the environmental sector, it is used in the desulphurization and deodorization of wastewaters as well as the decontamination of industrial effluents, soil and water. 
• In metallurgy, hydrogen peroxide in combination with sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid is used for stainless steel and aluminum surface finishing.  

 
Community Involvement

• Citizen Committee –Although the plant is in an industrial park, we keep in close contact with the community.  The Citizen Committee is managed by the citizens, and they set their own agenda.  It allows us – along with two other companies in our industrial park – the opportunity to interact with the community so they can learn about our plant activities, visit us, and ask questions. The Committee has five meetings a year and they are open to the public.
• Industrial Safety Group – We are one of 12 participating companies that make up Quebec’s mutual community panel.  The panel shares industry concerns and works toward best practices for the industry.  It is based on Quebec experience with a purpose of joining companies together to improve safety for all. 

Local Associations/Events We Sponsor

• Member of Chamber of Commerce
• Member of Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC)
• United Way sponsorship
• Intern sponsorship for engineering students
• Equipment donation to local fire brigade 
• Lab equipment for local universities

 Key Figures for 2010

# of Employees	500
Local Economic Impact (Payroll/Utility/Property Taxes Paid Annually)	$6 million in 2010
Investment in the Community	$175,000 – 200,000 Canadian per year in approved capital investments for health, safety, and environmental projects At Becancour, Arkema produces peroxide solutions, which are pure and generally stable. The company makes sure that any innovation applied to its processes is fully compliant with the research and development code. The manufacturing code stipulates that there must be measures to protect employees, the community and the environment against the potentially harmful effects of manufacturing activities.  The company has developed a health, safety and environmental guide for employees and contractors, containing a "Health Safety Environment" Charter. It has instituted effective prevention measures and makes regular inspections of all facilities.  Arkema has implemented measures to ensure that its products are transported as safely as possible and with minimal risk to the public.  Compliance with the distribution code constantly monitored. This means that if a supplier or a distributor fails to respect the code, their services are no longer used. The hazardous waste management code encourages member companies to find ways to reduce, reuse, recycle or recover hazardous products before considering their disposal. Arkema evaluates the causes of all malfunctions in order to establish preventive measures and avoid repetition.  Arkema stimulates our partners with regular evaluations of their progress. As a member of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC), Arkema is committed to Responsible Care®. This program of initiatives, which has been adopted by all CIAC member companies, seeks to protect the health and safety of employees, as well as the environment and the surrounding communities. Based on three codes of good conduct, Responsible Care® strives to ensure the safe management of chemical products in every step of manufacturing, storage, handling and transport. At Arkema, we view Responsible Care® as a part of our Total Quality Management Pledge.
Investment in Health, Environment and Safety	Over $1 million in approved capital investments in 2010 for health, safety, and environmental projects Purchased additional safety and environmental equipment Process upgrades New technology
Safety Record	No injuries in the last year that led to lost work time. On June 10, 2011, the plant also celebrated 21 years without any accidents resulting in loss of time We received Arkema’s Safety Innovation Award – given to plants that excel in innovation and safety – in both 2010 and 2011
Rewards/Certifications for Safety, Environmental, and Quality	Arkema’s Becancour plant is the world's first manufacturer of hydrogen peroxide to be ISO 9002:1994 certified The Becancour facility is certified ISO 9001:2008 (quality) and ISO 14001:2004 (environment) Becancour is also registered in the Responsible Care® program from the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada In 2005, we received Certification from Det Norske Veritas (DNV) for International Safety Rating System (ISRS) In 2011, CSST (the Health and Safety Board in Quebec) awarded Becancour its Regional Safety Award

Responsible Care® is a registered trademark of the American Chemistry Council 
Last updated: 01/06/2012