OREANDA-NEWS. November 20, 2012.   GE (NYSE: GE) today marked the 40th anniversary and recent expansion of its chemical production reaction plant in Herentals for its water and process technologies business. The plant manufactures chemicals to treat water for industrial customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and the new expansion will increase the facility’s production to approximately 27,000 tons per year.

The water treatment chemicals manufactured at GE’s Herentals facility are mainly used by power plants, oil refineries and petrochemical, food and beverage and primary metal customers. The newly expanded reaction plant will be producing novel chemical technology utilized in effluent treatment, water clarification and corrosion inhibition. Together with GE’s water and process technologies business’ state-of-the-art technology center, located in Heverlee, Belgium, GE can offer its customers a broad range of solutions for all their water treatment and purification needs.

GE’s Herentals facility covers 780 acres in area and has more than 130 employees. It plays a critical role in meeting industrial customers’ growing water treatment needs in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Attending the anniversary celebration and inauguration of the expanded plant today were many dignitaries including Robert Faucher, Chargй d’Affaire of the U.S. Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium and Jan Peeters, mayor of Herentals.

The new reaction plant encompasses a technologically advanced control room where the chemical production process can be carefully controlled and monitored. A first-of-its-kind for GE, this technology enables faster cycle time and best-in-class levels of safety and environmental protection. The Herentals plant is a zero discharge site that is not discharging effluent and is reusing water for its own operational needs.

Metal corrosion inhibitors and effluent treatment chemicals, like those manufactured at the Herentals plant, are some of the most novel materials available on the market today. GE’s advanced water and wastewater treatment chemistries enable its customers to optimize plant operations, reduce costs, protect equipment against unscheduled outages and comply with environmental regulations.

“GE has been active in Belgium for over 50 years and continues to invest, as evidenced by the expansion of the water and process technologies’ activities in Herentals. GE is committed to providing solutions that drive customer-productivity whilst tirelessly seeking new opportunities for GE’s global businesses to contribute to Belgium’s economic future,” said Roland Teixeira, country executive for GE in the Benelux.

GE’s water business has expanded its workforce in Belgium by 17 percent since 2010. GE in Belgium has more than 900 employees working in more than 10 locations, including manufacturing sites, R&D facilities and centers of excellence. Moreover, GE’s European headquarters is based in Brussels. GE delivers energy, healthcare and mobility technologies and services supporting the region’s sustainability targets.

The city of Herentals is located near Antwerp, which has one of the largest seaports in Europe, making it an ideal gateway for GE exports.