Description
The development of the chemical industry in Linz in the 20th century is strongly connected to the installation of the steel-processing plant “Reichswerke Hermann Göring” in the late 1930s. Therefore at this time a local recreation area of Linz was turned into an industry site, even a small village called St. Peter and manufactories (e.g. the soap work Estermann) were eliminated or moved to other places in order to make an area of around 700 ha useable for the erection of a big-sized steel plant. Even newly built suburban settlements were pulled down. Around 4,500 people were relocated to nearby areas. New building complexes were established, new districts were formed. In 1941 the first blast furnace started its operation. 1946 the steel plant´s name was changed to VÖEST (Vereinigte Österreichische Eisen- und Stahlwerke), its successor companies are voestalpine and Siemens VAI. Close to the steel plant a chemistry plant was built in 1939 (Stickstoffwerke Ostmark AG) for the usage of the off-gases from the coking plant of the steel production containing hydrogen, nitrogen and methane as educts for the ammonia production following the Haber-Bosch process. Nitrogen fertilisers (as ammonium sulphate or potassium nitrate) as well as explosives (as ammonium nitrate) should be produced. 1946 the name was changed to “Österreichische Stickstoffwerke AG”. 1973 it was turned into the “Chemie Linz AG” and in the 1980ies subsidiary companies were founded (e.g. Agrolinz) – the “Chemiepark” was formed. Today several individual companies are located there. And the address (St.-Peter-Strasse 25) still reminds on the former village on this area. Research is an important factor for the development of new chemicals or the optimisation of chemical processes. This is where science and industry meet and educational institutions like the Johannes Kepler University or the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria are partners for the development of the chemistry industry in Linz.| Period | 24 Sept 2019 |
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| Event title | GÖCH Chemietage |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Linz, AustriaShow on map |