November 2012 saw the announcement that one of the UKs largest remaining chemical works was due to close. In the true tradition of modern day 'urbex' no one online appeared to be too excited and it went seemingly unnoticed. Even after it was mentioned in a report on the adjacent Derwent power station no one really seemed to bat an eyelid. Myself however, i was down there at the front gate less than a couple of months after that announcement scraping my jaw off the floor at the stunning epic that faced me. This is too good i thought.. Its bound to be really modern inside, bound to be stripped inside, bound to get half demolished before i manage to get in. I was so wrong.
Fast forward a year and a bit and myself Dave and Joe are standing on the top floor of the solvent reclaim plant admiring the 360deg view of pure virgin industry. Someone says "I actually think this is the biggest place we have ever been" and we all agree. Then Joe gets out his hip flask and we have a toast to the biggest urban explore in memory of (without wanting to blow our trumpets too much) 3 of the Uk's most traveled explorers.
Exploring this site for me has been one massive blast of fresh air. Not since Pyestock had i felt that there was so much potential for enjoyment from one single place. A place that not only big was utterly new to everyone involved. A perfect opportunity for some REAL exploring and it felt virtually on my doorstep. Many re-vists have ensued and thanks must go out to Dave and Joe, Clebby, Dweeb and Cat, James and his motley crew for company and pointers, Not forgetting Boba and Dr howser for there early attempt that the power plant and advice on its virtually impenetrable security measures..
So lets get started
Welcome to the British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Company, Spondon
First lets tackle what the place actually did.. Not actually that simple.. AND to be honest im still not 100% sure but heres what i know.. Cellulose acetate is extracted from wood pulp and can be dissolved in acetone. In its latter years at least the plant concentrated on two main products from this Acetate. Flake and Tow. 'Flake' being a powdered form of the acetate that could be sold as a 'raw materiel' of sorts and 'Tow' being filter tow, the kind of thing cigarette filters are made from which in essence involved the treatment, filtration, spinning and bailing of the acetate.. In addition to this the plant had areas that manufactured 'special plastics' (your guess is as good as mine) flake chemicals, flame retardants and had a large chemical research division.
As always a brief history can be yoinked from wikipedia
More to Follow Shortly
Fast forward a year and a bit and myself Dave and Joe are standing on the top floor of the solvent reclaim plant admiring the 360deg view of pure virgin industry. Someone says "I actually think this is the biggest place we have ever been" and we all agree. Then Joe gets out his hip flask and we have a toast to the biggest urban explore in memory of (without wanting to blow our trumpets too much) 3 of the Uk's most traveled explorers.
Exploring this site for me has been one massive blast of fresh air. Not since Pyestock had i felt that there was so much potential for enjoyment from one single place. A place that not only big was utterly new to everyone involved. A perfect opportunity for some REAL exploring and it felt virtually on my doorstep. Many re-vists have ensued and thanks must go out to Dave and Joe, Clebby, Dweeb and Cat, James and his motley crew for company and pointers, Not forgetting Boba and Dr howser for there early attempt that the power plant and advice on its virtually impenetrable security measures..
So lets get started
Welcome to the British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Company, Spondon
First lets tackle what the place actually did.. Not actually that simple.. AND to be honest im still not 100% sure but heres what i know.. Cellulose acetate is extracted from wood pulp and can be dissolved in acetone. In its latter years at least the plant concentrated on two main products from this Acetate. Flake and Tow. 'Flake' being a powdered form of the acetate that could be sold as a 'raw materiel' of sorts and 'Tow' being filter tow, the kind of thing cigarette filters are made from which in essence involved the treatment, filtration, spinning and bailing of the acetate.. In addition to this the plant had areas that manufactured 'special plastics' (your guess is as good as mine) flake chemicals, flame retardants and had a large chemical research division.
As always a brief history can be yoinked from wikipedia
The origins of the company lie with two brothers, Henri and Camille Dreyfus. In 1912 they set up "Cellonit Gesellschaft Dreyfus and Co" in Basel, Switzerland. In 1916 the brothers were invited to live in Britain by the British Government, to produce their recently developed cellulose acetate dope for the war effort; the canvas skins of aircraft of the time were sealed and made taut with nitrocellulose dope, which was easily ignited by bullets.[2] They developed the necessary plant and "British Cellulose and Chemical Manufacturing Co" was registered on March 18, 1916.[3] The British Government patented the process developed by Henri Dreyfus, which lowered the costs of acetic anhydride production,[4] an important reagent in the production of cellulose acetate. At the end of World War I, the British Government cancelled all contracts and the company changed to produce acetate fibres. In 1923[5] the company name was changed to British Celanese Ltd, a contraction of cellulose and ease.[6] Softer and stronger, as well as being cheaper to produce than other fabrics used at the time such as satin or taffeta, Celanese was used in the production of garments.[7]
British Celanese was the first factory in Britain to produce propylene and from it isopropyl alcohol and acetone in 1942.[8]
Clarifoil production developed out of cellulose acetate yarn technology. Clarifoil full-scale production commenced from 1947.
Henri Dreyfus died in 1944. Camille Dreyfus died in 1956.
In 1957, British Celanese was taken over by Courtaulds.[9] The site is now operated by Celanese.
The plant finally closed after the last shift on Wednesday 14th November 2012.
Site Overview
Filter Tow and Spinning Lines
The tow areas take up most of the north east end of the site and spread across 4 or 5 large buildings which are each factories in their own right. From what i could tell the cellulose dope was filtered in large banks on the top floors and then spun on large 3 story high spinning lines before being bailed and shipped out in bulk.
The tow areas take up most of the north east end of the site and spread across 4 or 5 large buildings which are each factories in their own right. From what i could tell the cellulose dope was filtered in large banks on the top floors and then spun on large 3 story high spinning lines before being bailed and shipped out in bulk.
More to Follow Shortly