Olin Chlor Alkali Products

Where We're Located

McIntosh, AL

Welcome to Olin Chlor Alkali Products' McIntosh Plant

Facility

Olin Chlor Alkali Products Division
McIntosh Plant
Industrial Road
P.O. Box 28
McIntosh, AL 36553
(251) 944-2231
Customer Support (800) 297-6546

What We Do

Located in McIntosh, Alabama, a close-knit community located just 45 miles north of Mobile, Olin Chlor Alkali Products' McIntosh plant is situated on 2200 acres of land, 250 acres of which are developed. The facility is located on Industrial Road, less than a mile off of U.S. 43. The plant's population includes more than 305 full-time employees.

Olin's McIntosh Plant produces chlorine, caustic soda, sodium hypochlorite, dilute sulfuric acid, hydrogen (sold to the local Praxair plant for use as rocket fuel) and salt. Many of these products are important ingredients used in the manufacture of a wide variety of products that are part of our modern way of life. In fact, each time you read a newspaper, use bleach in your laundry, ride in a car, enjoy safe drinking water or take aspirin to relieve a headache, you're benefiting from one or more of our products.

Olin Chlor Alkali Products was first attracted to McIntosh by an unusual geographic feature--a giant underground salt dome which was discovered in 1945. (Salt is one of the essential raw materials needed for our manufacturing process.) We began our McIntosh plant operations--and a valued relationship with the McIntosh community--in 1952.

Our Economic Impact

Our contribution to the greater McIntosh community is substantial. Our payroll is approximately $17.7 million annually. We purchase around $70 million of goods and services locally and regionally each year. These financial effects multiply when you consider the sales tax on these goods and services, plus the sales, income and real estate taxes paid by Olin Chlor Alkali Products' employees and contractors.

Good Neighbors. Good Chemistry.

At Olin Chlor Alkali Products, we're not only committed to producing high quality products that help improve our quality of life, but we're committed to being a vital part of our community---to being a good neighbor. That's because the people at Olin's McIntosh plant have lived and worked in the community for years. So we're committed to protecting the environment and our co-workers.

As part of this commitment, we believe in maintaining an open, honest dialogue with our community. That's why we meet regularly with the McIntosh Plant Community Advisory Panel, which is made up of a cross-section of community members who meet to discuss issues that are important to our neighbors.

Public Safety: Our Most Important Job

From research and development to manufacturing, distribution, transportation, use and disposal, we feel we need to make every stage of a chemical's life incident-free. For us, that means no incidents, no injuries--absolutely no situations that could bring harm to people or the environment.

Our employees have launched a safety improvement program based on the principles of behavior observation. This leading-edge process assures maximum employee involvement in all aspects of safety meetings, inspections, incident investigations and process reviews. Working together with Olin Chlor Alkali Products management, our employees have pledged that we will strive for zero safety and environmental incidents.

To help ensure public safety, our facility is prepared with six layers of safety and environmental protection to help prevent incidents:

Employees
Well-trained employees are our most important resource in operating our facilities and in protecting our communities.
Mechanical integrity
We regularly inspect and test all of our equipment which greatly reduces the chance of failure.
Process reviews
Conducted every five years on all systems which handle hazardous materials as well as on all new designs prior to operation, process reviews identify things that could possibly go wrong so that these situations can be corrected and controlled.
Process controls
A variety of backup systems provide precise control of processes and maintain tight operating parameters.
Monitoring systems
Our highly sensitive detectors identify potential problems, giving operators early warning and enabling them to respond more quickly and effectively.
Emergency response
The key to minimizing the effect of an accidental release is to get the right people and equipment to the scene quickly, including both on-site and off-site emergency responders. On site, we have trained emergency responders and Emergency medical Technicians (EMT's). Our emergency materials responders are trained to handle off-site incidents involving our products. The Olin Chemical Emergency Action Network (OCEAN^Ž) is available 24 hours a day at 888-289-1911 to respond to offsite incidents. And it's all coordinated with local responders using our joint training and emergency response plans.

The Risk Management Plan

The Risk Management Planning regulation was issued by the US Environmental Protection Agency in June 1996. Its purpose was to establish guidelines for identifying, reporting and communicating potential accidental releases of hazardous materials produced and stored in significant quantities. The regulation requires that facilities handling these materials submit their Risk Management Plan to the EPA by June 1999, at which time the plans will be available to the public. We took a proactive stance and communicated the plans directly to with our communities.

If you're interested in reviewing the McIntosh Plant's Risk Management Plan, please contact us of or call 334-944-2231.

Location and lifestyle

Life in McIntosh and the surrounding area affords the opportunity to live and work among friends and neighbors in a close-knit, culturally diverse community. The town of McIntosh, with a population of about 1,200, is located approximately 45 miles north of Mobile. The region's temperate climate is characterized by mild winters and long, often very warm, summers. The average annual temperature is 68 degrees.

The McIntosh and greater Mobile area is home to a wide variety of manufacturers, representing such industries as chemicals, paper products, printing and publishing, shipbuilding, and aerospace engineering. The community of McIntosh itself is home to three major chemical manufacturers as well as one of the world's leading processors of hydrogen products.

Residents of McIntosh and its surrounding communities enjoy the very picture of quiet, small-town life. Life there moves at a slower pace-a pace that most new residents find refreshing. Driving around town, you'll find residents enjoying afternoon softball games, family picnics, or simply long conversations with good neighbors. Make no mistake, though-the relaxed pace can often belie a buzz of activity beneath the surface. (The perfect example: the McIntosh Branch of the Washington County Library, a cozy, quaint structure that once served as a church. Today, it's home to an array of state-of-the-art computer terminals, where local residents enjoy high-speed access to the Internet.)

Of course, those seeking the cultural, entertainment and recreational opportunities only found in a larger city need look no further than Mobile. A forty-five minute drive from McIntosh, Mobile offers a unique blend of attractions found no where else. Minutes from the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, Mobile lists among its other popular attractions the immaculate grounds and stately mansion known as Bellingrath Gardens, a floral paradise which is also the home port of the authentic riverboat the Southern Belle. History buffs flock to the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park for the opportunity to inspect this battle-tested warhorse, as well as other authentic fighter planes and military equipment from World War II, Korea, Vietnam and Desert Storm.

Fine arts patrons enjoy the Mobile Symphony, Ballet and Theatre Guild, while sports fans thrill to Mobile Mystics hockey and BayBears AA baseball. Mobile is also home of the Delchamps Senior Bowl, where countless first-round draft picks have enjoyed their last hurrah as college players before moving into the ranks of the NFL. Then, of course, there's Mobile's reputation for knowing how to throw a party, from March's Azalea Trail run and Festival to October's BayFest Music Festival. (Not to mention the original Mardi Gras festival!)

Olin in the Community

Our McIntosh plant has been an important part of the community for nearly 50 years. As one of the area's largest employers, the plant's impact on the community's economy is self-evident. But our contributions to the community don't end there. All told, Olin and its employees give more than $100,000 each year-and contribute countless hours to worthwhile community projects. We're particularly interested in projects, which improve the lives of our community's families and children.

Recent examples of community efforts involving Olin Chlor Alkali Products include:

The dedication of the Jeff Dolbare Public Boat Ramp, a permanent boat landing built on riverfront property provided by Olin Chlor Alkali Products .
A two-year grant to purchase a badly needed new ambulance for the McIntosh Rescue Squad in McIntosh, AL.
An Olin donation of computers and supplies to local school libraries, as well as the McIntosh branch of the Washington County library.
Ongoing financial support of the McIntosh Area Betterment Association, and organization that provides funding to a variety of worthwhile projects, including the McIntosh Community Center.

News

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Community Advisory Panel

Formed in 1990, the McIntosh Plant Community Advisory Panel (CAP) helps us better understand and respond to the concerns of our community. Composed of a cross-section of community members and several representatives of Olin, the panel meets monthly to discuss plant operations, environmental concerns, safety, emergency preparedness, community involvement, and other issues the panel decides are important. Then, the panel helps us develop action plans to address these concerns. Participants also provide feedback regarding Olin's operations and ways to strengthen communications and build trust with the community.

To contact the CAP in your area, click here.