Indianapolis, Indiana-Great Lakes Chemical Corp. announced 19 Nov that it will add a new well for the extraction of elemental bromine at the company's South Arkansas, US, facility. The corporation also said it plans to double capacity for its polybrominated styrene (PBS) series of performance brominated flame retardants. The expansion is needed to meet strong industry demand, Great Lakes said. Both expansions will be complete by the end of the first quarter, 2005 the firm added. Elemental bromine is the starting point for many bromine compounds used, for example, in flame retardants, drilling fluids, agriculture, water purification and pharmaceutical products, according to Indianapolis-headquartered Great Lakes. "
