Frankfurt is in the western portion of Germany on the Main River, in the proximity of the Rhine and at the foot of the wooded Taunusgebirges. The highest of the Taunus' mountains is the 878 meter (2879 feet) high Grosse Feldberg. Frankfurt, which has about 660,000 inhabitants (including the suburbs) relies on industry, trade, banking and insurance. Because of its skyline, which reminds one a little of Manhattan, Frankfurt is only half-humorously called "Mainhattan". Frankfurt is home of the German Federal (Reserve) Bank (Bundesbank), other federal authorities and the most important of stock exchanges in Germany. Frankfurt has an active cultural life as it has many theatres, an opera and several concert halls, a row of museums and a number of great restaurants. In addition to the tethering of Frankfurt by the water ways Rhine and Main, there are several major motorways and significant railway connections. Because of its airport "Frankfurt-Main", the largest in Germany, as well as, the Rhein-Main Airbase of the American Air Force, many call Frankfurt also a "gateway to the World". Höchst, originally an independent city, became (1926) part of Frankfurt and is now one of several western suburbs.

From the time (around 800 AD) of Charlemagne (Karl der Große), crowned emperor of the Holy Roman Empire, there is a remain of a palace (Saxenhausen) and the Church of St. Justinus in Höchst. During the time of the Holy Roman Empire, as a German realm (1000 - 1806), the emperors were elected in Frankfurt. The election chamber in Frankfurt cathedral and the Emperor hall in Frankfurt city-hall (Römer) can also be visited. In 1848 the first freely-elected German parliament met met in the Paulskirche (St. Pauls Church), which elected body, however, did not have a long life. Only few reconstructed old buildings remain of this older portion of the city. Old-town Frankfurt, with its old romantic half-timbered houses and narrow winding lanes, was to a large extent destroyed in the Second World War by Allied bombardment. New reconstruction furnished a new city with a new face, although the market-place {Römerplatz} was restored.

Today's Hoechst Aktiengesellschaft (Hoechst AG) arose in 1863 because four entrepreneurs established the firm with the name "Meister Lucius & Co." in Höchst as factory for the production of aniline dye. The first produced coloring material was the red magenta dye (fuchsia). This explains why the new factory was also called the "red factory". The company diversified substantially during the course of the time; and, in 1925, under the name "Farbwerke vorm. Meister Lucius and Brüning, Höchst am Main" became part of the chemical cartel I.G. Farbenindustrie AG. The factory, in contrast to the city of Frankfurt, was not heavily destroyed in the Second World War. Höchst was occupied in 1945 by American troops and the factory soon resumed production. After dissolution of I.G. Farben and reestablishment of its original component companies (in the year 1951) strong growth in Höchst began.

The company now called „Farbwerke Hoechst AG, vormals Meister Lucius & Brüning" during its hayday, produced a broad line of products, including: inorganic and organic chemicals, fertilizers, plastics, artificial fibers, coloring materials and pharmaceuticals. The 4 square kilometers (1.5 square miles) large factory contained the company administrative headquarters, the sales offices, research and development, analytical laboratories, libraries, a power plant and others in addition to production facilities. The Frankfurt-Höchst factory employed about 30,000 persons. The entire operations of Hoechst AG in the 1970's the 80's, including all other factories, was about as large as that of the America's DuPont before the acquisition of Conoco Inc. (1981). In the 90's factors affecting all chemical concerns began to change Hoechst into a life-sciences company. That was consumated with restructuring, consolidation and rationalizing of smaller units, the sales of certain activities and substantial personnel reductions. The chlorine activities of Hoechst AG at the Frankfurt-Höchst factory came first to the Celanese GmbH, a subsidary; then, effective the first of January 1998 to LaRoche Industries Inc. (LII Europe GmbH). [Ed note: After LII emerged from its reorganization in 2001 the business at Höchst was again sold.]

The first chlor-alkali electrolysis facility in the world, developed by Chemische Fabrik Griesheim (today the Griesheim factory of Hoechst AG), was placed into operation in 1890. Starting in the 1930's, the Frankfurt-Höchst factory began production of chlorine, caustic soda and hydrogen, which continued throughout the Second World War. After the war chlorine production in Frankfurt-Höchst continued strong. Chlorine became, particularly important for the production of methane chlorination products and for the production of CFC's, in addition, uses for other chlorinated products. At the high point of production the Frankfurt-Höchst factory had three electrolysis operations with a chlorine capacity of altogether 1000 tonnes/day. After the end of CFC production only the newest of the three electrolyses remained operational. This unit has been continuously modernized and is today in an outstanding status.

Research and development have along with the chlorine activities been a long tradition. Thus, many new developments were brought to market and sold world-wide by the 100% subsidary Uhde GmbH. In and the 1970's and 80's Hoechst developed a new membrane cell for electrolysis, which is sold as the Hoechst-Uhde membrane cell (now by Krupp-Uhde GmbH) into many countries in the world (LII Europe GmbH also retains use rights). At present 43 facilities use Hoechst- Uhde membrane sells with a total (nameplate) NaOH capacity of 2.5 million are tonnes/year. In Germany Bayer AG in Krefeld-Uerdingen and BCA in Bitterfeld, as well as the Olin Corporation Mobile, Alabama, in the USA are customers of this technology.

LaRoche Industries Inc. operates the Frankfurt-Höchst factory electrolysis operations under the name LII Europe GmbH. Its also owns product processing and methane chlorination units. The salt for the electrolysis comes by ship over the Rhine and Main von Heilbronn (rock salt) into Germany or from the Netherlands (vacuum salt). Most of the chlorine goes through onsite piping to the methane chlorination unit and to a lesser degree the other chlorination operations. The caustic soda (50%)solution is dispatched by truck, rail tank car or tanker to customers. The same occurs with the bleach made from chlorine and caustic solution. A part of the caustic soda is converted to caustic soda Microprills and sold in bags. In the operations of the methane chlorination natural gas is chlorinated for the production of dichloromethane and chloroform (Kreislaufchlorierung). Resulting hydrochloric acid is transferred to methanol conversion operations (Methanolveresterung) where methanol is converted to methyl chloride. Altogether about 360 persons are busy in the production enterprises, in administration and sales.

The coworkers of LII Europe GmbH in the Frankfurt-Höchst factory live either in Frankfurt or one its suburbs. The entire Rhine- Main area with its larger cities Frankfurt, Mainz and Wiesbaden is well-accessible by motorways, roads and railways. Many persons also live in municipalities of the Taunus area to the north, where there is fresher air, open-fields and forests. Living is more relaxed, one can live in his/her own house, while, in contrast one lives in the cities generally in rented apartments or flats. Many of the coworkers volunteer their spare time to municipalities, associations and unions. These avocations take place in the town council, sport associations, fire-brigades among other things. The main sport is soccer, in addition to tennis associations, hiking in the Taunus and much other more. The many cultural and culinary attractions, which Frankfurt offers, are taken up naturally, as well as gladly.

There was a time of labor unrest under the earlier administration, together with the uncertainty over the future in a country with many unemployed persons. With the acquisition by LaRoche Industries Inc. somewhat more peace of mind has arrived. The coworkers now will be able to continue to deliver goods and services, as they were accustomed to providing in the past.

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