With low April exports, the caustic soda stocks stood at 255,590 tonnes, a 6.1% increase compared to the previous month (March 2011: 241,006 tonnes), and 9,546 tonnes more than in April 2010 (246,044 tonnes). Details of chlorine production and caustic soda stocks in the EU-27 countries plus Norway and Switzerland in April 2011 are provided in the following tables.

EU 27 + Norway/Swiztzerland Chlorine production & capacity utilisation

Month	Production (tonnes)			Capacity Utilisation (%)
	2010	2011	% change	2010	2011
January	808,563	854,826	+5.7	74.7	79.0
February	786,984	803,931	+2.2	80.5	82.3
March	845,597	867,472	+2.6	78.2	80.2
April	834,652	824,439	-1.2	79.7	78.7

Caustic soda stocks (tonnes)

	2010	2011
January	275,312	269,129
February	295,002	279,512
March	255,758	241,006
April	246,044	255,590

Further information: Alistair J Steel, Executive Director Tel: +32 2 676 73 50

Footnote to Editors Some of the totals for each month may vary slightly compared with figures used earlier. Please rely on the most recent information since it sometimes happens that estimates have to be made when data is supplied late by a producer. This is subsequently adjusted when the actual figure becomes available.

Euro Chlor is a Brussels-based business association representing chlor-alkali producers in the EU and EFTA regions employing about 39,000 people at 77 manufacturing locations. Almost 2,000,000 jobs in Europe are directly or indirectly related to chlorine and its co-product caustic soda (sodium hydroxide). These two key chemical building blocks underpin 55% of European chemical industry turnover.