F2 Chemicals Ltd was established in 1992 as BNFL Fluorochemicals Ltd, a diversification business belonging to British Nuclear Fuels plc (BNFL). The purpose of the company was to develop a chemical business based on BNFL’s fluorine generation expertise.
In addition to building a laboratory at its premises in Preston in 1991, a research and development programme was started a year later in collaboration with the Universities of Durham and Leicester. Arising from the work at Durham University the company developed its selective direct fluorination technology for utilising fluorine as a fluorinating agent for the production of organic compounds.
The Company acquired the FLUTEC® perfluorocarbon fluids business from Rhône-Poulenc in 1993 and constructed a new plant in Preston, which came on-stream in 1995.
Due to change of corporate strategy, BNFL sold the company to a consortium of Asahi Glass Company Ltd, Mitsubishi Corporation and Miteni SpA in March 2000.
In September 2008 the company was acquired by Showa Denko KK.