THE owner of a Forth Valley oil refinery will build a hand sanitiser plant in just 10 days in a bid to produce one million bottles per month.

INEOS, the company which jointly operates Grangemouth Refinery, announced the plan on Tuesday, March 24.

The aim of the initiative is to assist in the fight against the spread of Covid-19 (coronavirus), by addressing a shortage of hand sanitiser in Europe.

According to the INEOS website: “It is clear that one of the major contagion pathways for the coronavirus is hand to mouth. Hand sanitisers prevent this.

“INEOS will provide free issue product for hospitals.

“The company expects to concentrate on meeting the needs of front line medical and care services as well as making the “pocket bottle” hand sanitisers for personal use for people across the UK and Europe.”

Hand sanitiser will also be provided to schools, workplaces and pharmacies and also supermarkets.

The pant where the product will be produced is expected to be based near Middlesbrough, but will utilise some of the raw material produced from the Grangemouth Refinery.