 In 1873 Brunner formed a partnership with Mond and together they founded Brunner Mond & Company . Their initial capital was less than £ 20 @,@ 000 ( £ 1 @.@ 6 million in 2016 ) , most of which was borrowed . In April 1872 Mond had been to Belgium to meet Ernest Solvay to negotiate terms to manufacture alkali by the process Solvay had developed . The Solvay process produced soda ash more cheaply than the established Leblanc process , from raw materials which were more easily obtainable , and produced fewer waste products . Mond made a gentlemen 's agreement with Solvay to apportion the global markets , with Mond 's company having exclusive rights to the United States and to the British Isles . 
