This paper explores the development of an automatic model-centric version control approach for managing the evolution of chemical models and to support model reuse. Unlike traditional versioning which is text-based, the basis of versioning in the proposed approach is based on structural changes of the chemical models. An implemented prototype tool incorporating the proposed approach and the use of an example XML-based representation of chemical models was used to illustrate the associated concepts. Some results associated with a case study are presented. Given that chemical modelling tools like HYSYS has just delivered an XML infrastructure that aims to support collaborative engineering, this proposed technique is timely and relevant. The benefit of the approach is that it provides a way of automatic storage and retrieval of the chemical models as well as the management of the different versions of the model as it evolves, thus allowing chemical process engineers to concentrate on the modelling and simulation. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.