In a process for producing para-xylene, at least one feed comprising C6+ aromatic hydrocarbons is supplied to a dividing wall distillation column to separate the feed into a C7- aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream, a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and a C9+ aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream. At least part of the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon- containing stream is then supplied to a para-xylene recovery unit to recover para-xylene from the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-containing stream and produce a para-xylene depleted stream. The para-xylene depleted stream is contacted with a xylene isomerization catalyst in a xylene isomerization zone under conditions effective to isomerize xylenes in the para- xylene depleted stream and produce an isomerized stream, which is then at least partially recycled to the para-xylene recovery unit.