Emerald Adds 75,000 Metric Tons of Capacity for Benzoic Acid Production in Netherlands

Emerald Kalama Chemical, a business group of Emerald Performance Materials, commissioned its second benzoic acid reactor train at its facility in Rotterdam, Netherlands, adding 75,000 metric tons of capacity for the production of benzoic acid.

The added capacity will support growing demand for the company’s Kalama and Purox brands of benzoic acid and benzoate preservatives, as well as meet expanding internal consumption needs of downstream products, notably K-FLEX non-phthalate plasticizers and coalescents manufactured at the site. Benzoic acid is used to produce a wide range of products in markets such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, personal care and industrial uses, including adhesives, sealants, caulk, paint, coatings, vinyl and graphic arts.

“Benzoic acid is core to our business so it is important that we stay ahead of market demand,” said Hubert Degens, vice president of the Emerald Kalama Chemical Benzoates and Intermediate business. “Our Kalama and Purox benzoic acid and benzoates are preferred brands known globally for their high purity, quality and consistency—attributes that have driven solid growth of this platform in our core businesses in applications ranging from food to industrial uses. In recent years, growth for benzoic acid has expanded significantly in response to market demand for products such as non-phthalate plasticizers and paraben-free antimicrobials in personal care applications. Completing this latest expansion on schedule was critical to meeting our commitments to customers and supporting our overall growth strategy.”

Construction of the latest expansion was completed in June. Start-up activities and validation commenced in July, and the system is now on-line. This is the group’s sixth multi-million-dollar expansion in the last several years at its Rotterdam site.

“Our wave of recent expansion activities, which include expanded operations at our facilities in the U.S. and the Netherlands, will continue to increase our global footprint and allow us to meet demand for our products,” said Brian A. Denison, vice president of operations for Emerald Kalama Chemical. “Rotterdam was the logical site for this current expansion, enabling us to re-start an idle reactor train there and build on it as a foundation, upgrading with new supporting equipment, systems and automation. Our planned investments over the next several years will continue to build upon this latest project and support the future growth and expansion of our downstream products that utilize benzoic acid as a raw material feedstock.”

The company has been producing benzoic acid at its Rotterdam and U.S. operations for more than 50 years. In addition to the current benzoic acid expansion, the company commissioned a new flaker production unit for its Purox B benzoic acid line in 2013 and a new K-FLEX plasticizer operation in 2012. The company also completed an expansion of its aroma chemical product line capacity in 2013 and several K-FLEX expansions at its Kalama, Washington (U.S.) facility, effectively doubling the global capacity of the K-FLEX platform since 2011.