Evonik celebrates 50 years of producing isophorone chemicals for paint and coatings market

Evonik recently celebrated 50 years of making isophorone chemicals. The first plant for isophorone production commenced operation at the Herne site of Hibernia, as a predecessor company of Evonik Industries in 1962.

Discovered as a byproduct of acetone catalysis, isophorone, a solvent, evolved to eventually become one of the company’s core areas of competency. The continual further development of this product, combined with the exploration and tapping of new technologies and markets, enabled the company to build an extensive product portfolio for applications in a whole variety of industries.

“We’ll be celebrating not just a strong and versatile product portfolio, but the development of tailored solutions for our customers, as well,” said Thomas Haeberle, Evonik Industries executive board member, of the upcoming anniversary celebration. “Over the years we’ve established close, trusting partnerships in this field, and they’ve inspired, and continue to inspire, us to systematically expand our portfolio of products and services.”

In June of this year, Evonik held a groundbreaking ceremony for the start of construction of a plant in Shanghai, China, its fifth isophorone and isophorone diamine production site. Products from the new facilities, which are scheduled to come on stream in the first quarter of 2014, will primarily serve markets in China and Asia Pacific, with an annual capacity of 50kt.

Isophorone, isophorone diamine, isophorone diisocyanate, and their derivatives are important components in the production of industrial flooring, vinyl, and paints and coatings, for the growth field of high-performance composites and in chemical synthesis.

Evonik currently manufactures isophorone chemical products in Herne and Marl, Germany, Mobile, Alabama, and Antwerp, Belgium. The company markets these products around the globe under the trademarks of VESTAMIN, VESTANAT, VESTAGON and VESTASOL.