Oxiteno starts up surfactants plant in Texas
Brazil’s Oxiteno has commenced operations at its new manufacturing plant in Pasadena, Texas. The new unit features alkoxylation technology and will produce a broad range of specialty surfactants such as polysorbates, amine and alcohol ethoxylates, EO/PO products, sodium isethionate, high molecular weight PEGs, and much more.
The plant’s production capacity is 170,000 tonnes/year and it will serve regional and global customers.
Oxiteno says it has invested around US$200 million over six years, including site acquisition, plant construction, and R&D facilities while creating more than 120 jobs. The strategic US Gulf location allows easy access to key raw materials, logistics, and a specialized workforce. The company will produce a wide range of nonionic surfactants and specialty alkoxylates serving key markets such as agrochemicals, home care, industrial & institutional cleaning, personal care, oilfield chemicals, paints & coatings.
“The start-up of our new alkoxylation plant in Texas is a key accomplishment in our journey to become a leading supplier of surfactants and specialty alkoxylates to US and global customers”, said Timothy Madden, CEO of Oxiteno in the US. “Our focus and expertise in this technology and broad portfolio of products and applications will fortify our ability to continue delivering value to our customers through being an innovative and agile solutions provider”.
“The investments in the US reflect Oxiteno’s long-term commitment to serving the domestic market at a different level and scale, complementing our existing production base in other important markets, such as Mexico and Brazil,” adds João Benjamin Parolin, CEO of Oxiteno.
Over the last years, Oxiteno has been pre-marketing its products in the US and has signed important agreements with different customers for the Pasadena site. In 2016, Oxiteno opened a technology centre co-located at the University of Southern Mississippi to support the development of new products and react faster to market and customer requests.