Emerald Performance Materials to Expand Rotterdam Facility Capacity

Chemical company Emerald Performance Materials (Cuyohoga Falls, OH) recently announced plans to build a second benzoic acid reactor train at its manufacturing facility in Rotterdam.

The project is expected to bring between $5 and $10 million into the Rotterdam region. Emerald Kalama Chemical, a business group of Emerald Performance Materials, said the new reactor will add 75,000 metric tons of new capacity for benzoic acid. The added capacity will support sales of the company’s Kalama^® and PUROX^® brand of benzoic acid and benzoate preservatives, as well as its expanding internal consumption needs.

“Benzoic acid is the core product at the heart of our operations and essential to everything we do,” said Ed Gotch, president of Emerald Kalama Chemical. “Our wave of recent expansion activities—which include expanded operations at our facilities in the United States and Netherlands—will continue to increase our global footprint and allow us to meet growing demand for our products in markets such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, personal care and industrial uses, including adhesives, sealants, caulk, paint, coatings, graphic arts and vinyl applications.”

The project is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2014.