LANXESS invests EUR 40 million in Krefeld-Uerdingen site
Expansion of menthol production announced
LANXESS is strengthening its Krefeld-Uerdingen site by investing about EUR 40 million in two major projects for the Basic Chemicals (BAC) business unit. It is building a production plant for the formalin needed to make trimethylolpropane (TMP). The applications of this trivalent alcohol include numerous products used in the furniture, construction and automotive industries. In addition, LANXESS is responding to strong global demand for menthol by investing in the expansion of its existing menthol production facilities. Synthetic menthol is a key component of numerous aromas and pharmaceutical products.
The specialty chemicals company LANXESS is building a new plant for the production of formalin.
LANXESS
LANXESS to produce all the formalin it needs
LANXESS is a highly competitive manufacturer and supplier of TMP worldwide. Building its own formalin plant will reinforce this position and eliminate the need to purchase the TMP precursor from external suppliers. “What’s more, we are giving the site a boost, saving on transport costs and improving our energy efficiency through process optimization measures,” explained Hubert Fink, the new head of the Basic Chemicals business unit. LANXESS is also creating five additional jobs at the facility. In addition to the plant itself, new formalin and methanol tanks will also be built on a total area of 1,000 square meters. The new formalin plant is due to start up at the end of 2011.
Top-quality menthol production for Symrise AG
Synthetic menthol from LANXESS is a premium product and sets global standards for purity. This makes it the product of choice for many pharmaceutical applications. LANXESS’ entire manufacturing process is coordinated with its contractual partner Symrise AG and the procedures this company uses. The specialty chemicals group supplies Symrise with menthol and the menthol precursor thymol in the full range of grades. Symrise turns these products into scents and flavorings for use in oral hygiene applications and products such as chewing gum and candy. High-grade menthol is also used in cosmetics and numerous pharmaceutical products – in sport balms that have a cooling effect in the event of painful injuries, for instance.
Initial planning work on the expansion of the hydrogenation facility is already under way. The project is due to be completed during the first half of 2012. LANXESS is also planning to take on three new employees at this facility.
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