International. Solvay has started production at its two new large-scale "over-tube" alkoxylation facilities in Moerdijk, the Netherlands, and in Singapore.
Both units are located in integrated petrochemical centers and receive ethylene oxide via dedicated pipelines, providing a secure supply of this key raw material for a wide range of specialty surfactants by Solvay's Novecare business.
At its newly acquired Moerdijk site, located between the key regional transport and logistics hubs of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and Antwerp, Belgium, Solvay will be increasing capacity already by the third quarter.
The Novecare plant in Singapore will hold its opening ceremony this month. This plant is ramping up large-scale production after successfully completing its test batch production in May. Solvay's Novecare is already the largest specialty surfactant manufacturer in Asia, with 10 production plants, two research and innovation centers in Singapore and Shanghai, China, and a newly opened research and innovation lab in Tokyo.
Both facilities produce alkoxylates, which form the chemical basis for a wide range of Special Novecare surfactants, which are used in a number of products including coatings.
