International. Specialty chemical company Lanxess revealed that it is expanding its production capacity for benzyl industrial chemical alcohol for the global market by about 30 percent.
The two-stage expansion of the plant at the German headquarters in Krefeld-Uerdingen is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2019. A low double-digit sum of millions of euros will be spent on conversion measures. In addition, the Advanced Industrial Intermediates (AII) business unit has expansion plans for its Indian site in Nagda. Several process improvements have already led to an increase in benzyl alcohol capacity in recent years.
"With our two sites in Germany and India and planned expansions, we are well positioned to meet the growing demand from our customers," says Michael Ertl, Business Line Manager of Benzyl and Inorganic Acids at AII. "We are well equipped to serve both global groups with locations around the world and small and medium-sized businesses around the world," emphasizes the manager.
Important industrial chemical for numerous applications.
Lanxess benzyl alcohol is used in a variety of different applications, for example, as a solvent for coatings, color pastes and construction chemicals, as a high-purity preservative for injection solutions and cosmetics, and as a synthetic chemical. Other applications include adhesives, plastics, textile auxiliaries, fragrances and flavorings, and agricultural chemicals. In the European Union, benzyl alcohol is approved as a food additive with the number E 1519 for the production of flavors for certain beverages, confectionery products and bakery products.
