VANCOUVER, WA — Emerald Kalama Chemical completed start-up of its $40 million expansion at the company’s Rotterdam, the Netherlands site. The fully operational expansion increases Emerald’s global capabilities, manufacturing flexibility and capacity for Purox® B Benzoic Acid, Kalama® Benzaldehyde and many downstream products, such as Kalama® Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde (HCA) and Kalama® Amyl Cinnamic Aldehyde (ACA).
The additional operations in Rotterdam support the company’s strategic vision to sustain a leadership position in benzoic acid, benzaldehyde and downstream products such as HCA. The project not only significantly expands capacity for these products, but also enhances Emerald’s global footprint and backward integration in key raw materials. While the initiative focused on ramping up capacity at the Rotterdam operation, Emerald has made other key investments over the last 24 months in the United States, the Netherlands and UK to increase capabilities across Emerald’s portfolio, improve supply chain and logistics, and provide customers with the added benefit of dual production locations for key aroma chemicals such as HCA.
Emerald is the only global HCA and ACA producer manufacturing these key aroma chemicals in two major regions – with North American operations in the United States and European operations in the UK. By supporting Emerald’s Widnes (UK) plant with additional benzaldehyde capacity, the Rotterdam expansion further increases Emerald’s global HCA and ACA capabilities and solidifies the company’s standing as the leading global producer of HCA, ACA, benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.
Edward Gotch, CEO of Emerald Kalama Chemical, confirmed that the newly expanded facilities at Rotterdam are now in full operation following a successful start-up and are producing the highest purity grade of benzoic acid available on the market, with a minimum assay of 99.98%.
