OBERHAUSEN, Germany – Oxea, a global chemical company, has successfully completed the first phase of a three-stage capacity increase at its multi-purpose carboxylic acid production units in Oberhausen, Germany, adding five percent to its global carboxylic acid capacity. Upon completion of the entire project, scheduled for the end of 2011, Oxea will have boosted its global capacity by a total of 20 percent.

“With our capacity increase, we are responding to the growing demand for synthetic fatty acids in particular in segments such as energy-efficient lubricant esters and specialty phthalate-free plasticizers,” said Miguel Mantas, Executive Board Member for Marketing and Sales. “Oxea’s significant investment in carboxylic acids, which goes beyond mere debottlenecking of existing equipment, illustrates our commitment to the synthetic fatty acid market,” he continued.

Martina Flöel, Executive Board Member for Production and Strategy, added, “In fact, a second-phase project to add additional carboxylic acid production capacity beyond 2011 has just been kicked off at Oxea to further strengthen our position as the global market leader in the synthetic fatty acid segment.”

Oxea is a global manufacturer of Oxo intermediates and Oxo derivatives such as alcohols, polyols, carboxylic acids, specialty esters and amines. These products are used for the production of high-quality coatings, lubricants, cosmetic and pharmaceutical products, flavorings and fragrances, printing inks, and plastics.