PASADENA, TX — Specialty chemicals provider Oxiteno celebrated the official opening of its first alkoxylation plant in Pasadena, Texas, on Nov. 14, 2018. The unit, planned to support mainly U.S. customers, has an annual capacity of 375 million pounds. It features best-in-class alkoxylation technology and engineering for high productivity of specialties.

The new plant adds to Oxiteno’s existing footprint in surfactants, ethylene oxide and derivatives in Latin America. It places Oxiteno as leader in the production of nonionic surfactants and ethoxylates in the Americas.

“We always felt the need to be more strategic and closer to our U.S. customers. And, at the same time, we also knew that this region needed a state-of-the-art alkoxylation plant to meet strong demands. We are now reinforcing our ongoing commitment to key stakeholders, including employees, customers and community, through our investment in a brand new innovative alkoxylation system,” said Timothy Madden, Chief Operating Officer of Oxiteno in the United States.

The company also opened a U.S. Technology Center to enhance the customer experience in the United States.

Oxiteno has invested $200 million over six years, including site acquisition, plant construction and R&D facilities. The investments in the United States reflect the company’s long-term commitment to serving the domestic market at a different level and scale, complementing its existing production base in other important markets, such as Mexico and Brazil.

Over the past few years, Oxiteno has been pre-marketing its products in the U.S. market and has signed important co-manufacturing agreements for the Pasadena site. To support the U.S. expansion, Oxiteno has invested widely in research and development. In 2016, the company opened a technology center co-located at the University of Southern Mississippi to support the development of new products and react faster to market and customer requests. Oxiteno has operations in North and South America, Europe and Asia. In the United States, the company also maintains its main office in Houston and a research and development center in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.