To help its customers meet the need for hand sanitizers, wipes, sprays, liquid dish soap and other household cleaning products, Eastman Chemical Corp. (Kingsport, Tenn.; www.eastman.com) will significantly increase its capacity to produce tertiary amines (dimethyldodecylamine; DIMLA) at its Ghent, Belgium, facility by the end of 2021.
“As the world’s leading producer of tertiary amines, we take our responsibility to our customers seriously and want to support their growth as they make the world a cleaner and safer place,” said Bob Ash, product director for the company’s care chemicals business group. “That’s why we’re making a major investment, which will help us better serve this important market.”
Eastman has already significantly increased capacity at its Pace, Florida, DIMLA unit, making it the largest tertiary amine unit in the world. Ash said further investments are being considered there as well.
“If our customers support our expansions, we will continue to invest in DIMLA,” Ash said. “We appreciate their patience as we complete the work. In the meantime, our units are running at a high level.”
Besides DIMLA, Eastman’s care chemicals business supplies a wide variety of key intermediates and additives used in personal and home care, water treatment, pharmaceuticals, food, metalworking fluids, and crop protection.