- The Antwerp project will provide annual production capacity of 28,000 metric tons of dibenzoates.
- Production at the facility is expected to begin in the second half of 2014.
- The project includes installation of technologies to produce benzoic acid.
- The dibenzoate offerings will complement Ferro’s existing Santicizer® family of benzyl phthalate plasticizers.
Project Overview
Ferro Corporation is expanding its plasticizer product offerings by installing new dibenzoates production capability at its Antwerp, Belgium operations. The project aims to provide an annual production capacity of 28,000 metric tons of dibenzoates, a non-phthalate, fast-fusing plasticizer. Production is expected to commence in the second half of 2014.
Market Position
This expansion is set to strengthen Ferro's market position by offering high-performance plasticizers for a wide range of markets and applications, catering to customers preferring non-phthalate solutions. The project will leverage Ferro’s comprehensive plasticizer application laboratories in Mont-Saint-Guibert, Belgium, enabling customers across Europe to optimize their products using Ferro’s additives.
Technological Integration
The project also includes the installation of technologies to produce benzoic acid, allowing Ferro to be fully backward-integrated into this key raw material at the Antwerp facility. This integration will complement Ferro’s existing Santicizer® family of benzyl phthalate plasticizers, which will continue to be available in the market.
