Evonik Industries Expands Sodium Methylate Plant in Alabama

United States: Evonik Industries, a Germany based leading specialty chemicals manufacturer, has accomplished its plans to expand the capacity of its sodium methylate plant located at Mobile, Alabama, United States. The plant’s capacity has been increased to 72,000 tons with improvement in its operations and certain infrastructure investments. The plant expansion would meet the increasing demand for methylate, which is extensively used in biodiesel production, capturing more than 80% of biodiesel manufactured in North America. The company has also expanded its rail fleet for sodium methylate for ease of availability of additional volume throughout the US. As per Mr. Stefan Plass, the head of Functional Solutions business at Evonik, the demand biodiesel in the US would continue to grow at a rapid pace and the company would continue to consistently invest in resources at Mobile to meet the growing demand of raw materials for biodiesel production by their customers.

TechSci Research depicts that the capacity expansion of sodium methylate plant in the US, would majorly benefit biodiesel manufacturers across the country and also cater to other markets such as pharmaceuticals, polymers and agrochemicals synthesis. Additionally, market for fuel additives in United States will augment at a rapid pace on account of increasing demand for biodiesel for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the recent report published by TechSci Research, “United States Fuel Additives Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2020’’, the US fuel additives market is projected to grow at a CAGR of more than 6% during 2015-20. Increasingly stringent environmental regulations, rising fuel consumption and escalating fuel prices have all significantly contributed to the growth of fuel additives market in the country. Leading fuel additive manufacturing companies operating in the US include Archer Daniel Midland, Valero Energy Corporation, Lubrizol Corporation, BASF Corporation and Innospec Inc.