Emerald Kalama Chemical completed start-up of its $40 million expansion at the company’s Rotterdam, Netherlands site. The fully operational expansion increases Emerald’s global capabilities, manufacturing flexibility and capacity for Purox B Benzoic Acid, Kalama Benzaldehyde and many downstream products, such as Kalama Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde (HCA) and Kalama Amyl Cinnamic Aldehyde (ACA).

The additional operations in Rotterdam support the company’s strategic vision to sustain a world leadership position in benzoic acid, benzaldehyde and downstream products such as HCA. The project not only significantly expands capacity for these products, but also enhances Emerald’s global footprint and backward integration in key raw materials. While the initiative focused on ramping up capacity at the Rotterdam operation, Emerald has made other key investments over the last 24 months in the U.S., Netherlands and UK to increase capabilities across Emerald’s portfolio, improve supply chain and logistics, and provide customers with the added benefit of dual production locations for key aroma chemicals such as HCA.

Emerald is the only global HCA and ACA producer manufacturing these key aroma chemicals in two major regions – with North American operations in the U.S. and European operations in the UK. By supporting Emerald’s Widnes (UK) plant with additional benzaldehyde capacity, the Rotterdam expansion further increases Emerald’s global HCA and ACA capabilities and solidifies the company’s standing as the leading global producer of HCA, ACA, benzaldehyde and benzoic acid.

Edward Gotch, CEO of Emerald Kalama Chemical, confirmed that the newly expanded facilities at Rotterdam are now in full operation following a successful start-up and are producing the highest purity grade of benzoic acid available on the market, with a minimum assay of 99.98%.

“As world leaders in benzenoid chemistry, including benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, HCA and ACA, it was critical for us to invest in this expansion and execute it the right way, meeting our own high standards and those of our customers. We are not just the world’s largest producer; we are also producing a very high- quality product reliably, safely, efficiently and in an environmentally responsible manner,” Gotch said.

Kalama and Purox benzoates, Benzoic Acid and Benzyl Alcohol provide world-class quality and purity in preservative applications, protecting the quality of foods, beverages, pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Emerald Kalama products are valued in these applications for their safety, efficacy, low odor, excellent taste profiles and ability to reduce caking and maintain high color stability. 

Kalama Benzaldehyde adds a sweet, almond-like flavor and fragrance to applications such as foods, beverages, personal and home care products, and cosmetics. In perfumery, it is an important building block in the synthesis of rose and jasmine fragrances. In addition, benzaldehyde is a versatile building block in the synthesis of many different complex molecules and is used in certain pharmaceutical applications.

Kalama Hexyl Cinnamic Aldehyde and Kalama Amyl Cinnamic Aldehyde are closely related, key aroma chemicals valued for their jasmine-like floral character. They are used extensively in perfumes, as well as in   soaps, detergents, fabric softeners, cosmetics and personal care products. HCA’s olfactory profile leans more floral, while ACA has a slightly fattier character.

The company's portfolio offers FDA-approved and GRAS-classified products that are covered under schemes certified to meet or exceed a number of important quality standards, including ISO 9001:2008, ISO 14001:2004, HACCP, FamiQS and FSSC 22000.

In addition to benzoic acid, benzaldehyde, HCA and ACA, Emerald Kalama Chemical also manufactures a wide range of other Kalama flavor and fragrance ingredients, Kalama and Purox benzoates, intermediates and preservatives, and K-FLEX low-VOC, non-phthalate plasticizers and coalescents at the company's ISO-certified facilities in Rotterdam, Kalama and Widnes.