This significant increase in production capacity is a strategic investment to ensure that the site can continue to play its role in supporting our global business, said Croda CEO.
Surfactants are compounds used to reduce the surface tension between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as emulsifiers, detergents, foaming agents, wetting agents, and dispersants. Surfactants break down the interface by reducing surface tension between water and oils or dirt. Low price, easy availability, and broadened application areas are factors responsible for increasing the Demand for Surfactants. Surfactants were primarily used in the detergent and soap industries. But, this trend is changing with increasing use in other industries such as fabric industry, paper industry, agrochemical industry, the cosmetic industry in shampoo, and others.
Surfactant Applications:
Surfactants are used to reduce the surface tension or interfacial tension as compared to an adjacent phase. Following are the applications of surfactants:
• Wetting of solid surfaces
The quality of end product depends upon the wetting of surfaces by aqueous solution. Surfactants are used to reduce surface tension and achieve better wetting conditions. It is used in applications, such as wetting of textiles & other surfaces for washing and cleaning, adhesive wetting, wetting for painting, printing & coating, and galvanic baths.
• Mobilizing hydrophobic substances
The washing effect depends on better wetting of the surface that needs to be cleaned. Hydrophobic substances are mobilized by incorporation into molecule clusters. Surfactants are used in applications, such as detergents and cleaning agents, emulsions in foodstuffs and body-care products, Mobilization of organic phases in crude oil production or in medicine, and emulsion polymerization.
• Improving sprayability
As total surface area increases, the volume of liquid is dispersed into many small droplets. If surface tension is smaller, dispersion is easier to achieve. A fine spray mist is obtained by sprays containing surfactants. The surfactants must produce their effect through spraying in a very short time. Applications of surfactants include sprays for hair and body care, spraying of pesticides, and cleaning sprays.
Croda to increase production of surfactants:
Croda, a leading specialty chemical manufacturer, has invested in manufacturing plant to increase the capacity of surfactants. The investment goes in manufacturing plant in Northern France at Chocques. They have begun construction at manufacturing plant at the beginning of March 2016 to increase the production of surfactants by 20 percent. It will become fully function till the beginning of the 2017. This facility will help in meeting the increasing demand of its popular surfactants.
Steve Foots, CEO of Croda said, “This significant increase in production capacity is a strategic investment to ensure that the site can continue to play its role in supporting our global business and is part of our global capital investment plan for the Group.”
New utilities were opened in the plant to improve its performance, sustainability, and reliability. This plant uses very low carbon sources to fulfill more than 90% of its steam and electricity requirements from. Stuart Arnott, President of Operations at Croda said, “We are also constructing a very large game-changing investment in North America that will see us be the first in our space to manufacture a full range of sustainable non-ionic bio-based surfactants.”
Analysts studying the market have presented a thorough information about current market trends and forecasts in research reports. Allied Market Research has published a report titled, “World Surfactants Market - Opportunities and Forecast, 2014 - 2020.” As per the report, the world surfactants market is expected to register a CAGR of 3.4% from 2014 to 2020 and would reach $44.6 billion by 2020. The report provides an extensive analysis of market segmentation, drivers & opportunities, and competitive scenario. Furthermore, the research offers value chain analysis, SWOT analysis, estimations through 2014 to 2020 for each segment, and dominating segments in the industry.
