Eastman Chemical Co. will add 20,000 metric tons per year of 2-EH capacity at its Longview, Texas, site, the company announced on Thursday. The project follows a 32,000-metric-ton-per-year expansion completed in April 2012. Eastman will also expand its butyraldehyde capacity by 25,000 metric tons in support of the 2-EH expansion. The project is expected to be complete in the fourth quarter of this year.
“In the short time since our last 2-EH capacity increase, we have seen strong demand growth for this product,” said Juan Moncada, business unit director of Eastman’s Oxo Chemicals business unit, in a company press release.
2-EH is an oxo derivative used in plasticizers and fuel and lube oil additives.
Eastman announced last month it would expand carboxylic acid capacity at the Longview site and at its facility in Kingsport, Tenn.
