The € 20 million production unit is located at the site of Oleon in Ertvelde, in the Ghent port zone. Oleon is the European market leader in oleochemical products. It converts vegetable oils and animal fats into products such as fatty acids and esters, which are used as raw materials for food, cosmetics, soaps and coatings.
Dimerised fatty acids, among other things, will be made in the new plant which has a yearly production capacity of 14,000 tonnes. These acids serve in turn as building blocks for polyamides and polyesters which are used in automotive coatings and seawater-resistant coatings. Another product from this plant comprises high-grade branched fatty acids (isostearic acid). These remain in a liquid state down to extremely low temperatures and are therefore highly suitable as lubricants. What is more, their good air permeability makes these building blocks ideal for application in cosmetic creams and films that will feel light and scarcely greasy at all.
