Lanxess to expand menthol facility in Krefeld
Doubling capacity will strengthen market position in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics
German specialist chemical company Lanxess is to double the capacity of its menthol facility in Krefeld-Uerdingen to meet increasing demand from world markets. The project is scheduled for completion in the first half of 2012.
‘The additional quantities of thymol, crude menthol and D,I-menthol will allow our long-time contract partner Symrise to enter into long-term supply agreements,’ said Dr Hubert Fink, head of the Advanced Industrial Intermediates business at Lanxess.
Lanxess claims to be the world’s leading manufacturer of synthetic menthol and thymol through its collaboration with Symrise, based in Holzminden, Germany.
Symrise provides menthol and the menthol precursor thymol in a range of grades and also in purities needed by the pharmaceutical industry. These products are turned into scents and flavourings, for example for use in oral hygiene applications and products such as chewing gum and confectionery. High-grade menthol is also used in cosmetics and pharmaceutical products such as sport balms.
The extended production facility will make use of cresol stem, a new catalyst developed by Lanxess.
As part of the construction project, three large distillation columns will be erected in the autumn. The largest will be about 50m in height.