MFG Chemical last week announced completion of an upgrade of its pilot plant in Dalton, Georgia, and plans for a second pilot reactor. The pilot plant makes small quantities of specialty chemicals used in lubricants, such as esters, surfactants and sulfonate and phosphate derivatives.
“The pilot plant is also able to manufacture many types of chemistries that can be used lubricant formulations, such as rheology modifiers, wetting agents and corrosion inhibitors [such as] imidazolines or maleic derivatives,” MFG Chief Science and Technology Officer Guido DeStefano told Lube Report. “The end user markets we assist in the lubricant realm are mostly oilfield, metal working, refrigeration and automotive.”
The company said it upgraded a 100-gallon stainless steel reactor, which produces hot oil and steam reactions up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The reactor now sits on a mezzanine 12 inches off the floor, with new insulation. The company has also performed a pressure cleaning and general upgrading of the entire pilot plant.
DeStefano said in a press release that the pilot plant is popular with customers because it produces one- and two-drum sized quantities of the needed specialty chemicals for evaluation and use prior to total scale-up. “It is also used for internal studies to optimize process and improve safety,” he added.
“This is a very useful pilot plant because it meets our customers small quantity needs without tying up an entire manufacturing plant,” CEO Keith Arnold said in a press release. “We will plan to add a second 100-gallon pilot reactor as customer needs continue to grow.”
MFG is a specialty and custom chemical manufacturer for a variety of global markets. The company operates four manufacturing facilities in Northwest Georgia and Pasadena, Texas. Major chemistries manufactured include amides, esters, imidazolines, polymers and surfactants.