Pilot Chemical grows on two fronts

Pilot Chemical is to expand production of anionic surfactants at its largest site in Middletown, Ohio. The actions will comprise a series of debottlenecking activities, which have already begun, followed by installing a new sulfonation reactor train based on air/SO3 technology, which is due to go online in early 2027.  

This will more than double the volume of alpha olefin sulfonate the company supplies to the household, industrial and institutional, and personal care markets, much of which customer base is in the immediate vicinity. It is said to complement the previous expansion of the firm’s proprietary ice-cold sulfonation technology capacity at Middletown in 2024. 

Pilot subsequently announced a partnership with Kao Corporation for a new sustainable surfactant technology. This will use Kao’s technology and feedstock supply, while Pilot will be the exclusive marketing channel and sulfonation partner for North America and will produce its Bio IOS biobased internal olefin sulfonates at commercial scale at Middletown. 

Bio IOS is claimed to provide excellent performance properties, such as water solubility and surface activity, for use as primary or secondary surfactants in a variety of applications, including laundry, dish, hard surface cleaning and personal care applications. Commercial quantities will be available starting in 2026.