AdvanSix reliably manufactures bulk chemical intermediates in a variety of grades to meet your needs. As an integrated nylon 6 manufacturer, we use our chemical intermediates in our own nylon manufacturing process, so you can rest assured you will have a consistent supply of phenol, acetone and caprolactam available. Our ongoing research and technology development and global distribution network help ensure our chemical intermediates deliver quality every time, on time. Our bulk chemicals are key ingredients in a wide range of products, including paints, inks, coatings and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cement.
AdvanSix caprolactam is used in the production of Aegis® nylon 6 resins, and is made available to select customers globally. Our manufacturing facility in Hopewell, Va., is among the largest single-site global producers of caprolactam, with an annual production capacity of more than 800 million pounds. Through scale and backward integration, we are able to provide one of the most stable and reliable caprolactam supplies in the world:
Stringent manufacturing processes to ensure industry-leading quality and consistency
Quality assurance labs that conduct quality and environmental testing throughout the manufacturing process
ISO 9001:2000 certified manufacturing operations
State-of-the-art transportation systems
Continuous investments to improve plant reliability and quality
AdvanSix acetone is a co-product of the phenol manufacturing process at our Frankford, Pa., manufacturing facility. It is available in the following grades:
Standard: For general use
National Formulary (NF): Meets or exceeds requirements of the U.S. National Formulary
Low water: For applications sensitive to high water content, such as pharmaceutical applications
It is used as a chemical intermediate in the production of a variety of products, including:
Bisphenol A (BPA): Used in automotive and optical polycarbonates, glazing, sheeting, and epoxy resins for can coatings, adhesives, and electronic insulators
Methyl methacrylate: A key ingredient in the production of acrylic plastics used in a variety of automotive and housing materials, as well as in the production of flat screen televisions
Methyl isobutyl ketone: Used as a solvent for nitrocellulose, paints, coatings and laboratory solvents, as well as certain lacquers, polymers and resins
With a manufacturing capacity of more than 1 billion pounds per year, AdvanSix’s Frankford. Pa., phenol facility is one of the largest in the world, which helps ensure that customers get a reliable supply of product. It is used internally by AdvanSix to produce Aegis® nylon 6 resins and caprolactam at its Hopewell and Chesterfield, Va. plants, and the integration between these facilities drives product consistency and availability. The facility uses a high-quality manufacturing process, extensively leveraging Honeywell UOP processing technologies. It is available in two grades:
Standard: Uses include polycarbonate, epoxy, phenolic resin, plywood and agricultural chemical production
High Purity: For sensitive applications that require the highest level of quality and batch-to-batch consistency
Some common uses for phenol include:
Herbicides (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
Pharmaceuticals
Dyes
Polycarbonate, plastic additives and plasticizers (including fire-retardant esters)
Automotive parts
Optical media
Glazing and sheeting (epoxy resins)
Can coatings
Adhesives
Electronic insulators
Phenolic resins, such as binders and coatings for oriented strand boards (OSB) and plywood, molded compounds, rubber applications and sand coatings
AdvanSix’s Nadone® cyclohexanone delivers superior purity, quality and consistency, and is used to manufacture Aegis® nylon 6 resins. Nadone is a ketone solvent produced by hydrogenating phenol with a select catalyst, making it ideal in applications that are sensitive to oxygen or peroxide. Key benefits of Nadone include:
Uniform evaporation
Minimal moisture content
A low toxicity, ecotoxicity and VOC profile
Well-suited for PVC cement, pesticide, paint and printing ink formulations
Alpha methylstyrene (AMS) is a co-product of the phenol produced at AdvanSix’s Frankford, Pa., plant. AMS is produced by the partial oxidation of cumene. It is commonly used in a variety of applications to improve product functionality:
EZ-Blox® anti-skinning agent from AdvanSix is a breakthrough product that offers a safe, cost-effective and proven alternative to MEKO. Produced at our state-of-the-art Hopewell, Va., manufacturing facility, EZ-Blox® is designed to optimize the performance of alkyd-based paint systems by preventing a surface skin from forming when the product comes into contact with atmospheric oxygen. This, in turn, improves paint performance and reduces waste.
Companies using EZ-Blox® call it a simple drop-in solution to the complex problem of MEKO recategorization in Europe. EZ-Blox ® comfortably meets the strictest German OEL standards, with a risk profile of up to 100 times safer than MEKO.
In addition, EZ-Blox® is:
Safe to use: Low worker exposure and low toxicology profile – confirmed by independent testing.
Cost-effective: Easy switchover with no costly reformulation, and a dosage flexibility similar to MEKO – resulting in lower operational costs.
Proven performance: Wide customer base approval with many paint producers successfully launching products utilizing EZ-Blox® for various applications – underscoring its high quality and formulation compatibility.
No other MEKO alternative can match the performance profile of EZ-Blox®, which is commercially available now to meet your needs.
Methyl ethyl ketoxime (MEKO), which is produced at AdvanSix’s Hopewell, Va., facility, is a high-efficiency antiskinning agent used for air-drying paints, inks and coatings. Other applications include:
Silane crosslinkers: Enhances the shelf life of silicone sealants and adhesives
Blocked isocyanates: Improves the functionality of polyurethane coatings for coils, automotive coatings and other industrial coatings
AdvanSix MEKO is produced to meet the low moisture and high assay standards that formulators require.
AdvanSix’s high-quality Naxol® cyclohexanol is an important feedstock that is produced by hydrogenating phenol with a catalyst. This manufacturing process makes it ideal for applications sensitive to oxygen or peroxide. Some of the applications that Naxol® is commonly used in include:
Naxol® has a low toxicity and ecotoxicity profile, and is produced to low moisture standards. It is also available as Naxol® W, which offers extra freeze protection at temperatures as low as -5° C.