Pilot Chemical Announces Plans to Expand Anionic Surfactant Capacity

Pilot Chemical Company has announced plans to significantly expand production of high-quality anionic surfactants in North America at its Middletown, Ohio, manufacturing site.

The expansion will more than double the company’s production of alpha olefin sulfonates (AOS) supplied to the household, industrial and institutional (I&I) and personal care markets.

The expansion project includes debottlenecking activities beginning this month, followed by installation of a new sulfonation reactor unit scheduled to come online in early 2027. “This investment solidifies Pilot’s strong leadership position in AOS and positions us to meet the growing needs of our customers,” said Mike Clark, CEO of Pilot Chemical Company. “Our Middletown facility is our largest and is well-positioned to support this growth. The facility is located in close proximity to many of our household, industrial and institutional, and personal care customers and can produce a wide range of anionic surfactants.”

This significant investment in Air/SO3 technology complements Pilot’s previous expansion of its proprietary ice-cold sulfonation technology capacity at its Middletown facility in 2024.