King Industries, Inc., a specialty chemicals manufacturer headquartered in Connecticut, U.S., has begun full operations at its newly constructed production facility in Waterbury, Connecticut.
The company did not disclose specific output capacity figures for the Waterbury facility in its official announcement. However, information shared by a King Industries representative during a podcast recorded in May 2025 suggested that the plant could increase the company’s alkylated naphthalene production capacity by approximately five to six times compared with previous levels.
Alkylated naphthalenes are classified as Group V synthetic base oils and are valued for their strong thermo-oxidative stability, low volatility, high viscosity index, and excellent solvency. Because of these characteristics, they are widely used in high-performance lubricant and grease formulations. Typical uses include compressor lubricants, turbine oils, high-temperature greases, gear oils, and aerospace lubricant systems.
According to the company, the Waterbury facility was constructed to support increasing demand for fully formulated synthetic lubricants used across multiple industries, including automotive, industrial, aerospace, marine, and agricultural sectors.
The facility features a fully automated production system and was engineered in compliance with process safety management standards set by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Risk management principles aligned with recognised and generally accepted good engineering practice were incorporated into the plant’s process design, equipment specifications, and overall facility layout.