Chemicals supplier Kyowa Hakko Chemical Americas, whose products include fatty acids and diols, began operations in Schaumberg, Ill., on April 1.
Kyowa Hakko Chemical Americas chemicals include synthetic fatty acids, higher alcohols, specialty diols, functional monomers, solvents and other high-performance chemicals based on proprietary synthesis technologies. Imported from Japan, they are used in lubricants, surfactants, adhesives, paint and coatings, cosmetics and toiletries, among others.
We make some fatty acids that typically get used to make polyester polyols, which find work in additives and metalworking fluids, Brian Hanrahan, director of sales and marketing for Kyowa Hakko Chemical Americas, told Lube Report.
The new independent company was spun off from Tokyo-based Kyowa Hakko Group. Investment firm Japan Industrial Partners acquired Kyowa Hakkos chemicals subsidiary in October 2010. We were formerly part of Kyowa Hakko USA in New York City, Hanrahan said.
The former company had been operating in the United States for about 40 years, he noted. We cover the whole U.S.