Carnes told Lube Report that the expansion was started with half of the capacity for brake fluid production with the remaining for other customer projects. We mainly sell brake fluid to the aftermarket industry and contract blend and manufacture for many in the petrochemical industry, he said.

This expansion completes the next step in our reinvestment in our brake fluid product lines, said Third Coast Chemicals president Jim Clawson. This new infrastructure increases our ability to service our customers.

Based in Pearland, Texas, Third Coast Chemicals markets three brake fluid products, including one specifically for export use, produced by its affiliated company Third Coast Terminals. In addition, Third Coast Chemicals produces and markets inhibited glycols for industrial coolant applications in North America. The company also markets propylene glycol, dipropylene glycol and tripropylene glycol in North America.

Last summers acquisition of Equistar Chemicals LP from Houston-based parent company Lyondell provided Third Coast a long-term contract for brake fluid raw materials from Equistars Bayport Underwood glycol ether production facility in Bayport, Texas. We were already a producer of brake fluid in a small way, and it just puts us on a grander scale, Carnes said at the time.

In addition to the new tank farm, the expansion includes a new research laboratory and adds more rail cars on the 16-acre site. Because of the testing requirements for the finished fluid, our tanks are set so that we always have a batch blending, one in testing, and one we are shipping to our customers, said Carnes.

The expanded facility has 75 employees.