Pilot Chemical recently acquired all the product lines of Intertrade Holdings Inc., including sulfonates and organic acids that complement Pilots chemicals used in metalworking fluids, for an undisclosed amount. Intertrade is a chemical manufacturer in Copperhill, Tenn.
The acquisition, executed on March 25, enables Cincinnati-based Pilot to offer customers seven new products, in bulk and packaged quantities. Pilot makes a variety of corrosion inhibitors and emulsifiers used in metalworking fluids, including Aristonate and Aristol alkyl aryl sulfonates, Aristonic acids, Calimulse emulsion aids and Calamide amides.
Intertrade built its organic chemical plant in 1952 to produce specialty sulfonates and organic acids. The plant uses a proprietary sulfonation process to produce high-purity sulfonates and sulfonic acids. New Intertrade products acquired include Sulfonate AA10, SADPO (sulfonated alkyl diphenyl oxide, sodium salt), Sulfonate OA-5R, Sulfonic 800, Sulfonate OE-500, PTSA (para toluene sulfonic acid – anyhdrous) and PTSA 65 percent. According to Intertrade technical information sheets, they are used as surfactants, defoamers, wetting agents and as antifungal agents. OA-5 is registered as an active biocidal ingredient for food processing and cleaning applications.
According to an article in the March 29 Knoxville News Sentinel, Intertrade plans to close its Copperhill, Tenn. plant after four more months of continued operation. The plant has an annual production capacity of about 20 million pounds.
Tom McAlpin, Pilot Chemicals marketing manager, said Pilot did not acquire Intertrades plant or employees. After a certain amount of time, we will be manufacturing those ourselves, Pilots McAlpin told Lube Report.
The Intertrade products round out Pilots other specialty metalworking lubricant additives offerings, he added. They [Intertrades products] are basically geared towards oil and water emulsions, which is exactly what that whole industrys about, he said.
McAlpin said the Intertrade products have more niche applications. Every one of them finds a home, in that theyre very unique applications, he said. These products complement our other technologies that we currently have, and this helps round out our line and finds newer applications into this industry.
According to Intertrades Web site, the companys products are generally classified as specialty sulfonates or specialty grades of commodity sulfonates that are differentiated from competitive offerings by virtue of lower salt content, higher active ingredient, the absence of discoloration, or other unique properties that are desirable in specific end-use applications.