Croda International Plc is celebrating being awarded the ICIS Surfactants Award for Sustainability for its new pioneering bio-ethylene oxide plant.


Croda was nominated for its bio-ethylene oxide plant at the Atlas Point manufacturing site in New Castle, DE. The plant enables the manufacture of 100% renewable ethoxylates and is the first of its kind within the US. It will produce a new range of ECO surfactants that are 100% renewable, 100% bio-based, have lower carbon footprint than petrochemically derived ingredients and a performance identical to that of petrochemical alternatives.


The awards, which took place at the ICIS World Surfactants Conference, recognize excellence and innovation within the surfactants industry. The sustainability award focuses on contributions to the field of sustainability either through a product, process or supply chain. Surfactants, more specifically ethoxylates, are used in a range of industries, from personal care and home care to lubricants and crop care with all industries facing increasing consumer demand for products with higher bio-based renewable content while maintaining high performance. This new plant replaces the use of petrochemical based ethylene oxide with bio-ethanol derived from corn.


“This award showcases another example of how we are committed to enabling our customers to meet the increasing demands of consumers for more environmentally sustainable and bio-based products,” said Terry Thistlethwaite, vice president sustainability, Croda. “Sustainability is a key part of our business and this new plant is a demonstration of our commitment to investing in innovative and sustainable solutions.”