- Official inauguration production plant in Conroe, Texas
- First production capability in North America
- Expected initial investment of over $50 million
Conroe, Texas, USA - June 29, 2023 - Oleon, a leading global provider of oleochemicals, is thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of its first production plant in Conroe, Texas. This milestone marks yet another achievement in Oleon’s ongoing global expansion efforts. Oleon is part of Avril, whose mission is to create sustainable value in the vegetable oil and protein sector.
After over 20 years of commercial presence in the Americas, the new site in Conroe will serve as a central hub for the company's industrial operations in the region, showcasing Oleon's commitment to meet the growing demand for oleochemical solutions in various industries, including lubricants, industrials, oil & gas, and crop protection.
With an initial investment that exceeds $50 million, the Conroe production facility is proof of Oleon's dedication to provide innovative and sustainable solutions to its North American customers. “Together with our strong historical presence in Europe and our important industrial base in Asia, this new plant in Texas perfectly complements our worldwide footprint, allowing us to serve our global customers with innovative solutions, expected local responsiveness, and matching service levels,” says Moussa Naciri, CEO of Oleon. “We will start with warehousing and blending, followed in 2024 by an esterification unit.”
"The opening of our blending facility in Conroe marks a significant milestone for Oleon and underscores our strong commitment to the Americas market," says Jeroen Dirckx, Managing Director derivatives at Oleon. "We are excited to expand our footprint in the region and provide our customers with locally produced high-quality blends that meet their specific requirements. This facility embodies our dedication to sustainability, technological innovation, and value creation for our customers."
To celebrate this milestone, Oleon hosted a grand opening event on June 29, 2023, at the Conroe blending facility. The event featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, facility tours, and presentations by Oleon's leadership team. Attendees had the opportunity to explore the facility's advanced capabilities, engage with Oleon's experts, and gain insights into the company's commitment to sustainable practices and customer-centric solutions.
Oleon's newest blending facility in Conroe, Texas, represents a significant investment in the future of oleochemicals in the Americas. The company looks forward to forge strong partnerships with customers in the region and to continue providing innovative, sustainable solutions that combine a high performance with a reduced environmental footprint.
About Oleon
Oleon, a company of Avril, is a European leader in Oleochemistry. Oleon specializes in processing vegetable oils and animal fats into oleochemical products such as fatty acids, glycerin, dimers, and esters. Oleon’s customers use these as building blocks or ingredients in a wide range of products such as food, cosmetics, lubricants, soaps, coatings, … Oleon, headquartered in Ertvelde (Belgium), has 6 production sites located in Belgium, Germany, France, Malaysia, and the US. The company employs more than 1,000 people worldwide. Avril is active in the food, feed, biofuel and renewable chemistry sectors, employing 7500 people in seventy production plants located in twenty countries.