Originally Published MPMN March 2003

INDUSTRY NEWS

AGA to Launch Production of Fluorinated Solvent in United States

Norbert Sparrow

Domestic production of AsahiKlin AK-225 fluorinated solvent, a replacement material for CFC-113, HCFC-141B, and methyl chloroform, will begin in the second quarter of 2003. AGA Chemicals Inc. (Charlotte, NC; www.fluon.com) announced that it is currently expanding and renovating a plant in Bayonne, NJ, acquired by its parent firm Asahi Glass in 1999, to meet the material's production and quality requirements.

Available in the United States since 1994, AK-225 is widely employed in the technology sector as a precision cleaning solvent and defluxing agent. It has also made inroads in the medical device field, where it is used to clean needles, catheters, and electronic devices; as a carrier solvent for silicone; and to promote swelling in silicone tubing. The material is free of volatile organic compounds, is nonflammable, and has been deemed an acceptable substitute for ozone-depleting substances under the Environmental Protection Agency's Significant New Alternatives Policy.

The Bayonne plant represents AGA Chemicals' first foray into chemicals production in the United States. The move was prompted by increased domestic demand for AK-225, according to national sales manager David Ferguson. "This will make it faster and more convenient for our customers to evaluate and obtain the product," he says.

The company is also building a complete quality control and customer qualification laboratory at the site. The lab, which is currently undergoing initial testing, is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

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