Custom Processing & Toll Production Capabilities
Trecora provides custom processing and toll production services designed to support the diverse needs of customers across a wide range of industries. With advanced facilities and capabilities including reaction, distillation, blending, hydrogenation, and polymerization, we deliver high-quality processing solutions tailored to complex chemistries and production requirements.
As a trusted partner to industry leaders, Trecora produces high-volume styrene copolymers, collaborates on polyols, and provides large-scale distillation services, while supporting innovation in emerging energy and advanced material applications.
Our ISO 9001–certified laboratory operates around the clock to support quality assurance and product development. Using advanced analytical techniques, we help minimize scale-up challenges and ensure a smooth transition from development to commercial production. From R&D through full-scale manufacturing, Trecora delivers the expertise, reliability, and operational excellence customers depend on.
Custom Chemical Processing Capabilities
Synthesis
- Polymerization
- Hydrogenation
- Oxidation
- Batch & Continuous Reactions
- Esterification
- Trans-esterification
- Dehydration
- Propoxylation
- Saponification
- Maleation
Separation & Formation
- Short Path Distillation
- Conventional/Azeotropic Distillation
- Pastilles
- Flakes
State-of-the-Art Lab Services
- Gas Chromatography
- Head Space Analysis
- FTIR
- Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
- GC-Mass Spectroscopy
- Auto-Titration
- Colorimetric Testing
- Melt Index
- Viscosity Measurements
- Penetration/Hardness Testing
- Gel Permeation Chromatography
- HPLC
- Atomic Absorption
- Karl Fisher
- pH
Pilot Facilities to Simulate Scale Processing
Reaction Chemistry
Trecora offers expertise and flexibility to successfully complete complex reaction chemistry projects. Whether you’re developing a new process or scaling from lab to full production, our team works closely with you to ensure a smooth transition and consistent, high-quality results. With decades of hands-on experience and a strong focus on safety, we create controlled environments tailored to your exact specifications.
Whether you’re developing a novel specialty chemical or optimizing a formulation, our flexible infrastructure and rigorous process controls allow for the customization of conditions such as temperature, pressure, and reactant addition to meet even the most demanding performance specifications.
Polymerization
Our polymerization expertise supports the production of specialty polymers used in adhesives, coatings, elastomers, and more. Trecora’s expertise spans various polymerizations, including free radicals and condensation, under tightly controlled conditions.
We work hand in hand with clients to ensure polymer properties like molecular weight, viscosity, and composition align with their functional requirements. Our systems are designed for scalability and precision, ensuring product consistency from pilot to full-scale production.
Oxidation
Trecora’s oxidation capabilities are engineered for safe, efficient and controlled processing of a variety of organic compounds. Our reactors are equipped to handle both liquid- and gas-phase oxidations, producing high-purity products tailored to specific end uses in industries such as personal care, industrial intermediates, and specialty additives.
Safety and environmental responsibility are central to our oxidation processes, with advanced monitoring systems and emissions control in place to ensure compliance and sustainability.
Propoxylation
We specialize in propoxylation reactions to introduce propylene oxide into polyether polyols, producing customized alkoxylated compounds with defined molecular characteristics. Trecora’s systems are optimized for tight control over reaction parameters, ensuring consistent functionality and product uniformity.
Propoxylates from our facility are used in a variety of markets including surfactants, lubricants, and performance chemicals. We offer the flexibility to produce narrow or broad molecular weight distributions, depending on the application.
Butoxylation
Trecora’s butoxylation services enable the selective reaction of butylene oxide with target compounds to modify solubility, reactivity, or other performance characteristics. Our butoxylation processes are ideal for producing specialty surfactants, solvents, and additives.
Trecora presents solutions to specific market demands with customized response control and scalable batch sizes, focusing on safety and environmental protection while supplying consistent results.
Hydrogenation
Our hydrogenation capabilities include a range of pressure and temperature conditions to meet the requirements of selective or complete hydrogenation reactions. Trecora’s facility supports both batch and continuous hydrogenation for unsaturated hydrocarbons, alcohols, and other high-purity intermediates.
We utilize high-performance catalysts and advanced reaction monitoring to ensure process efficiency and product consistency while maintaining the highest safety standards.
High Pressure Hydrogenation
Trecora offers high pressure hydrogenation services for more demanding applications, and systems that operate at elevated pressures and temperatures. Complex transformations (e.g. aromatic ring saturation, nitro group reductions, olefin conversions) can be performed with these units with much precision and accuracy.
Our equipment and technical expertise allow customers to achieve challenging hydrogenation objectives while meeting strict regulatory and quality requirements.
Dehydrogenation
Trecora offers the capability to convert saturated hydrocarbons to olefins and aromatics using a reforming process. This enhances the solvency properties of linear paraffins, such as those derived from bio naphtha and other natural feedstocks. We can formulate higher octane renewable fuels by converting paraffins to olefins and aromatics. Additionally, hydrogen produced during the process can be recovered and used in hydrogenation, further improving carbon intensity and supporting sustainable fuel production.
Azeotropic Distillation
Our azeotropic distillation systems are designed to overcome the limitations of standard distillation when dealing with azeotropic mixtures. Trecora uses specialized entrainers and process controls to break azeotropes and efficiently separate components with similar volatilities.
This service is ideal for moisture-sensitive materials or when conventional methods can’t achieve the necessary purity levels for your application.
Photo Credit: Rudyher27, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Conventional Distillation
Trecora offers conventional multistage distillation for the efficient separation and purification of chemical mixtures based on boiling point differences. Our distillation systems are engineered for various feedstocks, allowing for reliable production of high-purity fractions.
Our distillation capabilities ensure quality and reproducibility across large and small production runs, from bulk solvents to specialty chemical intermediates.
High Vacuum Distillation
High vacuum distillation at Trecora enables the purification of compounds at low temperatures, which is ideal for thermally sensitive substances. Operating under high vacuum, this process reduces boiling points and avoids decomposition, thereby preserving product integrity and realizing high recovery yields.
We offer customized configurations and control systems to meet the unique requirements of your compound or formulation.
Wiped Film Evaporation
Trecora’s wiped film evaporators offer gentle and efficient separation for heat-sensitive or high-viscosity compounds. This short-path distillation technique minimizes residence time and thermal degradation, making it ideal for purifying specialty chemicals, fragrances, or reactive intermediates.
Our equipment accommodates a wide range of molecular weights and viscosities, providing maximum recovery and high product purity.
Flaking
Trecora provides flaking services for customers needing solidified products in flake form, ideal for applications requiring ease of handling, melting, or blending. Our cooling and flaking systems accommodate a various material including waxes, polymers, and specialty chemicals.
Flakes produced through our process are consistent in size and shape, ensuring reliable performance and simplified logistics.
Pastillation
Our pastillation services convert molten chemical products into uniform pastilles, offering a dust-free, easy-to-handle format ideal for transportation and downstream processing. Trecora’s state-of-the-art pastillation equipment ensures uniform size and rapid solidification. We have units that can be climate controlled and can comply with GMP requirements.
This method is perfect for waxes, resins, and specialty intermediates that benefit from consistent dosing and handling convenience.
Our Areas of Emphasis
Trecora’s areas of emphasis includes polyol ethers, resins, co-polymers, waxes, and other products suited for the CASE market. Some of our capabilities include hydrogenation, polymerization, high vacuum distillation, & large scale continuous & batch distillation, including wiped film evaporators & traditional columns. We partner with a wide range of companies, from startups to supermajors that require an extension of their product offering or commercialization of a new product line.
Proven Success
As a trusted partner to some of the world’s largest petrochemical and specialty chemical producers, we deliver significant value through our manufacturing and processing capabilities. We are the sole provider of a high-volume styrene co-polymer for a global petrochemical leader. We collaborate with major chemical manufacturers on various polyols, with annual volumes reaching seven figures. Our large-scale distillation capabilities support a specialty chemicals producer with annual volumes in the eight figures. Additionally, we are committed to driving innovation by partnering with multiple startups in the renewables sector, advancing the development of renewable fuels and petrochemicals from wood. Our expertise, reliability, and scale make us a premier partner in the chemical industry.
Cradle-to-Commercial Development & Scale-Up
Trecora partners with companies on projects from fully mature product lines in need of more capacity, to full scale development of new products – including R&D, pilot scale, commercial trial, and full commercialization. We have a technical staff of R&D scientists, process design engineers, production engineers, supply chain & customer service staff all focused on delivering complex projects on fast timelines.
Our Development & Quality Assurance
Our laboratory works 24/7 to support quality assurance for ongoing custom processing and tolling, as well as collaborating with our manufacturing partners to develop new products. Our laboratory works at lab & pilot scale to support development of tolling products, minimize scale up challenges, and ensure that products have the highest probability of success in full scale equipment. Our laboratory hosts a large breadth of analytical capability – including differential scanning calorimetry, GC MS, melt index, HPLC, penetration/hardness testing, head space analysis, FTIR, and many others. We are certified ISO 9001.
Interested in Our Products?
Looking to integrate more sustainable solutions into your products & by-products? Contact us today to learn how our innovative offerings can support your goals.
