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Nation Ford Chemical’s headquarters and production facility feature a large, well-maintained manufacturing plant, two fully developed labs and 32,000 square feet of combined warehouse space located in two separate areas of the campus. NFC has been toll manufacturing for over 35 years at our South Carolina location. Along with organic reactions, NFC can also perform distillation, solvent recovery, filtration, drying, and several different finishing steps. Among our specialties are:


Nation Ford Chemical’s headquarters and production facility feature a large, well-maintained manufacturing plant, two fully developed labs and 32,000 square feet of combined warehouse space located in two separate areas of the campus. NFC has been toll manufacturing for over 35 years at our South Carolina location. Along with organic reactions, NFC can also perform distillation, solvent recovery, filtration, drying, and several different finishing steps. Among our specialties are:


Equipment

Reactors
(many outfitted with solvent recovery capability)
(3) 6,000 gallon Hastelloy reactor
(1) 6,000 gallon Furan reactor
(7) 2,000 gallon glass-lined reactors
(1) 750 gallon glass-lined reactor
(1) 15,000 gallon SS reactor
(1) 12,000 gallon SS reactor
(3) 6,000 gallon SS reactors
(3) 4,000 gallon SS reactors
(1) 3,000 gallon SS reactor
(9) 2,000 gallon SS reactors
(2) 1,500 gallon SS reactors
(1) 1,350 gallon SS reactor
(1) 1,000 gallon SS reactor

Hydrogenation
• 150 psi/full vacuum
• 400° F
• 20 hp agitator featuring 6-blade VWS impeller
• Sparkler pressure leaf filter, 82 ft2

Mix Tanks / Crystallizers
(2) 10,000 gallon SS mix tanks
(1) 7,500 gallon SS mix tank
(1) 6,000 gallon SS mix tank
(2) 6,000 gallon SS crystallizers
(2) 5,000 gallon SS mix tanks
(1) 3,500 gallon SS mix tank
(3) 1,500 gallon SS mix tanks

Distillation
High temp and high vacuum
batch and continuous
Many of our reactors are outfitted
with solvent recovery capability.

5,000-gallon Super Austenitic SS (batch)
• 17 theoretical plates; wire gauze packing
• 36” diameter column
• 50 psi/full vacuum; 750° F
• Hot oil heated
• Deep vacuum applications (down to 4 torr)

4,000-gallon 316L SS (batch)
• 30 theoretical plates; wire gauze packing
• 36” diameter column
• 100 psi/full vacuum; 400° F
• Steam heated

2,000-gallon 316L SS (batch)
• 25 theoretical plates
• 24” diameter column
• 50 psi/full vacuum; 500° F
• Steam or hot oil heated

Continuous 28” Column
• 14 theoretical plates; structured packing
• 25 psi/full vacuum; 400° F
• Controlled via DeltaV DCS

Wiped Film Evaportors
• 12 sq ft, external condenser
• 50 sq ft, short path

Pilot Plant
(1) 250 gallon Hastelloy reactor
(1) 100 gallon glass-lined reactor
(1) 10 gallon SS reactor
(1) 3’ diameter pressure/vacuum nutsche filter
(1) 20 ft3 double cone vacuum dryer
(1) 5 ft3 rotary vacuum dryer
(1) 2 ft3 Bolz conical Nauta-type mixer/dryer

Grinding / Milling / Blending Equipment
(1) 6’x 6’ SS ball mill; heated/cooled
(1) 8’ x 10’ SS ball mill; heated/cooled
(1) ACM air classifying mill
(1) Pin mill
(3) Fitzmill grinders
(2) 250 ft3 SS solids blenders

Filtration / Drying
(4) 7’ diameter SS vacuum Nutsche filters
(1) 48” SS basket centrifuge filter
(1) 48” Hastelloy basket centrifuge filter
(6) Sparkler SS pressure leaf filters
(1) 2’x 7’ SS vacuum belt filter
(1) 308 ft2 Hastelloy clad DrM filter
(1) 672 ft2 Hastelloy DrM filter
(1) 2’x 12’ Witte SS fluidized bed dryer
(1) 1’x 6’ Witte SS fluidized bed dryer
(1) 40 ft3 SS double cone vacuum dryer
(1) 90 ft3 SS double cone vacuum dryer
(3) 140 ft3 SS rotary vacuum dryers
(1) 130 ft2 Luwa SS thin film dryer/evaporator
(1) 26 ft3 tray dryer

Flaking
• 2’x 30’ Sandvik SS Belt Flaker
• 48”x 40” Blaw Knox Flaker
• 24”x 60” Buflovak Flaker
(with agitator roller or feed pan)

Bio-based Chemical Scale-up
Batch & continuous conversions of bio-based products to industrial grade chemicals
• Solvent extraction
• Continuous solvent recovery
• Conventional filtration/drying
• Flexible plant offers many unit-operations
• DCS Control

On-site Bulk Storage
40+ bulk tanks, including
Aniline
Aqueous Ammonia (29%)
Caustic Soda (50%)
Ethanol
Flammable Solvents
Hydrogen
Isopropanol
Ketones
Nitric Acid (64%)
Nitrogen
o-DCB
Sulfuric Acid (93%)
Xylene

Processes & Chemistry Experience

Nation Ford Chemical has performed a large variety of chemical reactions and different unit operations throughout the history of toll manufacturing by the company. We are a team of engineers and chemists excelling at implementing new or existing products at our site.

Production Expertise
Organic Intermediates
Agro Intermediates
Agro Active Ingredients
Pharmaceutical Intermediates
Polymerization
Solvent Exchange
Azo Dyes
Solvent Dyes (Liquid and Solid)
Smoke Dyes
Pigments
Sulfanilic Acid
Drying/Grinding
Blending/Mixing/Drumming

Organic Reactions
Acetylation
Alkylation
Amination
Butylation
Chlorination
Chloroacetylation
Catalytic Reduction
Condensation
Diazotization/Coupling
Esterification
Ethylation
Friedel-Crafts
Hydrogenation
Nitration
Oxidation
Polymerization
Sulfonation
Thiophenylation

Manufacturing Support

Nation Ford Chemical’s headquarters and production facility feature a large, well-maintained manufacturing plant, two fully developed labs and 32,000 square feet of combined warehouse space located in two separate areas of the campus. NFC has been toll manufacturing for over 35 years at our South Carolina location.  Along with organic reactions, our on-site bulk storage facility currently maintains the following chemicals:

• Aniline
• Aqueous Ammonia (29%)
• Caustic Soda (50%)
• Hydrogen
• Nitric Acid(64%)
• Nitrogen
• Sulfuric Acid (93%)
• Several Flammable Solvents

NFC utilizes energy-efficient, once-through cooling water and for additional cooling needs, has multiple chillers on-site. Heating is provided by 125 psi steam and 550°F hot oil.

Our 28-acre site is supported by a rail spur and is within easy access of Interstate 77. And, we’re less than a few hours driving time from three major Southern port cities.

Our plant operates 24/7 with maintenance and laboratory support on all shifts.

Our energy needs are supplied by Duke Energy, headquartered just 15 minutes away in Charlotte, N.C. Duke is renowned as one of the world’s most reliable and cost efficient energy providers. Low energy costs, an ample water supply and high volume, low cost water treatment combine to allow us to develop high quality products at value pricing.

Analytical Capability

Nation Ford Chemical has the ability to perform many in-process and final product quality measurements required for toll manufacturing products within our own laboratory. The lab is staffed around the clock to meet all production demands.

Chromatography Techniques
• High Performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC)
• UV-Vis (fixed or diode-array detection)
• Refractive index detection (RID)
• Gas chromatography (GC)
• Flame ionization detection (FID)
• Mass spectrometry (MS)
• Gel Permeation chromatography (GPC)
• Thin Layer chromatography (TLC)
• Solid phase micro-extraction (SPME)

Spectroscopy Techniques
• Spectrophotometry (UV-VIS)
• Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

Other Techniques
• Karl Fischer (coulometric and volumetric)
• Viscometry (capillary and Brookfield-type)
• Titrimetric analysis (auto and manual)
• Color analysis (APHA, Gardner-scale & Hach-type)
• Particle Size (Laser-scattering distribution)
• Centrifuge (sedimentation)
• Moisture/Loss on Drying
• Conductivity
• pH analysis
• Melting point
• Flash point

Other analyses are available upon request or facilitated by local analytical firms.