Ascend cuts ribbon on new high-purity acetonitrile production

February 4, 2026

Ascend Performance Materials today marked the startup of its new acetonitrile recovery and purification facility with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the company’s Chocolate Bayou site, reinforcing Ascend’s position as a leading, fully integrated U.S. producer of critical performance chemicals.

The new facility recovers acetonitrile produced alongside Ascend’s acrylonitrile operations and refines it to a purity suitable for pharmaceutical manufacturing, analytical laboratories and other specialty applications. Domestic recovery of this material reduces reliance on imports, improves carbon efficiency and strengthens the resilience of regional supply chains.

“This project is about reliability, efficiency and control,” said Dave McNeece, the chemicals business lead at Ascend. “By recovering and purifying acetonitrile here in the U.S., we’re reducing waste, improving our use of carbon and nitrogen resources, and delivering a more secure, domestic supply to customers who depend on this material every day.”

Acetonitrile is a critical solvent used in pharmaceutical synthesis and purification, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) laboratories, specialty chemical production, electronics and battery research, and other advanced technologies. Global demand for acetonitrile continues to grow, driven primarily by pharmaceutical manufacturing and expanding research applications.

“This is the second major new process unit startup at Chocolate Bayou in the past year, and it reflects how we continue to invest in this site and the people who operate it,” said Scott Van Wagener, senior site director at Chocolate Bayou. “The project improves efficiency, strengthens safety performance and creates long-term value for our customers and our community.”

By shortening supply chains and producing high-purity acetonitrile domestically, Ascend is improving delivery reliability for customers while reducing supply-chain risk in critical end markets.