Croda approved for strategic fund grant

Croda, a specialty chemicals manufacturer, has been approved for $2.48 million in Delaware Strategic Fund grants for job creation, job retention and capital expenditures.

Croda, has promised to bring 30 new jobs to its 200-person Atlas Point operation on 150 acres in New Castle. The expansion of the Atlas Point operation is due to up and running by 2017, producing sustainable on-ionic sufactants from bioethanol, the first of its kind in North America.

The project is being paid for by Croda’s $170 million investment and the $2.8 million in state funding

“Croda has made a significant contribution toward the future of Delaware’s economy and environment. We are proud to partner with a company that invests as heavily in its workforce as it does the world around them,” Gov. Jack Markell said. “Croda is also the latest example of a Delaware-based company that is finding new and better ways to make existing products. By providing more sustainable products to its customers, the company has put itself in an excellent position for future growth.”

“This investment represents a tidal shift, especially for consumer goods manufacturers who are striving for sustainability and performance,” said Steve Foots, Croda International Plc Group chief executive.