The DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products plant, in Loudon since 2004, is increasing production.

The factory makes 1,3-propanediol, a liquid organic compound used in many coatings, adhesives, composites and other products. It’s a key ingredient in the DuPont Sonora brand used in clothing and carpet, according to the company. It’s also used in Zemea, an ingredient in drugs and cleaning products, and Susterra, an industrial chemical.

Work on the Loudon headquarters and factory began in 2004, and production started in 2006, said Todd Sutton, president of DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products. At the outset, it could make 100 million pounds of propanediol a year, and expanded that by 35 million pounds in 2009, he said.

“We continue to see strong market demand for our renewably sourced propanediol, and the most recent expansion project will increase the capacity of our Loudon plant by another 25 percent,” Sutton said in an email.

During the year-long construction process, up to 120 contractors will work there at any given time, he said.

The office and plant employ 70 people. Five jobs in research and quality control have been added over the last 18 months, and three more in operations will come this year, Sutton said. Two more support jobs will come when the expansion is complete in mid-2019.

“In addition to the announced capacity expansion, we are building a warehouse and distribution center on site which will be completed this summer,” Sutton said. “We are receiving no special incentives on this expansion, but we have worked closely with the state and local economic development agencies in the past, and their support in helping our Loudon operation remain cost competitive on a global scale has been extremely important.”