Chemical Plants in Pasadena – Complete List, Locations, and Key Facts

If you’re researching chemical plants in Pasadena, you’ll find this article covers the topic comprehensively. In the first 100 words: The region of Pasadena, Texas hosts many large‐scale chemical manufacturing sites, including plants producing polyethylene, catalysts, plasticizers and specialty chemicals. We’ll list the major facilities, provide their locations, highlight key facts and help answer common questions about the local chemical industry. We’ll also use related terms such as “Pasadena chemical manufacturing”, “petrochemical plants Pasadena”, “industrial chemical complex Pasadena Texas” and more.

Why Pasadena? The Industrial Hub

Location & Historical Context

Pasadena (TX) lies just east of Houston, along the Houston Ship Channel, which has made it a prominent site for the petrochemical and chemical plant industry.

• The nearby Bayport Industrial District was developed as one of the largest private industrial complexes in the U.S. and includes “more than 60 chemical plants”.
• The region benefits from access to water transport (ships/barges), pipelines, rail and trucking—essential for raw materials and finished chemical product flows. For example, the INEOS Pasadena site receives raw material via water, railcars, truck and pipeline.
• A local listing of manufacturing‐chemicals in Pasadena lists 16+ chemical companies, showing how concentrated the industrial base is.

Key Industry Themes

• Scale & specialization: Many plants focus on specific chemical product lines such as catalysts, resins, plasticizers or specialty chemicals (rather than generic chemicals).
• Logistics advantage: Proximity to the Houston Ship Channel and major infrastructure. For example, the Trecora facility in Pasadena uses rail, truck and pipeline access.
• Community & safety concerns: With large chemical plants come responsibilities for safety, emissions control and community outreach. For example, the BASF Pasadena site emphasises environmental compliance, local internships and community advisory panels.

Major Chemical Plants in Pasadena – List & Key Facts

Below is a table of some of the prominent chemical plants in Pasadena TX, their primary activities and locations. This forms the “complete list” (as far as publicly listed major plants) for chemical plants in Pasadena.

Example Spotlight: Chevron Phillips Chemical – Pasadena

This facility is illustrative of the scale and complexity of chemical plants in Pasadena:

• Located 12 miles east of Houston in Pasadena, TX, it sits on approximately 650 acres.
• Produces high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resins, among other polymers.
• The plant emphasises safety, community and sustainability (e.g., participation in clean sweep programs).
  From this we learn that any discussion of “chemical plants in Pasadena” must account for large‐scale production, logistic integration (ship channel, pipelines), and environmental/ community roles.

What Does “Chemical Plant” Mean Here?

When we say “chemical plants in Pasadena”, we mean manufacturing sites that:

• Process raw chemical feedstocks (e.g., hydrocarbons, olefins, aromatics) into intermediate or final chemicals.
• Operate at industrial scale (many thousands of tons annually).
• Are located in/around Pasadena, Texas (not Pasadena, California) and are part of the petrochemical/chemicals hub by the ship channel.
• Include specialization (resins, catalysts, plasticizers, modifiers) rather than generic commodity chemical manufacturing only.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How many chemical plants are in Pasadena?

While a precise count is dynamic (plants open, expand, consolidate), the Bayport Industrial District adjacent to Pasadena is said to contain more than 60 chemical plants. The Pasadena Chamber’s list shows 16 major “manufacturing – chemicals” members in Pasadena alone.

Q2: Are these facilities safe and environmentally regulated?

Yes – large chemical plants operate under strict safety, environmental and community standards. For example:

• The BASF Pasadena site emphasises that it “meets or beats the Environmental Compliance laws we fall under” and has community outreach.
• The Chevron Phillips site states: “We believe in working safely or not at all… produce, handle, transport and dispose of chemical products 100 % safely.”
  Nevertheless, industrial plants carry inherent risks (see Q3 below).

Q3: Have there been incidents at chemical plants in Pasadena?

Yes. For example:

• The Phillips disaster of 1989 occurred at a chemical complex in Pasadena, TX: Oct 23 1989, explosions from flammable gas release killed 23 employees and injured over 300.
• More recently, an ammonia leak at a plant in the Pasadena area triggered a shelter‐in‐place order (May 2025).
  These highlight why safety, regulatory compliance and community communication are critical.

Q4: What types of products are made in these chemical plants?

Examples:

• Polyethylene resins (HDPE) – e.g., Chevron Phillips Pasadena site.
• Cumene and phenol – e.g., INEOS Pasadena site.
• Plastics modifiers / plasticizers – e.g., BASF Pasadena site (DOTP).
• Polyolefin catalysts – e.g., W.R. Grace Pasadena site.
• PVC modifiers – e.g., Kaneka North America Pasadena site.
  This demonstrates the diversity of the chemical manufacturing base in Pasadena.

Q5: Why might someone need this information?

• Investors / supply‐chain firms looking at chemical production capacity in the U.S. Gulf region.
• Local community/municipality understanding industrial presence, job numbers, environmental impact.
• Job seekers / engineers evaluating employment in chemical manufacturing in Pasadena.
• Researchers / students studying petrochemical clusters, industrial safety or regional economic development.
  Including a “complete list, locations and key facts” enables all these audiences to get a ready‐reference.

Additional Insights & Trends

Economic & Employment Impact

• The Bayport Industrial District (adjacent to Pasadena) has business volume exceeding US$800 million and about 11,000 direct jobs (as of 2007 estimate) for the complex.
• Many plants are making expansions or new builds: e.g., Kao Corporation broke ground in April 2023 on a new tertiary amine production plant in Pasadena, TX – expected to create 60 new jobs + 300 construction jobs.
• This signals that the region remains competitive and attractive for chemical manufacturing investment.

Logistics & Infrastructure Strengths

• Facilities benefit from multimodal access: ship channel, pipeline, rail, truck. Example: Trecora’s 27.5‐acre Pasadena facility uses these modes.
• Access to raw materials (hydrocarbons) and shipping/export routes is a strategic advantage.

Safety, Sustainability & Community Engagement

• Chemical plants engage with their communities: e.g., BASF Pasadena site supports local internships, has a Citizen Advisory Council.
• Emphasis on “zero incidents” or “safety first” mindsets: e.g., INEOS Pasadena site emphasises no lost‐time injuries over 9+ years.
• Environmental regulation: Plasticizer plant by BASF moved to produce DOTP, which is recognised as a safer alternative for certain uses.

Risk & Community Concern

• While many plants maintain high safety standards, incidents can occur (see the FAQ).
• Local neighbourhoods and smaller municipalities may have concerns with odours, emissions or emergency events. (See news article about local “smell” reputation in Pasadena).
• For someone using this information (community group, researcher), it’s important to consider both the benefits (jobs, investment) and the responsibilities (safety, environment, transparency).

How to Use This List & Data

• For site selection: If a company is considering locating near chemical feedstocks and export routes, Pasadena offers logistic advantages and an existing industrial ecosystem.
• For job seekers: Use the list to target companies and locations (addresses listed above) for employment opportunities in chemical manufacturing.
• For local residents/community groups: Use the list to identify who the major plants are, and then look for their public disclosure, community outreach programmes, and emergency response mechanisms.
• For policy makers/regulators: Use the list to monitor and coordinate oversight of safety, traffic, emissions in this concentrated industrial zone.

Key Takeaways

• Pasadena (TX) is a major chemical manufacturing hub: the phrase chemical plants in Pasadena accurately reflects a large number of big industrial facilities.
• The major plants listed demonstrate diversity in chemical production (resins, catalysts, plasticizers, modifiers) and logistics infrastructure (ship channel, pipeline, rail).
• Safety, regulation, community engagement and economic impact are all critical parts of the story.
• The list given is publicly sourced, and while maybe not exhaustive for every small site, it covers the major players.
• Using this article, you now have a base to dig deeper into any particular plant, location, or topic (safety, jobs, investment, environmental impact).

Conclusion

In summary, the chemical plants in Pasadena region represent a powerful, well-established industrial cluster with global supply-chain reach, strong infrastructure and specialised production capabilities. From the large‐scale polymer‐resin factories to catalyst and modifier production, the plants listed above provide key facts and locations to guide your understanding or decision-making. Whether you are researching job opportunities, investment trends, industrial safety or community impact, knowing the major players, their locations and what they do gives you a meaningful foundation.