We do more than introduce buyers and sellers: we also supply additives and blending chemicals, and it is a real part of what we do rather than a sideline. Cold flow additives such as pour point depressants and CFPP improvers, process chemicals such as potassium hydroxide and methanol, and and the two alkoxide catalysts that actually run a biodiesel plant, KM32 and NM30. Where useful we pair that with the theoretical blend calculation and a hand blend tested at a partner laboratory, so the additive is chosen against a measured result rather than a datasheet.
What we supply
Several of these are hazardous or corrosive substances. Methanol is toxic and highly flammable, potassium hydroxide is corrosive, and both carry classification, packaging and transport obligations. Supply runs with the safety data sheet, the correct transport classification and documentation to match, and we will not cut corners on that to save a day.
- Pour point depressants (PPD), to lower the temperature at which a fuel stops flowing. Widely used in gasoil and in biodiesel blends heading into cold climates.
- CFPP improvers and cold flow additives, targeting the cold filter plugging point specifically. This is the parameter that most often puts a FAME cargo out of grade, so it is where additive treatment earns its money. See FAME biodiesel.
- Potassium hydroxide (KOH), the alkaline catalyst used in transesterification.
- Methanol, the alcohol that makes a fatty acid methyl ester a methyl ester in the first place.
- KM32, potassium methylate 32 % in methanol. The transesterification catalyst you reach for when the feedstock is not clean vegetable oil. Potassium methylate is the more reactive alkoxide, gives cleaner glycerol phase separation and a higher yield, and is the usual choice for plants running used cooking oil, animal fats and other lower grade material. The dividing line the catalyst producers themselves use is free fatty acid of about 1.0 %: below that the cheaper sodium methylate does the job, above it potassium methylate is offered. In other words, exactly the feedstocks we broker. We supply it into North African markets including Tunisia, so the route and the paperwork are familiar rather than theoretical.
- NM30, sodium methylate 30 % in methanol. The global workhorse catalyst for biodiesel and the cheaper of the two. Effectively water free, which keeps purification cost down and yield consistent. Where the feedstock is clean enough, this is usually the economic choice.
- Other performance additives on request: antioxidants for oxidation stability, biocides for microbial contamination in storage, lubricity improvers, cetane improvers, demulsifiers and anti-foam.
How we actually do it
This part is worth stating plainly, because additive supply works differently from our brokerage and people reasonably ask which hat we are wearing.
- On the brokerage side we introduce buyer and seller and take a commission. We do not take title.
- On the additive side we arrange supply against a firm requirement, which is a supply transaction rather than an introduction. Payment terms are agreed per transaction and prepayment is normal for the trade, particularly on first business and on smaller lots.
- Documentation travels with the product: specification or certificate of analysis, safety data sheet, classification and the transport paperwork the mode requires.
- Volumes run from drums and IBCs up to isotank and bulk, depending on the product and the destination.
Blending advice, which is usually the more useful half
Selling somebody an additive is easy. Telling them whether it will fix the problem is the part that matters, and it is frequently the answer that saves the most money.
- Theoretical blend calculation, working out what a proposed blend will do to the key parameters before anything is moved.
- Hand blends and sample testing with partner laboratories, so the decision rests on a measured result rather than on a supplier datasheet.
- Additive requirement assessment, including the case where the honest answer is that no additive will bring the material into specification and the parcel needs a different home. That situation is covered under off-spec and distressed cargoes.
- Specification interpretation, particularly around seasonal and national cold flow requirements, which differ across Europe and move with the calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do you supply fuel additives as well as broker cargo?
Yes. Additive and blending chemical supply is a genuine part of what we do alongside the brokerage. On the brokerage side we introduce buyer and seller and take a commission without taking title. On the additive side we arrange supply against a firm requirement, which is a supply transaction rather than an introduction.
Do you supply catalysts into North Africa?
Yes. We supply KM32 into North African markets including Tunisia for biodiesel production, so the shipping route, the documentation and the payment practice are familiar to us rather than something we would be working out for the first time on your order.
What is KM32?
Potassium methylate 32 % solution in methanol, also written potassium methoxide. It is a transesterification catalyst for biodiesel production. Compared with the sodium equivalent it is more reactive, separates the glycerol phase more cleanly and gives a higher yield. The practical dividing line used in the industry is free fatty acid content of about 1.0 %: below that sodium methylate is the economic choice, above it potassium methylate is offered. That threshold is exactly why KM32 is the catalyst for plants running used cooking oil and animal fats rather than clean vegetable oil.
What is NM30, and how do I choose between NM30 and KM32?
NM30 is sodium methylate 30 % solution in methanol, the most widely used biodiesel catalyst worldwide and the cheaper of the two. The practical dividing line is free fatty acid content around 1.0 %: below that NM30, above that KM32 for the extra reactivity, the cleaner glycerol separation and the yield. Both are effectively water free, which keeps purification cost down.
How are methylate catalysts shipped and stored?
Carefully. They are dissolved in methanol, so the flammability and toxicity of methanol travel with them, and the alkoxide itself is corrosive and highly moisture sensitive: contact with water or humid air degrades it and generates the corresponding hydroxide. They move under nitrogen blanket in dedicated equipment, with the safety data sheet and full transport classification. This is not a product to improvise on.
Which additives do you handle?
Pour point depressants, CFPP and cold flow improvers, potassium hydroxide, methanol, and named grades including KM32 and NM30. On request also antioxidants, biocides, lubricity improvers, cetane improvers, demulsifiers and anti-foam. Tell us the base fuel and the target specification rather than the product name and we can usually be more useful.
Why does a biodiesel producer need potassium hydroxide and methanol?
Both are process chemicals for transesterification, the reaction that turns oils and fats into fatty acid methyl esters. Methanol is the alcohol that supplies the methyl group, and potassium hydroxide is a commonly used alkaline catalyst. Neither is an additive to the finished fuel; they are inputs to making it.
What are your payment terms for additive supply?
Agreed per transaction. Prepayment is normal for this trade, particularly on first business and on smaller lots, which is standard practice in chemical supply rather than anything unusual to us.
Can you tell me whether an additive will fix my off-spec cargo?
Often, and we would rather answer that honestly than sell you a drum. We can run a theoretical blend calculation and arrange a hand blend tested at a partner laboratory. Sometimes the answer is that no additive brings the material into specification, in which case the parcel needs a different outlet rather than a treatment.
Do you handle the hazard classification and transport paperwork?
Supply runs with the safety data sheet, the correct classification and the transport documentation the mode requires. Methanol is toxic and highly flammable and potassium hydroxide is corrosive, so this is not paperwork to be improvised at the loading bay.
Who to ask about Additives & blending
Ask us. Need an additive, a blend calculation or a hand blend tested? Tell us the base fuel, the target specification and the volume. We answer the same working day, in English or Dutch, and there is no charge and no obligation for a market read or a second opinion on a specification.
You get Bart van den Brug directly, not a call centre and not a form that goes nowhere. We are an independent broker: we never take title, we do not trade our own book, and we are paid a commission only on business that actually concludes. That is why we will also tell you when the answer is no.
+31 6 115 83 448
[email protected]
Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V., Lemmer, the Netherlands
Last reviewed 09 August 2026 by Bart van den Brug, Sustainable Commodities 3 B.V. (KvK 99665042), Lemmer, the Netherlands. Regulatory references are given for orientation and are not legal advice; verify against the current Official Journal text before contracting.