In toll milling arrangements, you provide the raw materials and specifications, while Ascent Chemicals executes the particle size reduction process using our industrial milling equipment, quality systems, and experienced operators.

This outsourcing model allows companies to access specialized milling capabilities without capital investment in equipment, while maintaining ownership of their materials and formulations throughout the process.

Key benefits of toll milling services:

• Access to specialized milling equipment without capital investment
• Scalable capacity from pilot batches to commercial production
• Consistent particle size distribution to your specifications
• Reduced operational complexity and overhead costs
• Faster time-to-market for new products

Ascent Chemicals provides comprehensive toll milling and toll grinding services across three U.S. manufacturing facilities. Our particle size reduction capabilities include:

Wet Milling

Wet milling processes materials in a liquid carrier to achieve fine particle sizes and uniform dispersions. This method is ideal for:

• Pigment dispersions for coatings and inks
• Slurry processing for specialty chemicals
• Temperature-sensitive materials requiring cooling
• Products requiring fine particle distribution in liquid form

Media Milling

Our media milling capabilities use grinding media in horizontal mills to achieve precise particle size reduction through controlled shear and impact forces. We operate 20 media mills at our South Carolina facility for fine dispersion and particle size control.

Micronization

Micronization achieves ultra-fine particle sizes below 1 micron for applications requiring maximum surface area, improved bioavailability, or enhanced dispersion stability. Our micronization capabilities support:

• Sub-micron particle size reduction for specialty chemical applications
• Ultra-fine powder processing for improved reactivity and performance
• Controlled particle size distribution for consistent product quality
• Fine dispersion of active ingredients in coatings, personal care, and agricultural formulations

Ascent’s media milling and high-shear dispersion equipment enables micronization to sub-micron levels, delivering the precise particle characteristics your formulation demands.

High-Speed Dispersion

High-speed cowles blade dispersion provides rapid mixing and particle size reduction for liquid systems. Our 6 high-speed dispersers handle:

• Pigment wetting and dispersion
• Emulsion preparation
• Slurry homogenization
• Pre-milling dispersion

Ascent Chemicals operates extensive milling and dispersion equipment across our three U.S. facilities:

South Carolina Facility:

• 6 high-speed dispersers for rapid dispersion and pre-milling
• 20 media mills for fine particle size reduction
• 42 mix tanks (1,500 to 8,000 gallons) for batch processing
• Multiple stainless steel reactors with hot oil heating

Tennessee Facility:

• Horizontal mills for controlled particle reduction
• Homogenizers for emulsion and dispersion work
• Melt tanks for temperature-controlled processing
• Reactor capacity from 5 to 7,500 gallons

Virginia Facility:

• Horizontal reactors from 130 liters to 15,000 liters
• Vertical reactors up to 4,000 gallons
• Pressure ratings up to 156 psig MAWP
• Hot oil, tempered water, and steam heating options

Ascent Chemicals maintains rigorous quality standards across all toll milling operations:

• ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management systems
• Certificate of Analysis (COA) provided with each shipment
• Full batch traceability from raw materials through finished products
• Documented quality control procedures and batch records
• EPA-registered manufacturing facilities (FIFRA establishments)
• Process Safety Management (PSM) covered processes

Related Unit Operations

Toll milling is one of several unit operations available as part of Ascent’s toll manufacturing capabilities. Related services include:

• Blending – Powder and liquid blending with high-shear mixing
• Dispersion – High-speed cowles blade dispersion for liquid systems
• Drying – Multiple drying technologies for various product requirements
• Filtration – Solid-liquid separation and purification
• Emulsification – Stable emulsion production
• Distillation – Vacuum distillation and solvent recovery