Cellulosic Specialties, Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals is the sole producer of ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (EHEC) and methyl ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (MEHEC). These are made from highly purified cellulose from wood or cotton linters via alkalization, ethoxylation and reaction with ethyl chloride and methyl chloride.

EHEC and MEHEC can also be reacted with longer chain hydrophobes, producing so called hydrophobically modified cellulose, used as associative thickeners.

In addition Cellulosic Specialties, Akzo Nobel Functional Chemicals produce Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) made from highly purified cellulose. CMC is also made via alkalization, followed by carboxymethylation with monochloroacetic acid (MCA).

For CMC food grade the process is followed by purification by washing with ethanol water mixture.