Caustic Soda Supply in Sohar: Grades, Delivery and Industrial Uses

Sohar is one of Oman's busiest industrial areas. Plants around Sohar Port and the Freezone run metal processing, petrochemical, polymer, food and water treatment operations, and many of them use caustic soda every week. This guide covers what buyers in Sohar should check before ordering caustic soda flakes: the grade, the documents, how to store bags in a coastal climate, and how to get stock delivered from Barka the next day.

What caustic soda is used for in Sohar

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, NaOH) is a strong alkali. In and around Sohar it is mostly bought for:

• Cleaning-in-place (CIP) in food, beverage and dairy lines, usually as a 1 to 3% hot solution to remove fats and proteins.
• pH correction in water and wastewater treatment, including raising the pH of acidic effluent before discharge.
• Metal cleaning and finishing, such as degreasing and etching before coating.
• Tank and equipment cleaning in petrochemical and chemical plants, often as a caustic wash.
• Manufacturing of detergents, soaps and other chemicals where NaOH is a raw material.

Most of these jobs use flakes dissolved on site, because flakes are easier to move and store than liquid caustic and contain almost no water.

Which grade to ask for

For industrial use, ask for caustic soda flakes 99% and check the certificate of analysis (COA) rather than the label alone. The figures that matter most are:

• Purity (NaOH): minimum 99%. A recent batch we supply tested at 99.72%.
• Carbonate: maximum 2.0%. Carbonate builds up when flakes absorb carbon dioxide from the air, so a low figure also tells you the bags were sealed well.
• Chloride (Cl): maximum 0.05%. Important for stainless steel equipment, where chloride can cause pitting.
• Iron (Fe): maximum 0.005%. Matters for food, water and colour-sensitive uses.

The product is CAS 1310-73-2, transported as UN 1823, Class 8 (corrosive), Packing Group II, under HS code 2815.11. Your safety and procurement teams will usually want the safety data sheet (SDS) and a COA before the first order. Both can be downloaded on the caustic soda flakes in Oman page, so you can send them for approval before you ask for a price.

Storing flakes in Sohar's climate

Sohar sits on the coast, and humid air is the main enemy of caustic soda flakes. NaOH is hygroscopic: it pulls water from the air, turns sticky, and slowly reacts with carbon dioxide to form sodium carbonate, which lowers the effective strength. A few simple rules keep stock in good condition:

• Keep bags sealed until use and close part-used bags tightly.
• Store on pallets, off the floor, in a dry, covered and ventilated area away from acids.
• Do not store near aluminium, zinc or tin. Caustic soda attacks these metals and releases hydrogen gas.
• Use stock in date order. Properly stored flakes keep for years, but older opened bags lose strength.

Dissolving flakes safely

Dissolving caustic soda releases a lot of heat. Always add flakes slowly to cold water, never water to flakes, and stir continuously. Use stainless steel or suitable plastic tanks, wear splash goggles, gloves and an apron, and keep running water nearby for eye and skin contact. If a solution splashes in the eyes, flush with water for at least 15 minutes and get medical help. The full first aid, spill and PPE guidance is in the SDS.

How to order for delivery to Sohar

We keep caustic soda flakes as ready stock at our warehouse in Barka Industrial Area and deliver next day across Oman, including Sohar. The process is simple:

1. Check today's price. The price per kg is published every working day, and the flakes are held as ready stock in Barka. Larger orders get a lower rate per kg, applied automatically by order size.
2. Order online or download a quotation. If your company needs a formal quotation for internal approval, you can download a PDF with your company name and VAT TRN in a few seconds.
3. Confirm and pay. We call to confirm the order and delivery, then send a proforma invoice for bank transfer.
4. Receive the delivery. Bags arrive on pallets of 40 (one tonne), with the COA and SDS for your batch.

You can see today's price and order-size rates before you call, which saves a round of emails for routine re-orders.

Checking a delivery when it arrives

A two-minute check at the gate avoids problems later:

• Bags intact and dry. Torn or wet bags let in moisture; set them aside and report them the same day.
• Labels present. Each bag should show the product name, the corrosive (Class 8) hazard label and the UN number.
• Batch number matches the COA. Keep the certificate with your receiving records.
• Flakes free-flowing. Flakes should pour freely. Hard lumps throughout a bag suggest it has taken in moisture.
• Count against the delivery note. 40 bags make one tonne.

Complaints should be raised within 24 hours of receipt by email, with photos of any damaged bags.

Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum order for delivery to Sohar?

The minimum order is one 25 kg bag. Most plants order by the pallet (40 bags, one tonne) because the rate per kg drops as the order grows.

Do you supply liquid caustic soda?

Flakes are our standard stocked grade. Liquid caustic soda (lye) is available on request; flakes are usually cheaper to transport because you are not paying to move water.

Can I get the SDS before ordering?

Yes. The SDS and a sample COA can be downloaded at any time. The COA for your own batch comes with the delivery.

Is VAT included in the published price?

No. Prices are per kg, ex-warehouse Barka, excluding 5% VAT. The quotation PDF shows the VAT and the total.