Expansion is on the horizon for leading terminal services business, Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC)
When we last spoke with Brent Weber, CEO and President of Intercontinental Terminals Company (ITC) just over one year ago in the summer of 2024, he detailed the company’s ongoing capacity expansion at the Deer Park and Pasadena terminals. ITC is a premier terminal services company strategically positioned in key market hubs internationally. The company provides logistical services for customers who operate within the global petrochemical and petroleum products market, offering exceptional customer care while prioritizing safety and operational excellence.
With growth on the cards and several initiatives to enhance efficiency, we’re keen to catch up with Brent about the company’s latest developments. “We recently completed a major expansion at ITC Pasadena, which increased our capacity at that site to approximately eight million barrels of total storage,” Brent opens. “This project has also increased our throughput capabilities, and we continue to move large quantities through the terminal each month. Comparing year over year for the same period, throughput at Pasadena has increased by 20 percent. We continue to improve our infrastructure to improve our efficiency, but also to ensure our customers have flexibility in their business.
“We’re also currently constructing 13 additional storage tanks at ITC Deer Park that will add 1.3 million barrels of storage capacity, bringing ITC’s total storage to over 21 million barrels on the Houston Ship Channel. We’re constantly evaluating and adding infrastructure at both terminals to improve our efficiency, eliminate bottlenecks, and ensure our customers have as much flexibility as possible to conduct their business. At Deer Park, for instance, we’re continuing to invest in our truck and rail capabilities to support our customers’ land distribution. At Pasadena, we’re adding piping systems and mixing capabilities, as well as rail and truck projects, to ensure that we can meet our customers’ growing expectations.
“We completed the third phase of the Pasadena expansion ahead of schedule, and our work at Deer Park is also running ahead of our projected timelines,” he continues. “Most importantly, there have been no safety or environmental incidents during these projects. In terms of ongoing growth, we are beginning the next expansion at ITC Pasadena and have expansion capabilities at ITC Deer Park to continue developing our strategic growth projects.”
Alongside terminal upgrades, ITC is also implementing new technologies to embrace automation and digitalization. “We’re in the early stages of our automation journey, but I’m extremely proud of the teams at both terminals for embarking on this journey with excitement,” Brent states. “We’re partnering with Parsable to automate and digitize our operations, and their technology provides us with digital tools to help us improve productivity, quality, and safety. The Deer Park team is using this digital technology in most of our land activities, and we’re now expanding it to our marine, pipeline, rail, storage, and maintenance operations. We’re in the very early stages of implementing this technology at ITC Pasadena, but we’re excited about how this will help us become safer and more efficient while greatly enhancing our customers’ experience with ITC.”
Considering the company’s continuous success since its foundation in 1972, we ask Brent what factors he considers key to such an impressive reputation. “ITC’s success is powered by our associates and by our valuable customers,” he states. “We pride ourselves on moving our customers’ products as safely and efficiently as possible: our focus is safety, and our passion is our customers. We believe that we must maintain a solid foundation to grow, which is outlined in our vision and core values. Our vision is that ITC is a safe and dedicated partner whose associates are proud leaders in customer care and operational excellence. Our values of safety, honesty, integrity, dedication, and respect are at the heart of everything we do, and they help us maintain a strong foundation for growth and success. When we consistently meet or exceed the expectations of our customers, we maintain this foundation while growing our business.”
As our conversation draws to a close, Brent reflects on 2025 and shares his vision for ITC in the coming years. “In terms of market conditions, ITC Deer Park has seen more inconsistency in product movements in the last 12 months compared to ITC Pasadena,” he shares. “Deer Park is primarily a petrochemical storage terminal whereas Pasadena is a finished fuels storage facility. Throughput has been down at Deer Park, and we believe that is driven by a few factors including higher interest rates which are negatively impacting the sale of houses and vehicles, and many petrochemical products go into home construction and appliances. Geopolitical issues and tariff discussions are driving ongoing uncertainty in many markets including the petrochemical arena, which also impacts shipping, trading, and costs. 
“Our focus for the remainder of 2025 is the construction at Deer Park, infrastructure improvements at Pasadena, and full implementation of Parsable technology at both sites. However, as part of our commitment to safety, we’re on a journey to become an OSHA VPP Star Site. Our goal is to finish stage three of the OSHA Challenge Program by the end of 2025 to allow us to apply for the OSHA VPP Star evaluation. ITC has been on the VPP Star journey since 2018, and our approach to safety has grown significantly during this time. We’re committed to continuous improvement, and we know that we can always enhance our safety programs and our culture.
“Our goal is to have both ITC sites on the Houston Ship Channel at full capacity by 2030, which means we would have approximately 26 million barrels of storage,” Brent concludes. “In addition, we continue to evaluate merger and acquisition opportunities in the Houston area as well as throughout the country. Most importantly, ITC is focused on maintaining a strong foundation while strategically growing our business. It is truly an honor to lead ITC’s wonderful associates through these successes. We have a team of dedicated people who value safety and work hard every day to provide an exceptional customer experience.”
Looking ahead, ITC is sure to continue its successful trajectory, with major expansions at Pasadena now complete and new projects underway at Deer Park, as well as ongoing digital transformation initiatives. This foundation, along with Brent’s unwavering commitment to safety and the company’s core values, positions ITC for further growth in the years to come.