8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

Form 8-K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):  07/16/2010

STEPAN COMPANY

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Commission File Number:  1-4462

Delaware	36-1823834
(State or other jurisdiction of	(IRS Employer
incorporation)	Identification No.)

Edens and Winnetka Road, Northfield, Illinois 60093

(Address of principal executive offices, including zip code)

(847)446-7500

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[  ]   Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[  ]   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[  ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[  ]   Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Item 8.01.    Other Events

On July 16, 2010, Stepan Company ("Stepan") issued a press release announcing that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Stepan Europe S.A.S., acquired all of the shares of Alfa Systems Sp. z o.o. The purchase includes Alfa Systems' new plant located in Brzeg Dolny, just outside of Wroclaw, Poland. The plant started up in mid-2009 and specializes in the manufacture of aromatic polyester polyols from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a raw material. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. A copy of the press release is attached as Exhibit 99.1 hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

Item 9.01.    Financial Statements and Exhibits

(d) Exhibits

    Exhibit Number: 99.1

    Description: Press Release of Stepan Company dated July 16, 2010

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

		STEPAN COMPANY
Date: July 21, 2010	By:	/s/    Kathleen Sherlock
		Kathleen Sherlock
		Assistant Secretary

EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.	Description
EX-99.1	Press Release of Stepan Company dated July 16, 2010

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CONTACT: JAMES E. HURLBUTT

(847) 446-7500

STEPAN EUROPE PURCHASES ALFA SYSTEMS

Sp. z o.o. IN BRZEG DOLNY, POLAND

NORTHFIELD, Illinois, July 16, 2010 - Stepan Company (NYSE: SCL) today announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Stepan Europe S.A.S., has acquired all of the shares of Alfa Systems Sp. z o.o. from its shareholders, Chemitex Holding Limited and Chemovil Holdings Limited. The purchase includes Alfa Systems' new plant located in Brzeg Dolny, just outside of Wroclaw, Poland with 25,000 metric tons of polyester polyol capacity and 15,000 metric tons of polyurethane systems capacity. The plant started up in mid-2009 and specializes in the manufacture of aromatic polyester polyols from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as a raw material. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

"Polyester polyols are the critical component of our Polymer business. The acquisition of Alfa Systems gives us manufacturing capability in Eastern Europe and the ability to economically and effectively serve customers in Central and Eastern Europe," stated F. Quinn Stepan Jr., President and CEO of Stepan Company. "In addition, the technology to manufacture aromatic polyester polyols from recycled raw materials is new for Stepan. We are excited to add this site with its technology to our global polyester polyol manufacturing network including Millsdale, Illinois; Wesseling, Germany; and our joint venture in Nanjing, China."

Stepan Company, headquartered in Northfield, Illinois, is a leading producer of specialty and intermediate chemicals used in household, industrial, personal care, agricultural, food and insulation related products. The common and the convertible preferred stocks are traded on the New York and Chicago Stock Exchanges under the symbols SCL and SCLPR. For more information, visit Stepan's website at http:www.stepan.com.

Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied. The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Stepan Company's Form 10-K, Form 8-K and Form 10-Q reports and exhibits to those reports, and include (but are not limited to), prospects for our foreign operations, foreign currency fluctuations, certain global and regional economic conditions, the probability of future acquisitions and the uncertainties related to the integration of acquired businesses, the probability of new products, the loss of one or more key customer or supplier relationships, the costs and other effects of governmental regulation and legal and administrati ve proceedings, including the expenditures necessary to address and resolve environmental claims and proceedings, and general economic conditions. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date hereof, and Stepan Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.