Stepan Reported net income was a record $44.8 million, or $1.93 per diluted share versus $40.6 million, or $1.74 per diluted share, in the prior year. Adjusted net income was $40.7 million, or $1.76 per diluted share versus $42.4 million, or $1.82 per diluted share, in the prior year. Total Company sales volume was flat versus the prior year.
Surfactant operating income was a record $53.8 million versus $53.2 million in the prior year. This increase was primarily driven by improved product and customer mix that was mostly offset by ongoing global supply chain challenges and a 1% decline in global sales volume. The lower sales volume was primarily due to lower demand for laundry products within the consumer products business. Higher demand in the functional products, personal care and institutional cleaning end markets mostly offset the above. Volume sold within the Tier 2 and Tier 3 customer channel continues to perform well.
Polymer operating income was $14.1 million versus $18.0 million in the prior year. This decrease was due to a January 2022 power outage at the Company's Millsdale, IL plant site that negatively impacted production. The production disruption resulted in the declaration of force majeure for select products and higher sourcing, logistic and maintenance costs. The Company estimates these items negatively impacted Polymer's first quarter 2022 earnings by approximately $5.0 million pre-tax. The force majeure was lifted on April 15th. Global Polymer sales volume increased 2% versus the prior year. Global rigid polyol volume was up 5% versus the prior year largely due to the 2021 INVISTA polyester polyol acquisition which closed at the end of January 2021.
Specialty Product operating income was $3.7 million versus $2.6 million in the prior year. This increase was primarily attributable to order timing differences within the food and flavor business and margin recovery within the medium chain triglycerides (MCTs) product line, partially offset by a decline in MCTs sales volume.
"The Company had a solid start to the year despite the power outage at the Company's Millsdale, IL plant site and ongoing global supply chain challenges. Reported net income was up 10% versus the prior year first quarter while adjusted net income declined 4%" said Scott Behrens, President and Chief Executive Officer. "Surfactant operating income was up 1% largely due to improved product and customer mix, driven by growth in our functional products business as a result of higher commodity prices and continued growth in the construction industry, that offset a 1% decline in sales volume and ongoing supply chain challenges. Our Polymer operating income was down 21% primarily due to the Millsdale power outage and related production disruptions. Global Polymer sales volume was up 2% year-over-year. Our Specialty Product business results were up primarily due to order timing differences."
Capital spending was $60.3 million versus $37.6 million in the prior year quarter. The increase was primarily due to increased expenditures in the U.S. for the advancement of the Company's new alkoxylation production facility in Pasadena, TX, which is expected to provide flexible capacity of 75,000 metric tons per year, and new capability and capacity to produce ether sulfates that will meet future regulatory limits on 1,4 dioxane. For the full year, capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $350 million to $375 million.
"Looking forward, we believe that demand across our business will remain strong but the Company will continue to be challenged by external supply chain issues, including raw material availability and transportation constraints that impacted us in 2021 and during the first quarter of 2022," said Scott Behrens, President and Chief Executive Officer. "From a segment perspective, we believe that Surfactant volumes within the functional product end-markets, inclusive of agricultural and oilfield, will improve versus 2021 driven by a favorable commodity pricing environment. We believe our Polymer business will deliver growth versus the prior year and we continue to believe the long-term prospects for rigid polyols remain attractive as energy conservation efforts and more stringent building codes should increase demand. We anticipate our Specialty Product business results will improve slightly year-over-year. We are cautiously optimistic about the remainder of the year despite the current inflationary environment and ongoing supply chain challenges."
