Chemtrade Announces Expansion of Texas Potassium Chloride Facility

12 Aug 2016 --- Chemtrade has announced it has begun construction on an approximately Cdn$30 million project to increase the capacity of its high purity potassium chloride manufacturing facility at Midlothian, TX by more than 50% over the next 18-24 months. 

In addition to the expansion, which will include a new crystallizer and downstream train, Chemtrade will construct a new upgraded packaging hall and warehouse that meet and exceed cGMP and FDA requirements for both Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API’s) and ingredients used in the food, beverage and nutraceutical industries.

The first phase, which will be completed during the fourth quarter of this year, will add 25% to the facility’s API grade capacity. The balance of both the API and other grades should be on-stream mid-2018. 

Jeff Berresford, Director of Chemtrade’s Select Specialties told FoodIngredientsFirst: "We see the F&B industry as a key market for Chemtrade going forward, particularly in light of our facility being the only operating facility of its kind in the US."

“We see this as a major commitment to our Select Specialties business to ensure a reliable supply to our valued partners in the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food and other key industries,” said Leon Aarts, Group Vice President. 

“High purity potassium chloride is a key inorganic salt for both the pharmaceutical and food markets. Recently issued FDA voluntary guidelines recommend the US Food industry work towards a 50% reduction in sodium chloride (salt) content in their products over the next 10 years and potassium chloride is one of the ways in which the food industry can help meet those guidelines. This investment will give Chemtrade capacity and redundancy to serve our API and food markets for years to come,” added Berresford.

by Robin Wyers