Growth in biogums: CP Kelco expands capacity at Chinese and Oklahoma plants

20 Nov 2018 --- Hydrocolloid solutions supplier CP Kelco has announced plans to invest in building capabilities and expand production capacity for several key products. The company is set to increase capacities at its Wulian (China) and Oklahoma (US) facilities in response to what it calls “the strong global demand for specialty biogums products.”

CP Kelco is reinforcing its commitment to three Biogums product lines – gellan gum, specialty xanthan gum and diutan gum – through these key operational initiatives:
• Adding gellan gum production capabilities in the company’s Wulian, China facility to support growth in the Asia Pacific region;
• Expanding the overall capacity of the Wulian, China facility to support growth across all three specialty Biogums product lines and,
• Expanding the recently added gellan gum production capacity in the company’s Okmulgee, Oklahoma, US facility.

In addition to the planned investments in new production capabilities and capacity, CP Kelco reports it is equally committed to ensuring its biogums products meet the high standards of quality and food safety established for all industry segments it serves. “As regulatory requirements related to our products increase, CP Kelco will continually invest in operational and innovative developments to help ensure we can meet or exceed our customers’ expectations,” says Didier Viala, President of CP Kelco.

No specific details are being given on production capacity related to these projects as they “are in very early stages of planning.” Michele Cacdac-Jones, Director, Brand & Marketing Communications at CP Kelco, confirmed to FoodIngredientsFirst that more information around the investments will be announced in the first half of 2019.

Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, US, and part of J.M. Huber Corporation, CP Kelco is a leading producer of specialty hydrocolloids with offices and facilities across the globe. Key product lines are gellan gum, pectin, xanthan gum, CMC/cellulose gum, carrageenan, diutan gum and microparticulated whey protein concentrate, as well as other unique biopolymers.

Cacdac-Jones confirmed that sustainability will be a key theme to be addressed in 2019 and beyond, with CP Kelco active in this space for several years. “Sustainability is an underlying trend that is embedded in several other trends, like clean label, but in 2019 and beyond, the importance of sustainability from the beginning to the end of the supply chain will be imperative,” she explains.

“We are taking more opportunities to showcase the impressive progress we have made – from our advances in using citrus peel beyond our extraction of pectin to our award-winning efforts that support the communities around our manufacturing plants – and our ongoing activities to make continuous improvements,” she adds.

From the beginning to the end of the supply chain, every stakeholder plays a role in using resources responsibly and every action taken is impactful, Cacdac-Jones stresses. One of the biggest challenges is in ensuring all resources are used and reused. “It takes some time to analyze your own supply chain to see where you can make changes, but in the end, this can reduce a supplier’s environmental impact and, ultimately, their costs of doing business. At CP Kelco, we are proud of our sustainability efforts – from sourcing to extraction to waste management, we have team members dedicated to optimizing our production processes, including reducing or reusing our materials,” she adds.

CP Kelco’s fermentation-derived biogums products provide stabilization, texture, suspension and viscosity in a wide variety of food, beverage, personal care, household care, pharmaceutical and industrial products and applications.

Innovation in applications is also ongoing at CP Kelco. At the IFT Food Expo, which was held in Chicago in July 2018, the company presented Fermented Gold, For Gut’s Sake and Fruity Fixation samples. The latter featured the suspension of pineapple slivers provided by KELCOGEL HM-B [E] gellan gum, which is non-GMO Project Verified. The protein protection at a low pH is achieved through CEKOL LVD cellulose gum. Wanda Jurlina at CP Kelco spoke about the potential for hydrocolloids for vegetable-based protein beverages in a video interview at the event.

By Robin Wyers