Klaus Engel, CEO, Evonik Industries.
· The company expands its position in the feed additives market.
· Growing demand for feed amino acid L-lysine.
· Capacity expansion for L-lysine in Blair, Nebraska, advancing well.
· First additional quantities expected in November 2011.
· Excellent co-operation with site operator Cargill.
ESSEN, GERMANY: In North America, Evonik Industries is doubling its capacities for producing the feed amino acid L-lysine. The two-phase expansion of the Blair, Nebraska, plant to an annual capacity of 280,000 metric tonne is on track and is expected to be completed by August 2012, six months earlier than originally projected. Evonik uses biotechnology to produce the essential amino acids L-lysine, L-threonine and L-tryptophan for animal feed.
“We recently announced plans to construct a new plant for expanding our DL-methionine capacity to 580,000 metric tonne a year and doubling our L-lysine capacities will now add further growth to our biotechnology-manufactured amino acid L-lysine as well. We’ve seen rising demand for our L-lysine in the US for the last few years and therefore decided to double our capacities,” said Klaus Engel, CEO, Evonik Industries.
Evonik expects to bring the first additional quantities to the market in November 2011, when the first expansion phase, which includes doubling the evaporation capacities for product concentration, is complete. At the same time, Evonik has already started the second expansion phase, for which all permits were granted in June 2011. Cargill provides the infrastructure at the site and supplies Evonik with locally manufactured over-the-fence source materials.
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