Evonik to double its L-lysine capacities in the U.S.
First additional quantities expected in November 2011
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 tons 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.
“This investment further strengthens our significant market position in the feed additive business,” said Klaus Engel, CEO of Evonik Industries. “We recently announced plans to construct a new plant for expanding our DL-methionine capacity to 580,000 metric tons a year, and doubling our L-lysine capacities will now add
further growth to our biotechnology-manufactured amino acid L-lysine as well.
L-lysine, a biotechnology product, which Evonik markets under the brand name Biolys®, is globally known as an extremely effective source of lysine for animal feed, which helps to sustainably reduce cost in feed production. “We’ve seen rising demand for our L-lysine in the United States for the last few years and therefore decided to double our capacities," says Engel.
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. Thanks to effective protection measures that kept the water away from the plant, the flooding of the Missouri River in June and July 2011 did not affect the project schedule.
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