High demand for food-grade phosphoric acid
Foodgrade phosphoric acid is currently a new product from the Elixir Group that is in demand in Europe and beyond. The Serbian group of companies started production six months ago following the process engineering expansion of its facilities in its own Industrial and Chemical Park Prahovo (ICPP) on the Danube.
"In addition to the established production of technical phosphoric acid, we now offer this acid in food quality to manufacturers of soft drinks or yeast producers, for example - demand is high," explains Matthias Predojevic, Vice President Corporate Development at Elixir. "The initial response from our customers has also been excellent. We are constantly receiving new inquiries from all over Europe and internationally. There are only a few other suppliers in Europe and a large proportion are imported from Asia."
Foodgrade phosphoric acid is certified in accordance with FSSC ISO 22000 and ISO 22000:2018. The high-end product also meets the requirements for halal and kosher, as Predojevic notes.
Phosphoric acid in various quality levels
The Elixir Group has made a name for itself as a reliable supplier of phosphoric acid in Europe in recent years. Together with the new Foodgrade variant, a total of 400,000 tons per year are currently produced in the various quality levels in Prahovo. With management certification in accordance with DIN EN ISO 9001:2015, DIN EN ISO 14001:2015, the globally accepted and applied standard for environmental management systems, and DIN EN ISO 45001:2018 in the area of occupational health and safety, the Serbian company is a valued partner for industrial and commercial companies. "Our customers trust our controlled quality and are very pleased that we are making phosphoric acid more available in Europe," emphasizes Predojevic. It is important to "think more European and more sustainable - and that includes short distances".
There has been a chemical site in Prahovo since the 1960s, which was taken over by Elixir in 2012 and continuously modernized and expanded with investments in infrastructure and production facilities. The Elixir Group currently generates annual sales of around EUR 550 million with around 2,000 employees. In addition to phosphoric acid variants for food and technical applications, the Serbian company's portfolio also includes mineral fertilizers and aluminium trifluoride. Elixir produces in Prahovo itself, but also offers companies with various business models long-term settlement opportunities.
Prahovo's geographical location on the Danube is ideal - with its own port, rail connection, connection to a hydroelectric power plant in the immediate vicinity and a wide range of local services. "We take care of energy and media supply, security, logistics, sewage and waste disposal for our partners and customers in a cost-saving manner," says Predojevic, referring to the diverse and customized services.
Matthias Predojevic, Vice President Corporate Development, Elixir
"In addition to the established production of technical phosphoric acid, we now offer this acid in food quality - demand is high."
Modern hazardous waste incineration plant
A modern hazardous waste incineration plant is also expected to go into operation on the site at the end of 2025, which will be the only one of its kind in the Balkans and will recycle up to 100,000 tons of industrial waste per year - solid, liquid or pasty - to generate energy. "We also want to be a pioneer in the region in this area of waste management. In terms of the circular economy, the industrial waste generated in Serbia can be recycled directly in the country in future. At the same time, we will use the resulting water vapor exclusively in our production facilities. Overall, we are making another major contribution to resource-conserving, decarbonizing and energy-efficient production," says Predojevic.
The company is also currently developing its own solar and wind power plant with coupled battery storage. With an output of 30 MW, the ICPP wants to generate all the electricity it needs itself in future. Predojevic: "This is an important milestone for us. Of course, it also means we can guarantee completely sustainable chemical production with a fully autonomous energy supply by 2030."
The topic of sustainability is already integrated into all processes and is an important requirement when making investment decisions. Following the start of food-grade phosphoric acid production, work is now continuing on the construction of a further plant for the production of phosphoric acid, which will be one of the most modern and energy-efficient plants in Europe once completed.
"Elixir is pursuing a sustainable growth strategy - this is demonstrated by the numerous investments in the production facilities and the innovations that we have already implemented in recent years or are currently working on. At the same time, we are also growing thanks to further inquiries from companies in the industry. You can see what is happening here. New, exciting ideas for concrete collaboration are constantly emerging."
The most recent example is the cooperation with the K+S Group for the production of crystalline monoammonium phosphate (tMAP). Preparatory work for the construction of a production plant began in spring. The water-soluble phosphate salt is one of the world's most important fertilizers in the fertigation sector. "Everything is going as planned - we are right on schedule," says Predojevic. "The factory building, production and warehouse will be completed by the end of 2025. Production is scheduled for early 2026 and deliveries will be made promptly." Elixir and K+S are planning to produce 50,000 tons of tMAP per year.
Guido Schernewski, VP Marketing at K+S, is also completely satisfied with the current construction progress: "We are delighted to have found a professionally operating European company as a partner in Elixir. Like K+S with its C:Light product range, Elixir is also committed to sustainability. Everything is currently just in time - so we are looking forward to the start of production in a good partnership. This is planned for the beginning of 2026."
K+S sells the fertilizer primarily in Europe, but also worldwide if required, as Schernewski reports.
K+S - a global producer of potash and magnesium specialties - is thus further expanding its product portfolio to include the plant nutrients nitrogen and phosphorus.
Powerful logistics
Overall, the Elixir Group's efficient logistics in Prahovo is of crucial importance, as it plays a key role in delivering raw materials to the plant and end products to customers on time. According to Predojevic, this already involves annual volume flows of 5 million tons - to over 80 countries around the world. "Our customers can rely on their goods reaching their destination as quickly as possible and always on time. By ship, rail or truck - we develop an individual logistics concept for every customer. And we are also continuing to expand and invest in this area in order to be fit for future additional requirements and new markets."
The port of the industrial and chemical park currently has 700 m of operational quay and seven berths for river ships. It is very busy here every day. To the east, the Danube connects Prahovo directly with the Black Sea and Constanta, the region's most important port with a handling capacity of 100 million tons per year. To the north, the Danube offers access to the countries of the Danube basin - all the way to Germany. The ICPP also has its own rail network with several terminals in the port area and is connected to the Serbian rail system and thus to the international rail network. "This is also very popular with our customers," says the Vice President.
The European Transport Corridor 10, which connects Serbia with other European countries for logistics by truck, is also 150 km away.
Responsible company management
What interested parties also like: the Elixir team's commitment to environmental, social and governance (ESG). Reconciling economic value creation and responsible corporate governance is crucial for long-term, sustainable business activities. According to Predojevic, important information on this is regularly made available to customers and partners and corresponding services are offered. Annual sustainability reporting in accordance with the guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and independent verifications by the auditing company KPMG are also a matter of course for Elixir.
"It is very important to us not only to comply with current international standards, but also to focus on the well-being of our employees in their day-to-day work. This includes not only a safe, healthy and pleasant working environment, but also, for example, the opportunity to pursue individual career paths," says Predojevic. The Elixir Group also supports community initiatives and invests in local educational, cultural and environmental projects. "We are firmly integrated in Prahovo and the surrounding area as the largest employer, feel like an important part of the region and want to continue to grow together in the future."
