The board of leading animal nutrition producer Bluestar Adisseo has given its approval to the construction of a third liquid methionine plant.

The 180,000 t/y facility will be built next to its existing facility in Nanjing Liuhe Chemical Park, China, allowing Adisseo to maximize synergies and leverage its previous building and operational experience. The current plant at Nanjing went into operation in 2014 with a second-phase development completed in late 2015, which took full capacity to 140,000 t/y.

Adisseo will invest roughly $490 million into the second Chinese plant, which is expected to start up in mid-2021. The investment has been spurred by rising demand for the feed additive as well as Adisseo’s own growth objectives. “We see a steady growth rate of 6% per year for methionine and the liquid methionine enjoys an even higher growth rate, with a yearly growth above 10%,” said Jean-Marc Dublanc, Adisseo’s CEO, who added that the project was a key step toward consolidating its market leadership.

The Chinese company, part of the National Bluestar Group, also operates a methionine plant in Burgos, Spain, where it is currently spending €93 million to add a third production line. The extra 50,000 t/y is expected to be available from the end of 2018.

Separately, Adisseo subsidiary Innovia has acquired 80% of French private R&D company Capsulae for an undisclosed sum. Capsulae offers microencapsulation services for companies operating in sectors such as human and animal nutrition, pharmaceutical and veterinary, care and hygiene products, agricultural and plant protection.

Innovia said the deal will provide Capsulae with the production capacity and capability it needs to industrialize its processes and meet demand.