New methionine complex comes on stream in Singapore

• Evonik increases its global annual capacity of methionine to 580,000 metric tons
• First world-scale methionine plant in the fast-growing Asian market
• The largest single investment to date for Evonik of over €500 million

The new methionine complex of Evonik Industries in Singapore officially came on stream on November 4, 2014 after two years in construction. This plant has an annual capacity of 150,000 metric tons, bringing Evonik’s methionine capacity worldwide up to 580,000 metric tons. "With this new facility—the most modern of its kind and the first world-scale methionine plant in Asia—we are continuing to expand our market and technology lead in DL-methionine," said Klaus Engel, Chairman of the Executive Board of Evonik Industries, at today’s ceremony in Singapore. Evonik markets DL-methionine under the MetAMINO® brand name.

The company has spent over €500 million on the complex, the most it has ever invested in a single chemical project. "Methionine is one of our core businesses and Asia is the fastest-growing methionine market in the world. This is why we decided to build here," Engel explained. He used the presence of high-ranking leaders from the worlds of politics and business to thank all sides for their outstanding support.

MetAMINO® and all strategically important precursors will be produced in the new methionine complex. "Thanks to our local presence, our complete back-integration in the new plant, and our global production network for MetAMINO®, we are able to offer our customers in Asia maximum security of supply," underlined Dr. Reiner Beste, head of Evonik’s Health & Nutrition Business Unit.

Progress in feed technology, rapid population growth and rising consumption of meat in the region are fuelling Asia’s high methionine demand.

The main reasons for choosing Singapore as the site for the new plant in Asia were the excellent local logistics, the business-friendly, stable environment, and the high level of education. The new production complex will create around 200 jobs for highly qualified individuals.

Investing in amino acid specialties with high growth rates

The feed additive MetAMINO® ensures more balanced nutrition of poultry and swine, conserving resources and the environment and thus making a valuable contribution to sustainability in food production.

In addition, Evonik is investing in amino acid specialties with high growth rates. New production plants for methionine formulations that are tailored to the biology of other animal species are currently under construction: Mobile (Alabama, USA), for instance, will have a new plant for the production of Mepron®, used in the feeding of dairy cattle. Mepron® has a special coating that protects the amino acid from undesired degradation in the rumen. For shrimp and other crustaceans in aquacultures, Evonik has developed AQUAVI® Met-Met, a dipeptide made up of two methionine molecules. The first production plant for this is being built in Antwerp, Belgium.

Evonik is the only company in the world that produces and markets the four most important amino acids that are required in advanced animal feed: MetAMINO® (DL-methionine), Mepron® (DL-methionine for ruminants), DL-Methionine for AquacultureTM, Biolys® (L-lysine source), ThreAMINO® (L-threonine), and TrypAMINO® (L-tryptophan). As a solution provider, the Group also supports its customers with comprehensive professional advice, tailored services, and a worldwide sales organization for all amino acid products.