Cronus Chemicals LLC has selected Illinois as the site for its $1.4 billion nitrogen plant, officials close to plans have confirmed. Cronus had been weighing a site in Illinois or one in Mitchell County, Iowa.
The site is in Tuscola in Douglas County and is some 20 miles south of Champaign. The company will be headquartered in Chicago.
Cronus plans to build an 800,000 t/y of anhydrous ammonia plant with a 1.4 million t/y of granular urea plant. The company is owned by Swiss and Turkish investors and is led by Erzin Atac, a long-time fertilizer industry veteran, formerly president of Trammo Inc.’s fertilizer division.