H.J. Baker, Westport, Conn., announced on March 17 that the company is now operating a third specially customized rotoformer production belt at its Atmore, Ala., fertilizer plant. H.J. Baker said this upgrade will enable the facility to significantly increase production of its Tiger-Sul products and meet customer demand during critical peak seasons.
“This new customized production belt is part of H.J Baker’s ongoing capital improvement plan at our Atmore facility,” said CEO Christopher Smith. “It is another clear example of H.J. Baker’s continued commitment to innovate using the latest technology and to ensure our facilities meet and exceed today’s market demands.”
H.J. Baker said the new rotoformer went through a customized refurbishment that included both Sandvik and Berndorf technologies, as well as the addition of other features to allow employees to customize its mechanics based on individual customer needs.
“The belt will give our facility an overall 50 percent increase in production capacity to better serve our customers during increased seasonal volumes,” said Atmore Plant Manager Matt Kimes. “Our employees can influence and customize the direction of the belt and make changes to meet specific customer requests.”
H.J. Baker’s Atmore facility manufactures Tiger-Sul’s sulfur bentonite fertilizer products, including boron, iron, zinc, and magnesium, which are specifically formulated for row crops in the southeastern U.S., including corn, cotton, soybeans, and peanuts. The facility also manufactures fertilizer for specialty crops such as citrus, vegetables, sugar cane, blueberries, and forage and turf grass. The plant was recently upgraded, adding a 1,500-ton molten sulfur storage tank.
“Customer demand for our fertilizer products is growing throughout the country and around the globe,” said Smith. “In addition to the Atmore upgrades, we recently purchased a production facility in Irricana, Alberta, which will be operating soon. This will increase manufacturing capacity to address customer needs domestically and internationally, and add capabilities such as sulfur forming in the future.”