Hydrite Chemical Co. on May 25 announced that it is constructing a new three-million-gallon tank at its Terra Haute, Ind., plant to expand the storage capacity of its ATS=TM ammonium thiosulfate fertilizer. The company also confirmed that it recently completed the construction of a 1.8 million gallon tank at the Terra Haute site to expand potassium thiosulfate (Thio 25-17TM) storage.
Hydrite expects the new ATS tank to be completed before year-end, which will bring total ATS storage capacity at the Terra Haute site to 6.8 million gallons. The company’s total potassium thiosulfate storage capacity at Terra Haute is now at 2.5 million gallons.
“We are excited to announce the expansion of our already significant storage infrastructure in Terre Haute, Ind.,” said Nate Ludtke, Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development for Hydrite. “Every spring brings new challenges, and with this additional storage we will be better positioned to respond to the needs of the market.”
The news follows a spring season marked by critical shortages of ammonium thiosulfate across North America, due both to increased demand and production issues. The supply problems pushed wholesale pricing in the Cornbelt up to $450-$500/st FOB for the most recently reported offers, up from the low-$200s/st FOB at the beginning of the year.
Headquartered in Brookfield, Wisc., Hydrite is an integrated manufacturer and supplier of chemicals and sulfur derivatives. The company started producing ATS in 2011 at its facility in Waterloo, Iowa, after reaching an agreement with Kugler Co., McCook, Neb., for its proprietary manufacturing process (GM June 18, 2011). ATS production at Hydrite’s Terra Haute site started in 2012.
The Waterloo facility currently has 4.3 million gallons of ATS storage capacity. Both the Waterloo and Terra Haute plants also produce low salt fertilizer and micronutrients. In addition to those sites, Hydrite operates chemical facilities in Lubbock, Texas, Visalia, Calif., and at Wisconsin locations in Cottage Grove, LaCrosse, Milwaukee, and Oshkosh.