Tessenderlo Group, Brussels, told analysts on Aug. 26 that it is looking to establish a team to take Violleau, its organic fertilizer solutions business, to the next level. The unit, which formed during the first quarter within the company’s Bio-valorization segment, currently exists only in the French market.
The company announced that construction on its new ammonium thiosulfate (Thio-Sul®) plant in Geleen, The Netherlands, is expected to start in April 2022. As previously reported, completion of this plant is expected in second-quarter 2023 (GM July 2, p. 31; March 25, p. 33 ).
TKI opened its first European plant for the production of Thio-SulR in Rouen, France, in September 2017 (GM Sept. 17, 2017). Prior to the opening of its Rouen plant, for the previous few years, the company had been importing Thio-SulR from the U.S. to serve its European customers.
In addition, Tessenderlo said it continues to eye the potential to build an ammonium thiosulfate plant in Eastern Europe.
In other news, the company said that in first-half 2021 it participated in the Belgian Capacity Renumeration Mechanism (CRM) tender for the construction of a second gas-fired power station of 900 MW in Tessenderlo, Belgium. If successful in the auction, the new power plant (which involves the investment of E500 million) would be operational by Nov. 1, 2025.
In other news, the company said its Industrial Solutions business has reached an agreement to divest the MPR Services (solvent reclamation) and Environmentally Clean Systems LLC (ECS) (water reclamation and disposal) activities. However, it said their yearly contribution is not significant. The sale is expected to be completed in second-half 2021 and lead to an insignificant result within EBIT adjusting items. ECS production assets in the Bakken area of North Dakota were damaged by a fire in 2020, and thereafter the company said it would be assess the future of the asset.
Meanwhile, the company’s Mining and Industrial business unit, within the Industrial Solutions segment, has changed its name to Moleko.