Evonik strengthens European methionine sites with technical upgrade

EUROPE – Evonik, a global leader in specialty chemicals and feed additives, is reinforcing its commitment to efficiency and sustainability with a significant investment in its European methionine production facilities. 

The company has announced a low double-digit million-euro upgrade for its Antwerp (Belgium) and Wesseling (Germany) sites, a move aimed at optimizing operations and minimizing environmental impact.

The technical upgrade requires a partial shutdown of the two facilities for approximately 8-10 weeks between May and July 2025. 

However, despite the temporary closure, Evonik has assured customers that all existing contracts and supply agreements will be honored.

Dr. Dirk Hoehler, head of the amino acids business of Evonik’s animal nutrition line, emphasized the company’s ongoing efforts to enhance process efficiency, reliability, and sustainability. 

“We are constantly working to further increase the process efficiency, reliability, and sustainability of our three global methionine production hubs. This is how we remain competitive and ensure the highest possible supply security for our customers,” he stated.

Recent expansions and sustainability goals

The upgrade project includes the implementation of a new process control system and a new bagging station, alongside various technical modifications designed to reduce nitrogen, sulfur, and CO2 emissions. 

According to Hoehler, “Reducing our ecological footprint is an ongoing driver for us. We remain committed to the highest European sustainability standards.”

This latest investment follows a series of significant expansions. In the past three years, Evonik has invested more than €200 (US$216) million in its methionine production facilities in Singapore and the backward integration of production at its Mobile, Alabama site. 

The company now operates three world-scale methionine hubs, ensuring a stable and diversified supply chain for global feed markets.

Additionally, in August 2024, Evonik successfully completed an expansion of its DL-methionine production facilities in Singapore, increasing capacity by 40,000 metric tons per year to reach a total of 340,000 metric tons. 

The expansion not only improved production capacity but also reduced the carbon footprint of MetAMINO® at the site by 6% through process intensification and steam reutilization for electricity generation.

The company’s broader environmental goals align with global climate initiatives. In 2023, Evonik’s science-based emissions targets were approved by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) as being consistent with a well-below 2-degree Celsius warming pathway. 

Gaetano Blanda, head of the animal nutrition business line, reiterated the company’s long-term ambitions: “We are committed to reducing emissions in line with the latest climate science, and consequently, we have a long-term ambition to expand our targets to align with a 1.5C warming pathway and reach net-zero emissions by 2050.”

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