Huber Completes Capacity Expansion at Precipitated Alumina Trihydrate Facility

Huber Engineered Materials, a division of J.M. Huber Corporation,  has increased capacity at its precipitated alumina trihydrate (ATH) plant in Bauxite, Arkansas  by 30 percent.

“Huber has a long-term, multi-stage plan to incrementally increase capacity at Bauxite driven by customer demand and new product sales,” said Mike Wilson, director of operations for Huber’s Fire Retardant Additives business.  “Our plan requires a relatively low capital cost compared to Greenfield expansions due to the configuration of the facility.  The size and infrastructure of the operation in place at the time of our acquisition in 2012 is the key component of successfully implementing the multi-stage approach.”

The continuous investments at Bauxite will effectively position Huber to continue supporting its customers’ growth strategies with the manufacture of a broad range of precipitated ATH products.  “Phase two of the expansion at Bauxite is already in motion and targeted for completion in 2015,” says Don Mills, Global Sales Director for Huber’s Fire Retardant Additives business.  “We are well-positioned to serve our customers in a number of markets.”

“The growth plans we are implementing build upon the initial strategy we set when we entered the precipitated ATH market with the purchase of Bauxite,” said Jerry Bertram, vice president and general manager for Huber’s Fire Retardant Additives Business.  “These continuing investments to expand and improve our manufacturing capabilities underline Huber’s ongoing, long-term commitment to the fire retardant additives business and the customers we serve.”

Huber is a global leader in supplying non-halogen fire retardant additives including ATH, magnesium hydroxide (MDH) and engineered molybdate compounds for a variety of consumer, electrical and industrial applications, including reinforced plastics, engineering thermoplastics, rubber, carpet backing, cast polymer, coatings, roofing, adhesives, high-voltage insulators and wire and cable insulating and jacketing.