Albemarle Corporation Enters Joint Venture for Dead Sea Bromine Complex

Albemarle Corporation, Jordan Dead Sea Industries Company (JODICO, an affiliate of Arab Potash Company), and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture that will manufacture and market bromine, calcium bromide and tetrabromobisphenol-A flame retardant from a world-scale complex to be built at Safi, Jordan, near the Dead Sea.

Albemarle will provide the venture with process and engineering technology, marketing, customer service and manufacturing expertise. Officials of the Jordan government, including Jawad Anani, deputy prime minister, Hani Mulqi, minister of industry and trade, Bassem Awadallah, economic advisor to the prime minister, and Samir Mansur, commercial attache, witnessed the signing of the memorandum.

According to the Albemarle, the joint venture is part of an ongoing program to position the company for the long-term supply of bromine chemicals, particularly to European and Asian markets. The company recently announced plans to build a new plant in Magnolia, AR, using new technology for the production of tetrabromobisphenol-A flame retardant without the co-production of methyl bromide, a product being phased out under the Montreal Protocol.

Floyd D. Gottwald, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Albemarle Corporation, said, "In view of this recent development with JODICO, which provides for immediate access to low cost brine reserves, Albemarle will reexamine its current plans underway in Arkansas. The company intends to continue to grow its bromine businesses, carefully matching its needed capacity with growing market demand. An early conclusion of definitive agreements with JODICO will be a significant factor in determining whether to modify our plans for the Arkansas plant. Albemarle's Arkansas facilities remain the bedrock for its bromine and derivatives businesses, with extensive reserves for future worldwide growth when needed."

Albemarle Corporation has been supplying bromine chemicals for more than 30 years, serving markets for polymers, surfactants and biocides, pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, photographic chemicals, water treatment and petroleum products.

Arab Potash Company (APC) operates a potash plant in Jordan and provides potash and other minerals from the Dead Sea for use in fertilizers and other applications worldwide. The joint venture complex will be built near the APC site. APC's existing solar evaporation pans will provide bromine-containing brines for bromine production.

JODICO is a holding company established as a subsidiary of APC with a mission to develop mineral and downstream chemical industries in Jordan. Existing ventures include a subsidiary that produces industrial and edible salt and a project to produce magnesium oxide and magnesium hydroxide.

Edited by Beth Brindle