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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Germany-Based Evonik Expands Theodore, Alabama, Manufacturing Operations

02/28/2022
To bolster its animal nutrition business, specialty chemicals company Evonik will invest $176.5 million to expand its operations in Mobile County, Alabama.

The company will build a new facility at its Theodore site to produce methyl mercaptan, which is used to manufacture its MetAmino (DL-methionine) product, according to state officials. Methionine is utilized in livestock farming to feed animals in a healthy, efficient, and sustainable manner. The new plant is scheduled to come on stream in the second half of 2024.

“In the market we stand for quality, superior supply reliability, and a high level of safety and technology standards in our assets,” said Dr. Emmanuel Auer, head of Evonik’s Animal Nutrition business line. “The backward integration in Mobile eliminates transportation of hazardous chemicals and shows our continued commitment to responsible care and business sustainability.”

The project will strengthen the Mobile County site as a global, best-in-class methionine hub for reliable and cost-optimized supply to markets in the Americas, according to company officials. The site currently receives raw materials from third-party suppliers to produce methionine.

“This project was made possible by the pro-business environment in Alabama and the cooperation of the Governor’s Office, Alabama Department of Commerce, Mobile County, City of Mobile, and Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce,” said Kel Boisvert, vice president and site manager for Evonik in Mobile.

Essen currently employs 750 people at its location in Theodore. The company noted that the investment aligns with the division’s sustainability strategy by reducing the carbon footprint of DL-methionine from Mobile by about 7%. More than 25,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents can be saved each year.

“Because Evonik’s culture stands firmly on values such as innovation and sustainability, it is exciting to see the company launch another expansion project at its Mobile facility,” added Greg Canfield, Secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce. “I’m confident that this investment will become a building block for even more future growth for Evonik in our state.”

Evonik Industries AG is a specialty chemicals company headquartered in Essen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the second-largest chemicals company in Germany, and one of the largest specialty chemicals companies in the world.

“Evonik is another example of a company that sees value in the local workforce,” said Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce Vice President of Economic Development David Rodgers. “Evonik has been a great corporate citizen since the 1970s, and this expansion ensures their site in Theodore will remain competitive for years to come.”

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