FMC Starts Design Work to Add Capacity to Wyoming Soda Ash Facility

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Jun 10, 2011, 02:56 ET

PHILADELPHIA, June 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- FMC Wyoming announced today the company has engaged CH2MHill for the process design and detailed engineering package of a second phase of capacity addition at FMC's Granger, Wyo., soda ash facility. The first phase of the Granger recommissioning will be completed by July 1, 2011, producing at a rate of 500,000 tons per year. FMC expects to request approval for the expansion project from FMC's board of directors in 2011. If approved, the second phase will bring the Granger capacity to 1.2 million tons by 2014.

"The concept is to utilize the existing solution mining technology from our Westvaco plant in the design of our Granger expansion," said Ed Flynn, FMC Wyoming president. "The new design will allow us to scale capacity beyond 1.2 million tons in the future."

Since 2006, when the federal government reduced soda ash royalties, the U.S. soda ash industry has increased exports and more than doubled capital expenditures leading to job growth despite the worst recession in a generation, said Flynn. FMC believes the federal government should maintain an environment conducive to job growth from exports consistent with President Obama's National Export Initiative.

FMC Wyoming Corporation is a subsidiary of FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC). FMC Corporation is a diversified chemical company serving agricultural, industrial and consumer markets globally for more than a century with innovative solutions, applications and quality products. The company employs approximately 4,900 people throughout the world. The company operates its businesses in three segments: Agricultural Products, Specialty Chemicals and Industrial Chemicals.

SOURCE FMC Corporation