If you are investment planning in Cheshire, Tata Chemicals is set to construct a new £60 million plant in Northwich.
In a statement, Tata said the board had approved the multi-million-pound capital investment as part of restructuring to build a new pharmaceutical grade sodium bicarbonate plant. This will have the capacity to produce 180,000 tonnes a year.
The plan is being described as the firm’s biggest investment in 50 years. The decision will affect around 70 members of staff, some of whom may be redeployed elsewhere. Tata said that while the decision hadn’t been taken lightly, it was necessary to safeguard the economic future of the business.
It is hoped the new plant will utilise carbon dioxide captured from energy emissions as a core raw material. There are also plans to respond to the growing demand from pharmaceutical manufacturers for high grade sodium bicarbonate for use in medicines and hemodialysis products.
It is expected that the new plant will become fully operational by 2027 and will boost Tata’s bid to shift away from commodity chemical production, in favour of high grade, speciality products.
The move is being attributed to high energy prices in Europe, an oversupplied marketplace and the drive to cut carbon emissions. These factors have all pressured the chemical manufacturer to look at relocating operations from the Works Lane soda ash plant in Bolton, which is expected to close down in the new year. It will first be subject to the finalisation of an employee consultation as mandated by local legislation.
