May 4, 2007

Lonza invests in innovative technology and assets to support Nutrition Business product portfolio

Press release

Lonza Group Ltd has acquired the assets of S.A.M. Electron Technologies based in Quebec's Shawinigan city, Canada. 

In its May 3 press release on the investment, the company said the acquisition came concurrently with an exclusive worldwide license for a cerium mediator electrochemical technology (CeTECH) from Hydro-Quebec and a lease agreement with Shawinigan.

Recognised by ICIS as the best Process Innovation of 2005, CeTECH is an electrochemical cerium-based oxidation technology that can be used to produce a variety of high value added compounds. It has been demonstrated on a commercial scale for vitamin K3 production.

Unlike most current vitamin K3 manufacturing processes, CeTECH avoids using chromium as an oxidising agent, hence eliminating production of undesired chromium by-products. This results in a cleaner and more environmentally friendly process. CeTECH is also a closed system that regenerates the cerium with an innovative cell design.

With a nominal capacity to produce 400 tonnes of vitamin K3 derivatives annually and the potential for rapid expansion to achieve much higher capacities, Lonza anticipates the acquired plant to facilitate production and distribution to the industry on a fully commercial scale.

The acquisition closed on May 2, 2007, and is a wholly owned and operated subsidiary under Lonza Canada Inc.