Tessenderlo Kerley — part of Belgium-based chemicals company Tessenderlo — is to acquire Swedish SOP producer Cinis Fertilizer, which filed for bankruptcy in January.
Tessenderlo will acquire Cinis' 100,000 t/yr water-soluble SOP plant in Ornskoldsvik. The value of the acquisition — expected to close this quarter — was not disclosed.
Tessenderlo Kerley executive vice-president Geert Gyselinck said the acquisition "further diversifies our portfolio of production technologies".
Tessenderlo produces SOP in Belgium using the Mannheim process, which requires MOP and sulphuric acid inputs. Cinis produces SOP using the glaserite process, which uses sodium sulphate and MOP as raw materials.
Cinis started SOP production at Ornskoldsvik in May 2024. It delivered its first vessel cargo to Dutch speciality fertilizer company Van Iperen that September.
Cinis has faced challenges since then, and has missed production goals. In April last year, it sought finance to boost production and for plant improvements. In October, it ditched output targets and asked for further funding, before pausing production in November.
