ATLANTA, GA., MARCH 26, 2007 — Huber Engineered Materials (HEM), part of J.M. Huber Corporation, today announced it will proceed with an investment to build a new dental silica operation in China. Details of the investment were not disclosed. J.M. Huber Corporation is a privately held company.
According to company officials, Huber is currently finalizing site details. The final site will support a plant that is expected to output 40,000 metric tons of precipitated dental silica. Huber has operated silica plants for over five decades and currently has facilities in Etowah, Tennessee; Havre de Grace, Maryland; Oostende, Belgium; Hamina, Finland; Jhagadia, India. Huber currently supports the Chinese market through its existing plants.
Known for its high quality and innovative functionality, Huber dental silica is primarily used as a cleaning agent in toothpaste formulations. Huber has perfected the science of particle-size control and rheology to ensure its dental silica can be formulated in a variety of dentifrice formulas including opaque, clear gels, striped, dual phase as well as high cleaning and specialty formulas.
“This facility will operate with the same global quality standards that our dentifrice customers have come to expect,” said Mr. Jorma Sakko, vice president and general manager of Huber’s silica business unit. “We are truly committed to dental silica and ensuring global customers have access to high quality Huber products.”
Mike Marberry, president of HEM, said, “China is a fast growing market for toothpaste products and will be very important to Huber’s future growth. This is an important move to establish a competitive cost structure in this region and to deliver superior service and support to our local customers there.”
The local operational plan is being led by Chris Vanhee, a former silica plant manager at Huber’s Oostende location. His team, in conjunction with Huber’s silica marketing and executive leadership, are working closely with a recently announced Huber China management office. In addition, CP Kelco, a sister company owned by J.M. Huber Corporation, operates two plants in China and sells ingredients for toothpaste.
Formulators wanting formulation insight as well as a silica processing overview are encouraged to visit www.hubermaterials.com
