Novacap announces the launch of Sodium Bicarbonate plant in Singapore

Novacap Group, through its Mineral Specialties Division, a European leading producer of Soda Ash and Sodium Bicarbonate, accelerated its international expansion in Sodium Bicarbonate with the start-up of commercial-scale production effective in June 2017. This new stand-alone production unit, operated by Novabay Pte Ltd, is located in Jurong Island, Singapore.

To celebrate this great milestone, a Grand Opening Ceremony has been organized on 18 July 2017 in the presence of the French Embassy, represented His Excellency the Ambassador of France to Singapore Mr. Marc Abensour, the Singapore Economic Development Board (EDB) represented by Mr. Lim Kok Kiang, Assistant Managing Director, the JTC represented by Ms. Koh Tilin Cindy, JTC Director, major customers and business partners for the South East Asian markets, as well as numerous distinguished guests.

The state-of-the-art facility offers a strong alternative supply solution to serve the fast growing demand in Asia. It has been designed to produce one of the world’s highest quality Sodium Bicarbonate grades in the market, and is able to guarantee a consistent and continuous quality, meeting the expectations of the most demanding customers in Health Care, Dialysis, Personal Care, Food, Feed, and Industrial applications.

The fully automatized production unit runs on a continuous 24/7 process, and is able to immediately bring 70,000 metric tons to the market, and rapidly expand its production capacity to 120,000 metric tons.

Building trust and long term relationship with customers and distributors, always delivering the best possible quality products and services and driving Sustainable Development initiatives, have always been part of the Novacap Group core values.

Novacap takes great pride in the following:

– Firstly, in being the 2nd largest Sodium Bicarbonate supplier in Europe, already serving most of the market leaders. Novacap aims to continue accompanying them in Asia and are also committed to effectively serve the local market players.

– Secondly, in developing the latest process technology that produces a product with unmatched quality in the market, which is aluminum free, heavy metal free, has low sulphate levels, etc., all of which ensures the long term health benefit impact for the end-consumers and population.

– Finally, leading by example in its industries by promoting and integrating Sustainable Development initiatives as part of its day-to-day operations with three concrete and positive impacts fully in line with the Jurong Island version 2.0 initiative:

o The plant effectively captures and locally reprocess the CO₂ from neighboring companies on Jurong Island as one of their key feedstock. This consequently helps the petrochemical industry in reducing its carbon emission as well as the Singapore Government in achieving its commitments to strive for a better environment,

o Novacap continuously upgrades its process and efficiently operates with a low energy consumption that generates very limited waste water to the contrary to many of other industry players. The remaining waste water is then valorized by local companies in water treatment and purification, interested in reducing acidity level in their processes,

o Novacap also heavily invest in transferring know-how to Singaporean and local employees as the Group believes that empowering staffs, ensuring a safe and good working environment and promoting entrepreneurship spirit constitute solid basis to drive successful business development.

"After one year of construction work, we are honored to celebrate with the French and Singaporean representatives and our business partners, this unique opportunity and great experience in setting up the first greenfield investment for our Group and the first green technology Sodium Bicarbonate unit in Singapore " explains Raymond Sinnah, president of Novabay Pte Ltd and vice-president of Novacap Group, in charge of the Mineral Specialties Division.

"Singapore is proud to be Novacap’s strategic base in Asia, offering them an efficient and effective location to serve the growing Asian middle class," said Mr. Lim Kok Kiang, assistant managing director, EDB. "As Jurong Island’s first commercial scale carbon utilization project, Novabay’s investment is aligned with our aim to grow the industry in a competitive and sustainable manner."