Infineum breaks ground on salicylate plant in Singapore

U.K.-based additive manufacturer Infineum broke ground for its new calcium salicylate plant on Jurong Island, Singapore, the first for the company outside Europe. The company also produces calcium salicylate in Berre, France. Infineum Venture Director Xavier Leleux said the plant will be internally funded at a cost of US$150 million and will be world-class, without disclosing the capacity of the plant. It will be on stream by the fourth quarter of 2013. Leleux said the plant is being built to meet current and future requirements for environmentally friendly lubricant additives. Used to produce detergent additives, calcium salicylate is a critical component of lubricant additives for top-tier passenger car and heavy-duty diesel engines, as well as marine, railroad and gas engine, lubricants.The contract for the Engineering, Procurement and Construction of the plant has been awarded to Chiyoda Singapore Pte. Ltd. “We constantly review our supply capability to ensure that we are able to consistently fulfill our customers’ current and future needs,” said Infineum Group Vice President of Supply Sara Lefcourt. “Strengthening our supply reliability, one of our top priorities, has been a key driver for this investment. The Singapore facility will be an integrated part of the Infineum global supply network,” she said. Singapore was selected for its strategic location in Asia-Pacific, its robust infrastructure, the availability of skilled workforce and the outstanding safety performance of the existing operations on Jurong Island. (April 23, 2012)