Vertellus announces new 3-cyanopyridine production unit at Nantong facility

Vertellus Specialties Inc. ("Vertellus" or the "Company") announced today that it will break ground on a new 3-cyanopyridine production unit at Vertellus' production facility in Nantong, Jiangsu, China.  This unit is a continuation of a larger effort to expand production capacity in Nantong.  It will increase Vertellus' Vitamin B3 manufacturing capacity in the region by 10,000 metric tons. The capacity increase will enable Vertellus to maintain its position as the world's second largest provider of Vitamin B3 and the largest producer of cyanopyridines in the world.  

"This project is a milestone in Vertellus' China growth strategy and will be a key part of our growing global infrastructure," said Rich Preziotti, CEO of Vertellus Specialties Inc. "The demand for Vitamin B3 and 3-cyanopyridine has increased significantly worldwide and particularly in Asia. We intend to meet this demand and have developed an aggressive strategic plan to grow our presence in the region."  The demand for Vitamin B3 and 3-cyanopyridine is being driven, in part, by a significant increase in global meat consumption and the changing nutritional trends associated with it.

Vertellus' investment in 3-cyanopyridine production builds on the Company's successful pyridine and picolines joint venture, Nantong Reilly Chemicals Company, which was the first pyridine and picolines production facility of its kind in China, established in 2001.  The next phase in Vertellus' strategic expansion of Vitamin B3 production will be the construction of a niacinamide/niacin production unit, also in Nantong. Vertellus' world class Vitamin B3 plant in Nantong will incorporate the latest, most efficient and environmentally sound technologies available, enabling Vertellus to maintain its cost leadership position in manufacturing Vitamin B3.