Second methionine plant
Evonik has consistently expanded its DL-methionine business over the past years. On November 21, 2003, the groundbreaking ceremony took place for the construction of the second methionine plant in Antwerp. This is the biggest investment made yet by Evonik, and totals around 350 million euros. The plant, with a capacity of 120,000 tonnes per annum, was successfully started in 2005. At the same time, all preliminary stages in the production of methionine were further extended through the construction of a production plant for the raw materials acrolein and methyl mercaptane and the expansion of the hydrocyanic acid capacity. In 2006, Evonik already announced they wanted to restart the old methionine plant in Antwerp – after a considerable modernization. In October 2008 this was realized. In June 2009, an additional capacity increase was announced, which was realized in 2012.