Novus International, Inc., a global leader in developing animal health and nutrition solutions, announced the site it has selected for a new manufacturing facility proposed to be built in Calhoun County, Texas.

The proposed facility would be based on the INEOS Nitriles LLC site at Green Lake. Working together, INEOS and Novus will expand production capacity significantly at the site, creating dozens of new jobs in the community.

With final approval expected to come in the second half of 2018, construction is expected to be completed in 2020. Newton Manufacturing LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Novus International, will own and manage the facility.

The new manufacturing site will produce ALIMET feed supplement, Novus's liquid methionine product, and will join the network of existing Novus manufacturing facilities in the southern U.S. Methionine is a necessary component of a balanced and healthy diet for livestock, poultry and aquaculture diets.

The expansion in production reflects the rising demand for animal protein production worldwide due to an ever-growing global population.

"At Novus, our goal is to help to feed the world affordable, wholesome food. We are proud to serve many of the world's leading producers of eggs, milk, fish and meat, and we will continue to strive for more efficient and sustainable food production through our products and innovations going forward," Novus President and chief executive officer François Fraudeau said. "Expanding our ALIMET production will help livestock and poultry producers all over the world be more efficient and profitable, better serving all of us with the food we need."

In 2014, Novus announced its intention to expand ALIMET production in the U.S. Gulf Coast region and spent the next two-and-a-half years carefully selecting the ideal location. In addition to previous experience in the area, cost-effective access to the necessary raw materials and the availability of rail and sea shipping to a global customer base contributed to the site's eventual selection. The project is on track for completion in 2020.

"We are excited to further expand our business in Texas," said Jeff Klopfenstein, president of the Novus methionine business unit. "We've been so impressed with the work ethic and results of our current manufacturing in Chocolate Bayou, Texas, and we could not be more proud and optimistic about becoming a part of the Calhoun County community as well."

The new manufacturing facility will be operated by INEOS Nitriles LLC, an global chemical company with an established manufacturing site at Green Lake. The project will increase Novus's production capacity by 120 kilotons per year.

Guy Barnocky, operations director of INEOS Nitriles, said, "We are pleased to be working with Novus to bring this new investment to the INEOS site. It is a great example of how collocation and cooperation can provide real synergies and strengthen businesses such as ours. This agreement is great news for both businesses and for the community in Calhoun County."

"This project will be a major investment in our county," Calhoun County judge Mike Pfiefer said. "We should all be encouraged by Novus's vote of confidence in our community as a great place to do business. With this new facility, INEOS and Novus will help support our workforce and create new career opportunities for Calhoun County families for years to come."

Novus, headquartered in metropolitan St. Louis, Mo., develops animal health and nutrition solutions such as feed supplements, nutritional feed acid, preservative premix, enzyme feed additive, chelated trace minerals, feed preservative, feed antioxidant and many other specialty ingredients. It serves customers in more than 100 countries.

INEOS is a manufacturer of petrochemicals, specialty chemicals and oil products, with 18 businesses that employ 18,500 people across a production network spanning 80 manufacturing facilities in 16 countries.