Sisecam has acquired all shares of its partner Ciner Group in the US soda ash sector.
It means Sisecam’s ownership in Pacific Soda has increased to 100%.
Pacific Soda manages the natural soda ash investment in the US, which will produce 5 million tons of natural soda ash a year.
Additionally, Sisecam’s stake in Sisecam Wyoming has risen to 51%, with the remaining 49% owned by the US based group NRP Trona.
The Wyoming facility has an annual natural soda ash production capacity of 2.5 million tons.
As reported by Glass International on December 4, Sisecam will pay $285 million to Ciner Group for its shares.
It will increase Sisecam’s total global soda ash production capacity to more than 10 million tons.
Sisecam ranks among the top three global soda ash producers with a production capacity of 5 million tons.
Once the Pacific project, with its 5-million-ton capacity, is completed, Sisecam will be the largest producer. Its total production capacity will exceed 10 million tons, of which 7.5 million tons will be natural soda ash.
Soda ash is an essential raw material for glass production. In 2023, global soda ash demand reached 66 million tons and is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 3%, reaching 83 million tons by 2030.
The share of natural soda ash, which is currently 30%, is projected to increase to 40% over the next decade.
Sisecam CEO Görkem Elverici said: "Within our portfolio, we have decided to increase our investments in natural soda ash production, which stands out with multiple sustainability advantages including lower carbon footprint and reduced water consumption, as well as cost-efficiency.
“We see the potential of soda ash not limited to the industries that it currently serves.
“Through our global-scale R&D efforts and collaborative partnerships, we are exploring its applications in rapidly growing sectors, particularly in energy storage, such as batteries.”
Sisecam’s US soda ash investments
• In 2019, Sisecam became an equal partner in the Pacific Soda Project, a 2.5-million-ton natural soda ash investment developed by Ciner Group.
• In 2021, Sisecam acquired a 60% stake in Ciner Group's operational Wyoming facility, with an annual capacity of 2.5 million tons of natural soda ash, and a 60% stake in the Atlantic Soda project, a 2.5-million-ton natural soda ash investment under development.
