Norel, a Spanish animal nutrition and feed additives company, has opened a production plant in Johor, Malaysia, with capacity to make 10,000 tons of additives a year for customers across the Asia-Pacific region.
The company marked the opening Oct. 16 with a ceremony attended by employees, customers, distributors, government representatives from Johor and Singapore and Sergi Farré Salvá, Spain's ambassador to Malaysia, according to Norel's announcement of the opening.
The plant runs four production lines serving the poultry, swine, ruminant, aquaculture and pet food sectors. It will make gut health products, including sodium butyrate, medium-chain fatty acids and essential oils, along with feed quality additives such as antioxidants, mold inhibitors, mycotoxin binders, pellet binders, flavors and sweeteners.
The facility has already earned FAMI-QS certification, a feed safety and quality standard for specialty feed ingredient makers.
Norel said local production will let it work side by side with customers and distributors in the region, under a strategy it calls "Produced in Asia, for Asia." The plant will support the company's commercial operations in Singapore and the Philippines and widen product availability in Japan, Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand.
Rafael Calvo Pablos, Norel's general manager, said the site brings the company closer to customers across Asia. CEO Francisco Moral credited the company's nearly 300 employees worldwide with making the expansion possible.
Johor joins Norel plants in Spain, the United States, Mexico, Egypt and India, giving the company six production sites. Founded in Spain in 1980, Norel said it operates in more than 70 countries.
For feed mills in the region, a local additive source can shorten lead times for products that are often imported. Norel did not disclose the investment cost, staffing or the plant's start-up timeline for each product line.
