Montreal firm to open first titanium dioxide plant in Quebec
by Canadian Manufacturing Daily Staff
Plant will be located in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., 40 kilometres southwest of Montreal
MONTREAL—Argex Titanium has announced plans to open its first industrial-scale titanium dioxide (TiO2) production plant in southwestern Quebec.
According to the firm, it has signed a binding memorandum of understanding for a long-term lease of at least 235,000 square feet of existing building space in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Que., approximately 40 kilometres southwest of Montreal.
“This represents an important milestone for Argex at a time when the company is accelerating its progress towards production, and it removes many of the risks associated with a lengthy construction project,” Argex president and CEO Roy Bonnell said in a statement.
“The location of our plant in Valleyfield will easily facilitate delivery of the raw materials and by-products from our supply partners and provide us with the option to expand the infrastructure already available.”
The Valleyfield region is already favoured by the hydrometallurgical and chemical processing industry due its location facilitates the shipping of merchandise via ground and maritime routes, according to the company.
The city of approximately 40,000 is located on an island in the Saint Lawrence River.
According to Argex, the location will allow it to save time and avoid the large capital expenditures associated with greenfield plant construction and benefit from the existing industrial infrastructure already in place at the site.
Other factors in the decision to move to the Valleyfield area is access to natural gas supplies it needs for its initial module and potential expansion, and close proximity to Hydro Quebec’s Beauharnois generating station, one of the largest hydroelectric power plants in the world, and Montreal’s Trudeau International Airport.
The MOU and long-term lease are conditional upon certain conditions being met or waived by Argex.
