EUROAPI announces that its Board of Directors has approved a €40 million investment for the implementation of a new production technology dedicated to vitamin B12 at its site in Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf (Seine-Maritime, France). The project should enable EUROAPI to increase its manufacturing capacity by 2025 while reducing its environmental footprint. This investment benefits from a total financial support of €7.9 million, from the French Government within the framework of the Relance plan, Agence de l’Eau Seine-Normandie (Seine-Normandie Water Agency – AESN) and Normandie Region.

This project includes the expansion of Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf site and a new generation of fermentation that would increase production by 60%. This new technology will enable EUROAPI to develop a more robust nitrite-free process by design, to decrease waste and to reduce by approximately 50% water consumption. Moreover, this innovative process has been designed to reduce the number of steps required to manufacture the product. The full capacity of the vitamin B12 production should be reached by 2027.

The new commitment comes in addition of a €24 million investment announced in July 2022 for the construction of a state-of-the-art biomass boiler which will reduce the CO2 emission of the site by almost 76% in 2026. The two projects are highly synergetic as the 17 MW biomass equipment was designed to support the site’s vitamin B12 production capacity increase program.

“This key investment in France will enable us to increase our productivity in a dynamic vitamin B12 market, growing at 6-7%¹ per annum. It will also increase the level of differentiation of our portfolio, while implementing technology for greener production,” commented Karl Rotthier, Chief Executive Officer of EUROAPI. “We are in a unique position being the only vitamin B12 producer with a European manufacturing site. This project bolsters our position as a reliable supplier and partner of choice, and we look forward to strengthening our cooperation with our customers as well as building new collaborations,” added Laurent Alexandre, Chief Commercial Officer of EUROAPI.

Vitamin B12 fuels some of the body’s most fundamental processes, including DNA synthesis, red blood cell production, and nervous system regulation. The Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf factory is the only Western API manufacturing site of vitamin B12 and plays a crucial role in ensuring its global supply to numerous clients worldwide, including DSM and P&G Health. The plant specializes in large scale fermentation and has downstream processing facilities. The Saint-Aubin-lès-Elbeuf site has worldwide health authority, GMP and ISO certifications, and operates according to the highest industrial standards.