Kemira has made an investment decision to expand the sodium borohydride (SBH) powder production capacity at its Äetsä site in Finland. The scope of this investment includes a new production line and some additional process safety improvements for the plant.

The total value of the investment is under EUR 10 million. The initiative will support the globally growing pharma industry in mainland Europe and export markets. SBH is a reducing agent and is commonly used in various pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and product technologies for many active pharmaceutical incredients. It is also used in many chemical manufacturing processes.

Antti Matula, Executive Vice President, Fiber Essentials, Kemira: “We see increased demand from our pharma customers from India and also from Europe. With this investment we will more than double the drying capacity of the plant, enabling us to respond to our customers’ needs and strengthen the local manufacturing base in Europe.”

The expansion project is in the engineering phase and the new production line will be fully operational during Q4 2026.