By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A Swiss chemical company has announced completion of its renovation of a fertilizer plant in Wathena, Kansas.
Omya, a worldwide mineral processing company, says the Wathena plant will allow it to expand into the Midwest and the Great Plains. Omya says it will produce fertilizer in Wathena for use in row and specialty crops as well as on lawns.
Omya bought the Wathena plant in 2022 and made $6 million in renovations to produce specialty fertilizer products made from limestone, gypsum and dolomitic lime.
The plant’s director of operations, Olav Bergset praised the effort, calling it an investment in the community’s future.
“This revitalization project is a success because a lot of critical upgrades came together and added up to improve the overall work environment for our employees and make the facility what Omya’s world-class standards require it to be—a safe and efficient producer of consistently high-quality products,” Bergset said in a written statement released by the company.
Omya Kansas plans additional upgrades to the facility for 2025 as the company continues its Midwest expansion.
You can follow Brent on X @GBrentKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.