Proud Past, Bright Future

With a history that extends back to 1887, today’s Albemarle is a leading global producer of polymer solutions, fine chemistry, and catalysts. Our products are used as additives to, or intermediates for, a wide range of products manufactured by pharmaceutical companies, cleaning product manufacturers, water treatment companies, agricultural companies, electronics goods manufacturers, refineries, and paper and photographic companies. We operate on a global scale, serving customers around the world.

2010s

2013

Jordan Bromine Company, a joint venture between Albemarle and Arab Potash Company, completed the first phase of its expansion to double bromine capacity.

2012

Albemarle introduced Electronic Materials business unit.

Albemarle expanded its production capabilities for finished polyolefin catalysts in Baton Rouge.

Albemarle introduced GreenCrest™, the second product in the Earthwise® portfolio of sustainable, eco-friendly solutions.

Albemarle announced plans to exit phosphorus flame retardants business.

Albemarle celebrated the grand opening of its Asia-Pacific shared services center in Dalian, China.

Albemarle expanded its South Haven API production site and upgraded its multi-product cGMP active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) manufacturing facility. The project was one in a series of projects at the South Haven site to increase capabilities and production throughput, meeting the increasing demand for both generic API products and custom manufacturing service portfolios.

Albemarle announced plans to expand its Korea facility to manufacture electronic-grade metal organics. The company also celebrated the grand opening of the R&D center at this facility.

Albemarle celebrated the grand opening of a new laboratory facility and expanded applications capabilities at its Process Development Center (PDC) in Baton Rouge

Albemarle announced plans to expand its Orangeburg facility to support growing demand for products in all three of its global business units.

Albemarle doubled the capacity at its Tyrone facility for a proprietary chemical product.

2011

Jordan Bromine Company, a joint venture between Albemarle and Arab Potash Company, announced that it will double the capacity of its bromine production in order to meet expanding global customer requirements.

Albemarle announced it had developed a proprietary technology for lithium extraction from brine.

Albemarle expanded its presence in the biofuels market with the acquisition of Catilin Inc., based in Ames, Iowa.

President of Albemarle, Luke Kissam, is elected CEO by Board of Directors.

Albemarle announced the formation of Albemarle Environmental Division. This newly-formed division focuses the resources of Albemarle Corporation in this important market segment within the air pollution control industry.

Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company (SOCC), a joint venture equally owned by Albemarle Netherlands B.V., a subsidiary of Albemarle Corporation, and SABIC affiliate, SPECIALTY CHEM (Saudi Specialty Chemical Company), held a groundbreaking ceremony on September 18, 2011 to initiate the construction of a new aluminum alkyls manufacturing facility in Jubail, Saudi Arabia.

2010

Grand Opening of global shared services center – Albemarle`s Center of Excellence (ACE), in Budapest, Hungary. The facility was developed as part of the company`s "Project One Albemarle" initiative designed to standardize and streamline the company`s global processes.

Albemarle Corporation and Petrobras announced plans to build a world-scale hydroprocessing facility in Santa Cruz, Brazil. The new facility will complement existing production of fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts.

Albemarle Corporation announced the completion of the R&D laboratory facilities and the beginning of construction on its Yeosu, South Korea manufacturing facility. Upon completion, the site will produce finished catalysts, activators like methylaluminoxane (MAO) and metallocene components, as well as High Purity Metal Organics for the HBLED market.

Albemarle Corporation sold its Teesport, UK facility to Kemira Oyj.

2000s

2009

Albemarle and Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC) Affiliate, TAYF, create Saudi Organometallic Chemicals Company (SOCC), a Strategic Catalysts Joint Venture, to build a world-scale organometallics production facility strategically located in the Arabian Gulf Industrial City of Al-Jubail.

Albemarle Chemicals SAS, a wholly owned affiliate of Albemarle Corporation, completed the sale of its facility in Port de Bouc, France to Azur Chimie SAS.

2008

Albemarle and Weifang Sinobrom Import and Export Company, Ltd. (Sinobrom) reached an agreement in principle to form a new joint venture that will combine the existing business of Sinobrom, a leading marketer of bromine derivatives in China, with Albemarle`s global bromine expertise in the specialty chemical industry, forming Sinobrom Albemarle Bromine Chemicals (Shandong) Company Ltd.

Albemarle acquired full-service power plant mercury-control provider Sorbent Technologies Corporation.

Albemarle completed its acquisition of two polymer additive joint ventures in China: Ningbo Jinhai Albemarle Chemical & Industry Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Jinhai Albemarle Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.

Albemarle announced plans to move its corporate headquarters from Richmond, VA to Baton Rouge, LA.

2007

Albemarle opened a new regional sales office in Dubai to meet growing market needs in India and the Middle East.

Albemarle opened a new Technical Center and broke ground on a phosphorus flame retardant manufacturing plant at the company`s first wholly owned site in Nanjing, China.

Albemarle’s Board of Directors approved a two-for-one split of the Company`s common stock.

2006

Albemarle acquired the fine chemistry services and pharmachemicals business associated with the South Haven, Michigan facility of DSM Pharmaceutical Products (DSM).

Albemarle has completed the transfer of ownership of Albemarle`s manufacturing facility in Thann, France to ICIG.

2005

Albemarle broke ground at its site in Nanjing, China, for a technology center and a facility for the repackaging of aluminum alkyl polyolefin catalysts.

2004

Albemarle acquired the refinery catalyst business of Akzo Nobel N.V. with sites and/or joint ventures in the Netherlands, Houston, USA, France, Brazil, Japan and Singapore.

2003

Albemarle acquired Taerim International Corporation (Taerim) and formed Albemarle Korea Corporation.

Albemarle acquired Atofina’s bromine fine chemicals business in Port de Bouc, France.

Albemarle completed the acquisition of the phosphorus-based polyurethane flame retardants businesses of Rhodia including the production sites in Avonmouth, United Kingdom.

Albemarle acquired Ethyl Corporation’s fuel and lubricant antioxidants business.

2001

Albemarle announced the acquisition of the custom and fine chemicals businesses of ChemFirst Inc.

Albemarle acquired Martinswerk GmbH in Bergheim, Germany, and Martinswerk’s 50% stake in Austrian joint venture Magnifin Magnesia Produkte GmbH.

Albemarle announced the purchase of certain assets of Ferro Corporation`s PYRO-CHEK flame retardant business, along with a plant at Port-de-Bouc, France.

2000

Albemarle and Jinhai Chemical and Industry Company, a Chinese company, announced the establishment of a joint venture company for the manufacture, sale and export of specialty polymer stabilizers and flame retardants.

1990s

1998

Albemarle acquired a custom manufacturing and oilfield chemicals plant in Teesport, England.

Albemarle Corporation forms a joint venture with Jordan Dead Sea Industries Company (JODICO) and Arab Potash Company (APC) to manufacture bromine and bromine derivatives in a world-scale complex to be built in Jordan.

1997

Albemarle increased its Asia Pacific presence through an alliance with Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc., acquiring 50% of outstanding stock of Nippon Aluminum Alkyls, Ltd.

1996

Albemarle sells its alpha olefins, polyalphaolefins and synthetic alcohols businesses to Amoco for about $500 million.

Albemarle acquired Asano Corporation, a sales and marketing company headquartered in Tokyo.

1994

Ethyl spins off its chemical business to create an independent, publicly traded company named Albemarle Corporation.

1980s

1987

Ethyl acquired Dow Chemical’s bromine chemicals business and its Magnolia, Arkansas plant.

1970s

1976

Ethyl leaves paper manufacturing with the sale of Oxford Paper. Ethyl opened a chemical plant in Feluy, Belgium to make aluminum alkyls.

1960s

1969

Certain Albemarle Paper assets are sold to a group of employees, who formed James River Corp. Bromine operations began in Magnolia, Arkansas.

1962

Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company borrowed $200 million and purchased Ethyl Corporation (Delaware), a corporation 13 times its size, and Ethyl Corporation (Virginia) is formed.

1900-1950s

1953

Ethyl acquired an Orangeburg, South Carolina specialty chemical plant from Wannamaker Chemical Company.

1942

Ethyl Gasoline Corporation changed its name to Ethyl Corporation to characterize a broader interest than just gasoline products. Ethyl opened a plant in Pasadena, Texas in 1952.

1937

TEL production began in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for Ethyl Gasoline Corporation.

1921

The antiknock properties of tetraethyl lead (TEL) as a gasoline additive are discovered after a lengthy search by a team of General Motors research chemists. TEL is to be the principal product of Ethyl Corporation for more than 40 years.

1800s

1887

Albemarle Paper Manufacturing Company opened with a handful of employees producing Kraft and blotting paper.

Lithium Salts in Organic Solvents