Omya completes revitalization of specialty fertilizer granulation plant serving Midwest farmers

Worldwide mineral processing company, Omya announced it has finished Phase 1 of revitalizing its agricultural minerals facility in eastern Kansas, anchoring its plan to expand its offerings in the Midwest region. With this completed renovation, Omya has built a foundation for its long-term plan to offer superior granulated fertilizer products to Midwest and Great Plains farmers while expanding to serve customers in markets such as row and specialty crops, turfgrass and the home retail industry.

With the modernization of its Midwest granulation facility, Omya is prepared to expand to serve new U.S. markets. The renovated plant also offers a new level of product quality and service to the Midwest agricultural sector.

Omya is a global leader in essential minerals and specialty chemical distribution. The company acquired the Wathena plant (Omya Kansas) in 2022 with plans to revitalize it to bring the facility up to Omya's high global standards for producing specialty fertilizer products made from limestone, gypsum and dolomitic lime.

Facility upgrades include:

• New quality control laboratory space

• New dust removal equipment

• New feed controls

• New screens for controlling granulated product size

• Completely refurbished roller mills

• New HVAC system for operations control rooms

• Completely refurbished pin mixers

• New mobile vacuum trailer for easier heavy-duty cleanup

• New site signage for safety and wayfinding

• Refurbished break and locker rooms

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," he said.

"Omya Kansas is now positioned to provide excellent soil health and nutrient management options to growers across the region for years to come," Bergset continued. "Making it a more comfortable and high-performing workplace is a key part of providing industry-leading products and customer service. That commitment is why the company invested in employee-centered upgrades like a new air conditioning and heating system for the control room operators, renovating common areas and buying a mobile industrial vacuum trailer to make big cleanups less labor-intensive. Along with adding shifts and expanding opportunities for training and advancement, the physical plant upgrades are helping us become a growing source of good jobs in the community," he said.

With this first phase of the renovation completed, Omya Kansas is planning additional upgrades to the facility beginning in 2025 as the company continues its Midwest expansion. "This project's successful completion is something to celebrate. But we have more improvements slated for next year, so the plant's future is bright and full of good work," said Bergset.