Ambitious ingredients company CP Kelco will up funding in the Far East in a bid to reinforce its growing carrageenan business.
The company recently approved a capital investment - for completion by the second quarter of 2004 - that enables expanded finished product blending in its Cebu, Philippines plant.
"We are taking steps to organise our supply chain in a way that creates added flexibility in our operations and, therefore, creates tremendous benefits for our customers on a global basis," said Didier Viala, business director, carrageenan.
According to Viala, the potential benefits to customers in AsiaPacific are reduced lead times and lower transportation and dutycosts. And for all CP Kelco customers, the expanded capabilities in Cebu will provide an alternative location for finished productsourcing as well as increased production capacity for a wide range of refined gel-press carrageenan and semi-refined carrageenan lines.
"In Cebu, this investment is a key step towards having more customer-ready products locally in the AsiaPacific region. In Skensved, Denmark, moving some of the finished carrageenan production to Cebu opens the door for us to develop additional specialised and value-added blends," added Viala.