Albemarle Corp. investing up to $540 million in Magnolia facilities

Specialty chemical maker Albemarle Corp. said Wednesday (Nov. 9) it planned to invest up to $540 million to expand and modernize two bromine facilities in Magnolia.

The company said the expansion would meet the growing demand for fire safety and specialty products in several industries, including technology, safety, transportation, and green energy. The planned investments have begun and will continue through 2027.

“We have a long, rich history of operations in Columbia County with a strong commitment to both the community and the economy in the region,” said Netha Johnson, Albemarle’s president of Bromine. “The facility investments, along with the jobs and the economic stability they bring, reaffirm our dedication to the area and to meeting our customers’ needs as we work together to build the technologies of the future for a safer, greener world.”

The two facility projects are expected to create 250 construction jobs utilizing local companies and workers, as well as an approximately 15% increase in total jobs at the two facilities with an average annual salary of $100,000.

As the largest corporate employer in Columbia County, Albemarle’s two facilities in Magnolia currently employ more than 400 Albemarle employees and 200 contractors.

“I am excited about the investment that Albemarle is bringing to south Arkansas,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “They have been a strong business partner in Magnolia for decades, and they also have a history of giving back to the community by working to provide environmentally friendly solutions for the area’s wildlife and supporting educational opportunities for students. The jobs being created through this expansion are good, high-paying jobs that will positively impact the families of these new employees.”

Albemarle produces several high-demand bromine and derivative products at the site used in fire safety, chemical synthesis, oil and gas well drilling and completion fluids, mercury control, paper manufacturing, water purification, beef and poultry processing, and various other industrial applications.