Kemira expands water treatment offer

Kemira has signed a definitive agreement to purchase Norit’s UK reactivation business from Purton Carbons, taking it into the activated carbon market for micropollutants removal. The deal is expected to close in Q3. Nine employees will transfer. The agreement includes the reactivation facility in Purton, UK, where spent granular or pelletised activated carbons are made ready for potable water and food-related applications (green reactivation) and others (amber reactivation).

Activated carbon is the most commonly used technology to remove odour and taste in drinking water, as well as micropollutants like PFAS in water treatment applications. Demand for this is expected to grow due to growing concern about consumer health and environmental safety, and recent EU regulatory updates requiring the removal of PFAS and micropollutants.

Separately, Kemira is expanding ferric chloride capacity in Tarragona, Spain, mainly for the production biogas digestion product for which demand is growing rapidly. Ferric chloride is also the most commonly used coagulant for phosphorus reduction in wastewater treatment. The company said that the total investment is in the mid-single digit millions and the capacity is planned to be in operation during 2026.