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Ground Broken For New Marshall County Petrochemical, Food Ingredient Plants

By SHELLEY HANSON 4 min read

MOUNDSVILLE - Ground was broken Friday for two separate manufacturing plants in Marshall County, which will have an anticipated economic impact of $150 million on the region.

India-based TCL Specialities, a subsidiary of Thirumalai Chemicals Limited of India, plans to construct one plant to produce food ingredients and a separate plant to make maleic anhydride, which is used in plastics or polymers.

The plants will be situated on about 20 acres of leased property owned by Covestro, which already operates a chemical plant in New Martinsville.

Prior to the groundbreaking, a luncheon was held at Grand Vue Park in Moundsville to formally announce the plans and to thank local, state and federal officials for all their help and work getting TCL to chose West Virginia.

TCL's chairman, Rangaswamy Parthasarathy, aka Mr. Sarathy, said his company began looking for a new place to open the plants across the world. However, after meeting with West Virginia development officials, legislators and others, they realized the site was the best place. Sarathy said he had been to other states in the United States in the past, but not West Virginia. And to sell to the U.S. market, they thought it best to also produce inside the U.S.

"We didn't know about 'Chemical Valley.' We didn't know about West Virginia and most of all we didn't know about West Virginians and what wonderful people they are," Sarathy said.

The site is located near natural gas liquids being produced in the region and is centrally located. For example, 70% of the market is located within 450 miles of the site. Ports are 350 miles from the site.

The state also offered incentives to move there. For example, TCL received a $15 million loan from the West Virginia Economic Development Authority to help finance equipment.

Sarathy said modular pieces of the plants are already being built in the United States, India and other countries and will be shipped to the site. Some construction will still take place at the site and is expected to begin with the next month. The plants are anticipated to be completed in late 2024.

About 200 construction jobs will be created and upon completion the plants will employ about 50 people. Sarathy said TCL will hire and train local people to run the plants, though at first a handful of technicians from India will be on site to train people.

Sarathy noted TCL takes safety seriously at its facilities.

The food ingredient plant is expected to produce about 30,000 tons of product (malic and fumaric acids) each year, and the petrochemical plant is anticipated to produce about 25,000 tons of chemicals (maleic anhydride from butane) each year. Sarathy noted there are plans to expand in the future during two additional phases of work.

Following the luncheon, Moundsville City Manager Rick Healy described the announcement as "huge" and a "great asset" for the city and Marshall County.

"Although the project is not actually inside Moundsville city limits, it will still have a positive impact on us. Construction jobs, permanent jobs, supplies, downstream businesses - all of these are positive impacts for our entire area," Healy said.

"To think that this company could locate anywhere they wanted, and they chose our area, is fantastic.

"It is a nod to the work force, and the hard work put in to this by (Regional Economic Development Partnership), the County Commission, and other agencies. We are sure glad to have them, and welcome them to the Moundsville area."

RED President and CEO Josh Jefferson said it was exciting day for everyone involved in helping bring TCL to the region.

"It's been an absolute effort to make this happen for everybody in the northern part of the state," Jefferson said following the groundbreaking. "Marshall County is very happy to have TCL here. We look forward to a lot of new job opportunities and sustaining a lot of existing opportunities."

Marshall County Commissioner Mike Ferro said TCL's petrochemical plant will be the first "downstream investment" in West Virginia.

"The hope is more and more companies will come and locate in Marshall County or the general area," Ferro said.

"What impressed me the most when talking to these folks is that they are going to hire local workers. ... Those are the folks who live in and around Marshall County.

"They send their kids to the schools. They're the ones who buy cars. They're the ones who support local businesses. That is of the utmost importance to me."

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