Huber Engineered Materials (HEM) acquires Natural Resources USA Corporation and its subsidiaries, including Natural Soda LLC (Natural Soda), from Rincon.
Rincon is owned by funds managed by the private equity group Sentient Equity Partners and Huber Engineered Materials is a company in the J.M. Huber Corporation (Huber) portfolio.
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Natural Soda, based in Rifle, Colorado, is a key producer of sodium bicarbonate, also known as baking soda. They serve diverse industries, including food (primarily baked goods), personal care, animal nutrition, and industrial applications.
Acquisition Advances Specialty Minerals Platform
The Natural Soda business will become part of HEM’s strategic business unit formerly known as Ground Calcium Carbonate, which as of January 1 was renamed Huber Specialty Minerals (HSM). This acquisition advances HEM’s strategy to develop HSM as a specialty minerals platform.
Natural Soda’s products are complementary to HEM’s diversified portfolio of specialty engineered materials, which includes the production of calcium carbonate products that are used in a variety of health and nutrition applications, as well as construction applications, including joint compound, caulking, paints, grouts, mortars, PVC piping and concrete.
Closed-Loop System to Minimize Water Waste
Natural Soda’s operations also align well with Huber and HEM’s overall sustainability goals. They utilize solution mining, where hot water is used to dissolve and extract nahcolite—a soft, colorless white carbonate mineral—as the feedstock for sodium bicarbonate production.
They have a “closed-loop” water usage system that minimizes water waste, and the process design recovers heat. Their non-blast mining operation minimizes dust and reduces the direct impact of the mine on the surrounding area. The plant is in close proximity to the source of the nahcolite, minimizing production costs.
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Natural Soda further grows our existing specialty materials and minerals platform,” said Dan Krawczyk, president of Huber Engineered Materials. “
Natural Soda will further diversify our products, end-markets and customers, making them a perfect fit for HEM.”
Source: Huber Engineered Materials