Jungbunzlauer is a leading producer of high-quality, sustainable ingredients from natural sources, serving industries from food and beverage, nutrition, health, and home and personal care.
Founded over 150 years ago, with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, and state-of-the-art facilities including large-scale fermentation operations in Europe and North America, the company offers a diverse portfolio of texturants, acidulants, minerals and tailored solutions in over 130 countries worldwide.
Since 1999, Ausenco has been working collaboratively with Jungbunzlauer at their Port Colborne facility in Canada which produces citric acid. The facility is now expanding production to include xanthan gum, a biogum commonly used as a thickener or stabilizer across a number of products and industries.
The challenge
Designing and planning for an expansion to an existing operating site, and having to incorporate various building types, production equipment, utilities and site services is a complex process.
For the xanthan gum plant expansion, our team of experts are providing detailed design services in close collaboration with the Jungbunzlauer team. The design scope will include the main fermentation and purification production building; the milling, mixing and blending buildings; chiller plant, compressor plant, motor control center rooms, labs, offices and storage warehouse.
The better way
Our team has extensive experience at the Port Colborne facility, having provided services for the original 2002 citric acid plant facility and several subsequent process area expansions, including fermentation and purification buildings, a storage warehouse, boiler house, piperacks, maintenance building and offices. We also completed the detailed design of the latest citric acid plant expansion in 2019 and are working on additions to the original purification, evaporator and warehouse buildings.
Utilising our knowledge of the existing site and operations, our experts work closely with an Austrian process team to determine efficient use of the production space and equipment access. By using structural 3D modelling and NavisWorks software, we ensure a completely integrated final product. With careful planning for further expansion in mind throughout the design process, we will minimise future disruptions to production.
Read more about the new facility here: Investment in Canada - Jungbunzlauer
Outcomes and achievements
Our extensive experience, deep understanding of the client’s needs, and collaborative work approach has resulted in a trusted partnership with the client.
Phase one of the expansion is anticipated to be operational from Spring 2026. Our specialists are ready to support the next stages of this project, continuing our 25-year successful collaboration with Jungbunzlauer.