FMC - Extraction of High Value Ingredients from Macroalgae

Industry With a Long History in Norway

1939 AS Spesialimpregnering starts in Drammen. Production of life vests, then other products like alginate. Seaweed from Drammensfjorden and Oslofjorden

1959 AS Protan acquire the textile plant Vormedal Fabrikker in Karmøy kommune

1961 Production of alginate starts in Vormedal

1964 Mechanical harvesting of seaweed starts, without cutting from 1972

1980 Norsk Hydro AS acquires Protan Biopolymer AS

1996 Pronova Biomedical (NovaMatrix) is established

1996 Algea splits out from Pronova

1999 FMC Corporation acquires Pronova Biopolymer AS

2008 FMC Corporation acquires ISP Alginates in Girvan, Scotland

2012 Investing 70+MNOK to expand one production line in Vormedal

2013 FMC Health and Nutrition acquires EPAX in Ålesund – manufacturer of Omega3 fish oil (1.8 BNOK)

2014 FMC announces plans to invest 500MNOK in the Vormedal plant over the next years