AMG Vanadium: An Ohio Success Story

AMG Vanadium is the only integrated vanadium producer in North America and is the world’s leading provider of resid spent catalyst recycling and metal reclamation services. Maintaining AMG Vanadium’s level of global leadership means having access to the best resources and partners available. Since 1952, AMG Vanadium had that access in Ohio, but the company’s success meant it needed to take the next step.

An Opportunity for Growth

To be able to respond to growing demand from the global refining and steel industries, one facility in Cambridge was not enough and the company had to expand quickly. AMG Vanadium sought to construct a roasting and ferroalloy production facility similar to its existing Cambridge facility.

AMG Vanadium considered locations in Canada, Germany and other states within the U.S., but hoped it could expand in Ohio. Ohio’s many state and local agencies operated at the pace of business and were highly collaborative in providing resources and support to enable AMG to expand here.

A Strategic Decision to Grow in Ohio

AMG Vanadium chose to build its second facility in Zanesville, near its existing facility in Cambridge. The proximity of the two plants will enable AMG Vanadium to capitalize on the synergies between the two facilities while continuing to tap into the talent and work ethic of southeast Ohio.

The expansion essentially doubles AMG Vanadium’s spent catalyst recycling capacity and ferroalloy production. AMG Vanadium’s second facility will create approximately 100 production and management jobs in addition to 500-600 temporary construction jobs.

Ohio’s Beneficial Business Climate

AMG Vanadium chose to grow in Ohio chiefly due to the state’s pro-business regulatory environment and business-friendly climate, which made it possible for the company to have greater efficiency and save cost during operations. Since the start of 2019, several leading business publications placed Ohio as a Top 10 state in a handful of categories, which reflects the state’s improvements in the last decade.

The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Air Quality Development Authority, Appalachian Partnership for Economic Growth, JobsOhio and Zanesville-Muskingum County Port Authority were business partners to AMG Vanadium throughout the process, providing substantive guidance during the expansion journey. From initial concept through land acquisition, these entities, along with other Ohio partners, were integral to the company’s success. Partnerships like this help companies interested in growing in Ohio achieve their goals.

“We are pleased to be essentially doubling our spent catalyst recycling capacity and ferroalloy production with the addition of our new Zanesville plant,” said Tom Centa, president of AMG Vanadium. AMG Vanadium’s expansion would not have been possible without the strong support and endorsement that we have received from our federal Congressional delegation, the state of Ohio, and our local Muskingum and Guernsey county teams. We look forward to further cementing our presence in southeastern Ohio.”

Construction on AMG Vanadium’s new plant began in Q3 2019 with completion of Phase I of the project expected by the end of 2020. Overall project completion is expected in 2021.