Lonza Celebrates 40 Years in the B3 Biz

BASEL, SwitzerlandLonza is celebrating its 40th year of niacin production by announcing its new vitamin B3 manufacturing facility is on scheduled to open in Nansha, China, during the fourth quarter of 2012. The new manufacturing plant will provide an additional 40 percent capacity equally 15,000 metric tons per year.

For more information on Lonzas new plant, read INSIDERs article on the companys original announcement.

Lonzas Niacin production first began in 1971 in Visp, Switzerland. To support ever-growing global demand and quality requirements, two niacinamide plants were subsequently constructed. In 1995, Lonza opened a facility in Guangzhou, China; while a second plant followed in 2003 in Nansha, China. Lonza said it currently supplies more than half the total vitamin B3 demand in the global feed and food industries.

Lonzas multi-site concept, know-how and experience, as well as exceptional quality, service and reliability have enabled us to become the leading partner to support the long-term growth for food formulators and end-use product manufacturers of human and animal nutrition products," said Roman Quinter, head of the nutrition business unit. As the global leader in vitamin B3 production, Lonza continues to lead the nutrition industry in product quality and innovation, supported by scientific research."

The significance of vitamin B3 in humans was established in the 1930s when scientists discovered that foods rich in this vitamin helped cure pellagra, a disease characterized by dermatitis, diarrhea and dementia. If left untreated, it eventually leads to death.  Once vitamin B3 supplementation was considered essential, vitamin B3 deficiency in developed countries has been nearly eradicated.  This was mostly attributed to its addition in enriched foods such as flour. Additionally, vitamin B3 in the form of niacin or niacinamide can be found in products such as functional foods and beverages, dietary supplements and pharmaceuticals. Additionally, niacin is known for its beneficial impact on the bodys lipid profile, specifically increasing the high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol," and lowering triglycerides.

Vitamin B3 can be found in all living cells, but it is not produced naturally in the body," said Kevin Owen, Ph.D., NAFTA head of technical marketing and scientific affairs at Lonza. It is therefore considered essential and must be supplied to the body through diet or direct supplementation. Therefore, niacin is a critical component of the global food and feed industries." 

In the feed industry, nutritionists agree that niacin supplementation is required in every swine and poultry diet to meet the bodys basal requirement. In 2010, it was estimated that more than 18 billion chickens and more than 950 million pigs received vitamin B3 supplements in their feed. Lonza has initiated a series of new research studies to further define the role that supplemental niacin plays in improving animal health, optimizing productivity and increasing economic return for the farmer.