In the Flemish market town of Tienen, Citribel’s fermentation vats have produced citric acid for Europe’s food, pharmaceutical, and cleaning industries since 1929. Nearly 8,000km away in China’s eastern province of Shandong, a cluster of newer producers has turned the same commodity into a test of whether Europe can defend its industrial base. Citribel, built with Belgian know-how and Italian refinery expertise, faces an existential threat from subsidized Chinese competition, driving prices below sustainable levels. Chief executive Joris Merckx expressed concern over the survival of the company due to continuous losses over the past three years. The European bulk chemical…
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