Albemarle’s Roots Run Deep in Magnolia, Arkansas 

Oct. 30, 2024

Albemarle’s Magnolia, Arkansas, manufacturing plants are two of the world’s largest suppliers of bromine and bromine chemicals. The plants produce ingredients used in the manufacturing of a wide range of products, including flame retardants, inorganic bromides and products for agricultural use. 

Magnolia’s history reaches back to 1853, when the town was founded as an agricultural community focused on cotton. Oil was discovered east of Magnolia in 1938, and the Magnolia Oil Field became the largest producing field by volume during the early years of World War II.  

The Smackover Formation is a petroleum reservoir and brine-rich mineral resource located about two miles below the surface of Magnolia and the surrounding area. Early oil drillers found the brine to be a nuisance, but within a few decades, they realized the brine could be much more.  

Albemarle’s history took root about that time, with the first bromine operations opening in Magnolia in the late 1960s. About 600 employees and contractors work at the two plants, where we also are developing direct lithium extraction technology for testing

Our investment and job creation in Magnolia is centered on the rich brine in the Smackover Formation, the United States’ only current domestic source of commercial bromine. Operations started with a brine field and extraction plant featuring a pair of granite bromine extraction columns, which were state-of-the-art and the only suitable material in use at that time. The bromine produced in those columns went primarily to a single product. 

Today, those granite columns have given way to more modern materials, and the plant manufactures more than 30 products used in a wide variety of mobility, energy, connectivity and health applications. Some of the granite from those original towers was used to form the foundation for our welcome sign at the plant to remind us of our deep history in Magnolia and the countless innovations that have taken place since our beginning.  

Our portfolio includes bromine-based fire safety products, used in molded plastic parts, wire and cable insulation, textile coatings and circuit boards. Research consistently shows that these products save lives by reducing the incidence of fires and increasing escape time in the event of fire.    

The bromine extracted from south Arkansas is also used in a wide variety of applications outside of fire safety, such as improved elastomers for fuel-efficient tires, biocides for water treatment and food safety, high-end semiconductors, pharmaceuticals, and drilling and completion fluids for the petroleum industry.   

Our commitment to the shared success of the region is apparent in our investment in local K-12 schools, local community colleges and institutions of higher learning, such as Southern Arkansas University (SAU). Albemarle employees host plant tours, conduct seminars and sponsor senior engineering projects for the university, and we recruit students and graduates for internships and post-graduation employment opportunities. Several employees serve as adjunct professors at SAU, a testament to the strong partnership between Albemarle and SAU. 

We also volunteer at Magnolia’s World Championship Steak Cook-Off™ during the annual Magnolia Blossom Festival™, where music is performed on the Albemarle stage. Over the past five years, the Albemarle Foundation has donated more than $2 million to nonprofits organizations in Magnolia, including literacy initiatives, performing arts programs and youth activities, and programs that support local first responders. 

Safety and sustainability have long been guiding values at Albemarle. Employees attend our operator training school, and Magnolia has held Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs Star certification for nearly 20 years. The site’s safety excellence teams regularly conduct drills and provide mutual aid for Columbia County. Our process safety is guided by Albemarle and OSHA Process Safety Management.  

Our team also conducts research and development for emissions and water use reduction projects. The Magnolia plant continues to lower its greenhouse gas emissions by investing in improved control programs and more efficient brine supply wells. Magnolia’s two productions sites use artificial marsh water recovery programs, which meet the needs of numerous wildlife species and provide an economic and environmentally friendly solution for industrial water treatment. In 2006, the plant was Albemarle's first site to achieve a Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification. The site is also home to the area's first industrial wetland mitigation bank, which promotes sustainable growth in hydric areas. 

Albemarle’s Magnolia operations have changed dramatically since we built our first granite towers, and we continue to grow. In November 2022, we announced planned investments of up to $540 million to expand and modernize our facilities, reflecting the value and importance we place on Magnolia and the community. The expansion plans include brine field piping upgrades, facility improvements, new construction and upgrades to controls and automation.  

Albemarle celebrates more than 55 years of continuous operations in Magnolia thanks to our strong partnerships throughout southern Arkansas. Our long and exciting history has laid a strong foundation for the future of our U.S. bromine business.