Prayon inaugurates its new SHMP production unit in Engis
Prayon inaugurates its new SHMP production unit in Engis, a major investment that strengthens its position in the food and technical phosphates market
On November 27, 2025, Prayon, a global player in phosphorus chemistry, inaugurated its new sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) production unit in Engis, in the presence of Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium, Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of the Walloon Government, and Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Walloon Minister for the Economy and Employment. The inauguration also marked the first anniversary of Prayon HUB, the new corporate administrative building housing the Group’s global services.
This major investment of over 30 million euros marks a new stage in the Group’s industrial development and consolidates its position in the phosphate market for food and technical applications.
With a capacity of 10,000 tons/year, this installation, which complements the existing unit at the Group’s Les Roches-de-Condrieu site in France, will double SHMP’s production. “In a European environment with high energy and labor costs, we can’t be a cost leader. With this new unit, we are strengthening our reliability for our customers and continuing our growth strategy in high value-added specialty phosphates. This objective is fully in line with our Solution Provider approach, which is centered on our customers, offering them not only greater reliability but also solutions that meet their needs for their specific applications.”, says CEO Geoffrey Close.
More than 100 people were involved in the construction of the new plant, which will strengthen the employment base at the Engis site. For Adrien Dolimont, Minister-President of the Walloon Government: “This investment illustrates Prayon’s driving role in our Walloon economic fabric, and demonstrates the importance of creating positive business conditions to maintain a sustainable industry in Wallonia, attract new industrial investment and contribute to the prosperity of our Region“.
“Excellent news to see Prayon strengthen its foothold in Wallonia. This industrial flagship represents 1,500 jobs worldwide, more than half of them in our region. We must continue to proactively support ambitious projects. With Wallonie Entreprendre, our strategic partner and 50% shareholder, we are proving that together, public authorities and companies can facilitate and accelerate investment, and seize opportunities to prepare for the future”, says Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Vice-President and Minister for the Economy, Industry, Digital, Employment and Training.
The plant also stands out for its environmentally friendly design, with, for example, a closed-loop water circuit that guarantees zero discharge of process water. By investing in this state-of-the-art facility, Prayon is reaffirming its commitment to combining industrial performance, excellence in customer service and environmental responsibility, and consolidating its role as a global benchmark in phosphorus chemistry.
To mark the inauguration, Prayon also unveiled a historical book retracing over 200 years of history through a series of illustrations by artist David Merveille.
Prayon also welcomed other distinguished guests: Mohammed Ameur, Ambassador of Morocco, Bill White, Ambassador of the United States, Hervé Jamar, Governor of the Province of Liège, Marc Voué, Mayor of Engis, Sophie Thémont, Mayor of Flémalle, Francis Dejon, Mayor of St-Georges-Sur-Meuse.