History

Major cathode material producer Pulead (China) and phosphate leader Prayon (Belgium) have entered into an agreement to form a joint venture for the manufacture and sale of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) under licence from LiFePO4+C Licensing LLC (*). The two companies have also agreed to cooperate closely on other LFP-related raw material supply matters.

Materials technology leader Umicore is joining forces with phosphate producer Prayon to develop and produce phosphate-based cathode materials for use in lithium-ion (Li-ion) rechargeable batteries. The collaboration will be in the form of a joint venture, named beLife, which is set up on a 51% (Prayon): 49% (Umicore) ownership basis.

PRAY-LION founded, a subsidiary specialising in the development of lithium iron phosphate for electric vehicle batteries.

Majority stake acquired in THT, a Belgian company specialising in the development and production of lactic ferments for use in human probiotics, specifically as food supplements. New sulphuric acid production unit launched on the Engis site.

Cooperation agreement with ALMIN allowing Prayon to expand its product range, particularly in the field of refractory.

Sales office opened in India.

Sales office opened in China.

Europhos is incorporated into Prayon S.A. The Europhos brand name is retained as a recognized symbol of high-quality products acknowledged by our customers.

Our zinc and sulfur activities are transferred to our subsidiary

Silox, making it a global group with plants in Europe, India and Canada.

Prayon Inc. is established and acquires phosphate salt production units in Augusta (Georgia, USA).

We acquire all of the shares in Europhos.

In partnership with our shareholder OCP (Office Chérifien des Phosphates), the world's leading producer of phosphoric acid and also holder of the world’s largest reserves of phosphate ore, we establish Emaphos (Morocco), a company specializing in the purification of phosphoric acid.

We help to create Europhos, a company whose production unit in France (Les Roches de Condrieu, Lyon) becomes the Prayon Group's third production centre in Europe after Engis and Puurs.

Founding of Silox, a company manufacturing active zinc oxides.

Production activities at the Puurs and Engis sites are merged and the Prayon-Rupel Chemical Company (Prayon for short) is created. Prayon is our parent company and is based in Engis. Main areas of activity: phosphate chemicals (phosphoric acid and derived salts) and specialty inorganic chemicals (zinc oxide, sodium hydrosulfite, fluorine salts and anticorrosion pigments).

Prayon creates a new Research and Development Division.

The methods for manufacturing commercial-grade gypsums (a by-product of phosphoric acid manufacture) have now been fully developed at both Engis and Puurs.

A new phosphate-based activity is started at Puurs. The plant sources phosphate from Morocco.

A 25 T/day diammonium phosphate manufacturing facility is launched, with prospective outlets outside the fertilizer sector.

Turning point in fertilizer and phosphoric acid production. A new granulation facility enables the company to increase its product range, which now includes all forms of powdered and granular superphosphates in various concentrations.

Agreement with Atlantic Refining Co. to produce "MIR", a very popular detergent in Belgium, at Engis. This requires the use of concentrated sulfuric acid, of which Prayon is a major producer.

First industrial activities at the Puurs production site (near Antwerp, Belgium).

First sulfuric-acid production unit using the lead-chamber process.

Formation on 15 May 1882 of Société Anonyme Métallurgique de Prayon (at Engis, near Liège, Belgium), the largest zinc producer in Belgium. 200 employees.