Phosphate rock contains phosphorus, one of the three essential nutrients for plant development, which directly contributes to a wide range of physiological processes in a plant, such as the production of sugars (including starch), photosynthesis and energy transfer. Phosphorus strengthens plant stems, stimulates root development, promotes flower formation and accelerates crop development. Phosphate rock can be utilized to produce phosphoric acid and can be sold as a raw material to other fertilizer producers.
ICL benefits from a unique, integrated phosphate value chain from phosphate rock mines in the Negev Desert in Israel and in China, to value‑added downstream production facilities located in Israel, Europe, the US, Brazil, and China.
The Segment manufactures purified phosphoric acid by purifying green phosphoric acid. Purified phosphoric acid and green phosphoric acid are used to manufacture downstream products with high added value such as phosphate salts and acids for a wide range of food and industrial applications. Phosphate salts and acids are used in various industrial end markets such as oral care, cleaning products, paints and coatings, water treatment, asphalt modification, construction, metal treatment, energy storage solutions and others. The segment’s products for the food industry include functional food ingredients and phosphate additives which provide texture and stability solutions for processed meat, meat alternatives, poultry, seafood, dairy, beverage and baked goods.
In addition, the Segment supplies purified phosphoric acid to our Growing Solutions segment, provides innovative alternative protein solutions for meat substitute products, and also produces milk proteins and whey proteins for the food ingredients industry.
The Segment owns, develops and commercializes proprietary technologies that support the production of allergen-free plant-based structured protein systems, called ROVITARIS®, targeting the fast-growth plant-based meat alternative market.
In October 2022, ICL announced that it plans to build a lithium iron phosphate (“LFP”) cathode active material manufacturing plant in St. Louis, Missouri. This is expected to be the first large-scale LFP material manufacturing plant in the US. The Company was awarded a $197 million grant by way of a Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The plant is expected to be operational by 2024 and is expected to produce high-quality LFP material for the global battery industry using, primarily, a domestic supply chain.
