November 12, 2018
Ciner Resources Corporation (“Ciner Resources”) provided notification on November 9, 2018, that it has exercised its right to withdraw from American Natural Soda Ash Corp. (“ANSAC”). Ciner Resources will exit effective December 31, 2021, with an option to exit effective December 31, 2020, if it is able to complete certain operational initiatives and provides notice to that effect by the end of 2018.
Until the exit date, Ciner Resources will continue to fulfill all of its ANSAC membership supply commitments and meet all membership obligations, including the requirement that Ciner Resources and all of its worldwide affiliated entities must utilize ANSAC as the exclusive export sales outlet, and sole marketing and logistics provider, for all of Ciner Resources’ U.S.-produced soda ash sold to all territories serviced by ANSAC.
Following its exit from ANSAC, Ciner will assume direct responsibility for its U.S. export sales, marketing and logistics requirements, as it will no longer have access to ANSAC’s load port capabilities, operational infrastructure or logistics provider relationships. However, Ciner Resources will continue to have responsibility for certain ongoing contractual sales and supply commitments made during its ANSAC membership.
Since its 1984 inception as a joint venture export cooperative, ANSAC’s mission has been to provide its customers with the highest quality natural soda ash, delivered to their worldwide facilities with the most reliable service. The employees of ANSAC, its member companies, global supply chain partners and logistics providers are dedicated to ensuring product purity, logistics efficiency, supply chain optimization and continuous improvement.
“Throughout its 34 years, ANSAC’s customers and its member companies, including Ciner, have directly benefited from the significant economies of scale and accretive efficiency gains of the ANSAC business model, allowing ANSAC to achieve record sales in each of its past five years, with 2018 sales projected to be the highest in ANSAC’s history,” said Chris Douville, President of ANSAC.
ANSAC’s other members, Genesis Alkali Wyoming L.P. and Tata Chemicals (Soda Ash) Partners, have indicated their ongoing commitment to ANSAC’s business model.
“ANSAC’s members remain fully committed to ANSAC and its business model, as ANSAC enables us to provide overseas customers with the highest quality product through the most reliable and efficient global supply chain,” said Edward Flynn, Chairman of the Board of Directors of ANSAC and President of Genesis Alkali.
About ANSAC
Established in 1984, ANSAC operates as the sales, marketing and logistics arm for leading producers of natural soda ash in the United States. In 2018, ANSAC will export approximately 4.4 million metric tons of high quality, environmentally friendlier natural soda ash, making ANSAC the largest soda ash exporter in the world. This provides ANSAC’s customers with the ability to reliably produce superior products in end use industries such as glass, detergent, chemicals, water treatment and lithium batteries.