Eastman Chemical Co has broken ground on a choline chloride facility in Louisiana, USA.

Taminco Corporation and Balchem Corporation had originally planned a joint venture to build and operate the facility and market choline chloride produced at the site separately. Eastman, which bought Taminco in 2014, expects the manufacturing facility to be operational in late 2015.

Choline chloride is also used globally as a feed ingredient in animal nutrition for both pets and animal agriculture. Choline plays an essential role in fat metabolism, energy balance and reproduction, with proven effects in enhanced and accelerated growth during times of rapid development.