JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (Nov. 12, 2024) – An international supplier of specialized minerals will develop its first U.S. facility at Ports of Indiana-Jeffersonville to supply Midwest manufacturers with greener mineral additives. Lumina Sustainable Materials will invest $14.3 million initially at the Jeffersonville port to establish a multimineral processing facility, logistics base, and test laboratory to serve the rapidly growing polymers, electronic glass, coatings, aerospace, building and construction markets. The new operation, located at 1302 Port Road, aims to add 50 full-time jobs by 2027 with an average wage of $35 per hour.
“The total value package offered by Ports of Indiana and the State of Indiana is unmatched,” said Lumina Sustainable Materials CEO Brian Hanrahan. “The ability to ship by barge into the Midwest, to leverage logistics facilities and services, and to partner with the port on future expansions and container exports makes Jeffersonville a perfect place for our U.S. processing and research facility. We mapped our target customers for the polymers, coatings, and construction industries, and Jeffersonville is in the center of it all.”
Lumina sources minerals from around the world and works with Purdue University, NASA and NASA subcontractors to develop innovative mineral-based products, improve lunar simulants, and research projects involving space travel. The company will remodel an existing building at the Jeffersonville port that has been vacant for more than 10 years and partner with Ports of Indiana to develop a shared laboratory facility for research and educational use by community partners and schools.
“We’re thrilled our Jeffersonville port can serve as a launch pad for Lumina’s first U.S. facility,” said Ports of Indiana CEO Jody Peacock. “This innovative company did extensive research to find the ideal U.S. location and logistics network to support its global supply chain. We’re excited to partner with Lumina to grow business and develop processing and laboratory facilities to create innovative products and drive further research and education in our community.”
The Jeffersonville facility will use the port’s barge and rail connections and serve as Lumina’s processing and logistics hub for the Western Hemisphere. In addition to mineral processing, the site will manufacture advanced polymer additives, including concentrates of novel flame retardants, performance modifiers, and lightweight mineral fillers.
“Lumina’s decision to establish its first U.S. facility in Jeffersonville speaks volumes about our city’s appeal as a center for innovation and growth,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. “This investment brings exciting opportunities for new high-wage jobs and strengthens our position as a logistics and research hub for advanced industries. We’re proud to welcome Lumina to Jeffersonville and look forward to partnering with them as they bring economic and environmental value to our community and around the world.”
Funded by investors in Canada and Switzerland, Lumina primarily processes anorthosite, a silicate mineral, replacing less environmentally friendly raw materials to produce electronic glass, plastics, paint and fiberglass. The product comes from the White Mountain Mine in western Greenland, which has the largest anorthosite deposit on earth. The only larger deposit is on the moon. Anorthosite will be shipped from Greenland to New Orleans by ocean vessel, then transloaded to barge for transport to Jeffersonville.
“International companies like Lumina continue to choose Indiana for U.S.-based growth thanks to our pro-growth business environment and skilled talent pipeline,” said Ann Lathrop, chief strategy officer at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). “We are excited to welcome Lumina to our ecosystem of innovators statewide that is developing new solutions and creating new products to advance the future economy.”
Based on the company’s job creation plans, IEDC committed an investment in Lumina of up to $725,000 in the form of incentive-based tax credits. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired.
Lumina works with allied mineral suppliers worldwide, sourcing pyrophyllite from Canada, barium sulfate from Morocco, bauxite from Guyana, and graphite from Greenland. It is also developing the first vertically integrated manufacturing operations for producing battery anodes from mine to finished active anode material.
“Considering Lumina could have located anywhere in the Western Hemisphere, we’re extremely honored the company picked our Jeffersonville port,” said Lance Allison, president and CEO of One Southern Indiana. “It’s gratifying for our regional economic development team to partner with a forward-looking company like Lumina that is committed to providing economic and environmental value to our region.”
About Lumina Sustainable Materials: Lumina is an innovative material science company tackling today’s most pressing manufacturing challenges with industry-leading sustainability. With customers worldwide, Lumina is developing infrastructure for growth in North America and Europe while exploring additional materials and technologies to create sustainable solutions for critical markets. Lumina is a privately owned business that ships minerals such as anorthosite from Greenland to customers on three continents and develops high-impact products that extend beyond industrial minerals through custom chemistry and processing solutions.
About Ports of Indiana: Ports of Indiana is a statewide port authority operating three ports on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Established in 1961, it is dedicated to growing Indiana’s economy by developing and maintaining a world-class port system and serving as a statewide resource for maritime issues, international trade, and multimodal logistics.
About One Southern Indiana: One Southern Indiana (1si) was formed in July 2006 as the economic development organization and chamber of commerce serving Clark and Floyd counties. 1si’s mission is to help businesses innovate and thrive in the Southern Indiana / Louisville metro area through the three pillars of Business Resources, Economic Development, and Advocacy.
Information: www.luminamaterials.com, www.portsofindiana.com, www.1si.org
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