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Cronus officials say fertilizer plant in Tuscola still a go

The long-delayed construction of the Cronus Fertilizers plant in rural Tuscola is now on track to begin in the first half of next year, a Cronus spokesman told News-Gazette Media.

The project now also has an updated, and a bit longer, construction timeline of 45 months. Depending on when next year the work starts, that would push completion to 2022 or 2023. The company had expected to begin construction this year when it announced in August 2017 that it had signed a contract with Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions to serve as its new engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the Tuscola plant.

It took a year to work out details with TKIS, according to Cronus spokesman Peter Gray. The company considers it a significant step forward to have the contract in place, he said.

"We are proud to reach this important milestone in realizing our vision for a state-of-the-art fertilizer facility that will provide major benefits for the entire region," said Erzin Atac, CEO of Cronus Chemicals. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with TKIS and community leaders as the project moves toward construction."

The agreement with TKIS included a firm price to build the plant, Gray said, but that price isn't being disclosed. The most recent estimated project cost is $1.7 billion, he said.

The Cronus plant, to be built on 235 acres two miles west of Tuscola along U.S. 36, will have the ability to produce 2,300 metric tons of ammonia per day, Gray said. The project is expected to supply about 2,000 construction jobs.

This month marks four years since then-Gov. Pat Quinn and other state and local leaders gathered outside Tuscola for the announcement that Cronus would build its fertilizer plant there, with construction to begin in 2016.

Republican State Senator Chapin Rose of Mahomet says while there is more work ahead, this is a major step forward, especially after Cronus lost its original contractor.

Tuscola Economic Development Executive Director Brian Moody says Cronus has remained committed to the project during the last four years.

The long-delayed construction of the Cronus Fertilizers plant in rural Tuscola is now on track to begin in the first half of next year, a Cronus spokesman told News-Gazette Media.

The project now also has an updated, and a bit longer, construction timeline of 45 months. Depending on when next year the work starts, that would push completion to 2022 or 2023.

The company had expected to begin construction this year when it announced in August 2017 that it had signed a contract with Thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions to serve as its new engineering, procurement and construction contractor for the Tuscola plant.

It took a year to work out details with TKIS, according to Cronus spokesman Peter Gray.

The company considers it a significant step forward to have the contract in place, he said.

"We are proud to reach this important milestone in realizing our vision for a state-of-the-art fertilizer facility that will provide major benefits for the entire region," said Erzin Atac, CEO of Cronus Chemicals. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with TKIS and community leaders as the project moves toward construction."

The agreement with TKIS included a firm price to build the plant, Gray said, but that price isn't being disclosed.

The most recent estimated project cost is $1.7 billion, he said.

The Cronus plant, to be built on 235 acres two miles west of Tuscola along U.S. 36, will have the ability to produce 2,300 metric tons of ammonia per day, Gray said. The project is expected to supply about 2,000 construction jobs.

This month marks four years since then-Gov. Pat Quinn and other state and local leaders gathered outside Tuscola for the announcement that Cronus would build its fertilizer plant there, with construction to begin in 2016.

Tuscola Economic Development Executive Director Brian Moody says Cronus has remained committed to the project during the last four years.

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Cronus officials say fertilizer plant in Tuscola still a go

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