Penrice Soda Products
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Chemical manufacturing |
| Founded | 1935 |
| Founder | ICI Australia |
| Defunct | August 2014 |
| Headquarters | Adelaide , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
| Products | Soda ash, limestone, marble |
| Parent | ICI Australia (founder) |
Penrice Soda Products was an enterprise established in 1935 in South Australia. It was publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange and derived its name from the quarry situated near Penrice, South Australia. The company ceased operations at its soda ash manufacturing plant located in Osborne and entered into liquidation proceedings in August 2014.
History
Founded by ICI Australia in 1935, Penrice Soda Products took ownership of the Dry Creek Saltfields and the Osborne soda ash facility from ICI in 1989. The salt fields were divested to Ridley Corporation in 2005. That same year, Penrice Soda Products was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange, before ultimately entering liquidation in August 2014.
Operations
In addition to managing a significant limestone and marble quarry near Angaston, Penrice operated Australia's sole soda ash production site, positioned on the Port River within the north-western suburb of Osborne in Adelaide.
On 24 June 2014, the company announced the shutdown of its Osborne facility, followed by the sale of the Angaston quarry to Adelaide Brighton Cement in July 2014.
Transport
Penrice Soda Products was notable as the final South Australian firm utilizing the broad gauge rail system. Genesee & Wyoming Australia managed the Penrice Stone Train service, transporting materials from the Penrice Quarry along the Barossa Valley line to the soda ash plant at Osborne. Rail operations were discontinued in June 2014 after the factory closure.
Soda ash plant
The soda ash manufacturing site at Osborne utilized steam supplied by the Osborne Power Station, recognized as Australia's largest cogeneration installation.
Salt collected from St Kilda lagoons was transformed into saturated brine and piped beneath the Port River, while limestone extracted from the Angaston quarry was delivered via the Penrice Stone Train. These raw materials, combined with ammonia, were processed through the Solvay method to produce soda ash. The plant discharged by-products such as calcium chloride, ammonia, and insoluble solids known as "calsilt" into the Port River, requiring regular dredging to preserve navigable waterways.
See also
References
- Articles with short description
- Companies based in South Australia
- Companies formerly listed on the Australian Securities Exchange
- Non-renewable resource companies established in 1935
- Australian companies disestablished in 2014
- Chemical companies established in 1935
- Australian companies established in 1935