CHESTERLAND, Ohio, Oct. 17, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fairmount Santrol (NYSE:FMSA) today announced that it has received a favorable permit ruling that gives the Company the option to expand the sand mining, processing and coating capacity of its Wedron, Illinois, operation. The permit ruling from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency provides the Company with flexibility to expand the facility's current sand capacity from 4.4 million tons per year by up to an additional 3.5 million tons and also allows for increased coating capacity for its value-added products.
The Wedron facility is one of the Company's largest and most successful in terms of serving broad customer needs and bringing new products to market.
"This opportunity at our Wedron facility fits well with our growth strategy, which is focused on increasing sand capacity, developing industry-leading resin and coating technologies, expanding our logistics network, and continuing our commitment to sustainable development – all in a thoughtful and fully integrated manner," said Jenniffer Deckard, president and chief executive officer of Fairmount Santrol. "Securing the favorable permit ruling now gives us the flexibility to move quickly to increase capacity based on customer demand and also reinforces our long-standing commitment to the Wedron community."
About Fairmount Santrol
Fairmount Santrol is a leading provider of high-performance sand and sand-based products used by oil and gas exploration and production companies to enhance the productivity of their wells. The company also provides high-quality products, strong technical leadership and applications knowledge to end users in the foundry, building products, water filtration, glass, and sports and recreation markets. Its global logistics capabilities include a wide-ranging network of distribution terminals and thousands of rail cars that allow the company to effectively serve customers wherever they operate. As one of the nation's longest continuously operating mining organizations, Fairmount Santrol has developed a strong commitment to sustainable development, environmental stewardship, and operational safety. Correspondingly, the company's motto and action orientation is: "Do Good. Do Well." For more information, visit www.fairmountsantrol.com.