06.01.03
Rhodia, Inc.: Growing The Calcium Phosphate Market
Rhodia, Inc., Cranbury, NJ, is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, providing a wide range of products and services to the consumer care, food, industrial care, pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, automotive, electronics and fibers markets.
Established in 1998, Rhodia was formerly the specialty chemical operations of Rhone-Poulenc, which was dissolved after its pharmaceutical and agrochemical operations were merged with those of Hoechst to form Aventis. Rhodia retained the nutritional and pharmaceutical ingredients portfolio of Rhone-Poulenc whose products and services are now part of Rhodia’s Pharma Solutions enterprise.
Rhodia primarily supplies calcium phosphates and probiotics to the nutraceuticals industry. The company’s product portfolio includes Di-Tab® dicalcium dihydrate granular for multiple applications, A-Tab® dicalcium anhydrous granular for small tablets; Tri-Tab® tricalcium anhydrous granular for products where high calcium content is desired; Calipharm dicalcium dihydrate powder for nutritional drinks, vitamin premixes and triturations; Calipharm dicalcium anhydrous powder for chewable multivitamins and vitamin premixes; Calipharm tricalcium anhydrous powder for calcium and phosphorus fortifications and Flora-Fit® probiotics for dietary supplements and functional foods.
Rhodia’s calcium phosphates have been used by pharmaceutical companies as an excipient due to their positive characteristics, including good compressibility, wide compatibility, stability and white color, according to Nick Green, president. In addition, “As an active ingredient in calcium supplements, multivitamins, nutritional drinks and bars, vitamin premixes and functional foods, calcium phosphates have also been found to offer unique advantages,” he said. For instance, “High potency elemental calcium is deliverable at dosage levels comparable to calcium carbonate and at higher levels than calcium citrate. Furthermore, its bioavailability is equivalent to milk and there are no side effects of gas or constipation. In addition, it has low lead levels (typically at or below 0.15 ppm).”
Recent events at the company include the creation of the Rhodia Pharma Solutions enterprise in January 2003, which brings together all of Rhodia’s businesses serving the pharmaceutical industry, including custom development services, intermediate products, industrialization and exclusive manufacturing services and analgesics, nutritional supplements and excipient products. Mr. Green was appointed president of Rhodia Pharma Solutions in February, shortly after the company announced that pharmaceuticals would be one of its eight major markets.
Offering his opinion on the state of industry, Mr. Green commented, “The nutraceutical industry is healthy. Although its growth in recent years has slowed, it still outpaces the growth of almost all specialty chemicals markets. Demand for dietary supplements remains strong, as does interest in new and re-formulated products.”
As for Rhodia’s future, Mr. Green said Rhodia’s ongoing research will help ensure that its products will meet the needs of the world’s evolving health and nutrition demands. “In addition to our internal research facilities, Rhodia maintains active academic research partnerships, such as the Osteoporosis Research Center of Creighton University, to continually support customers with the products and services needed to provide high performance nutritional supplements,” he said.—T.W.
Rhodia, Inc.
CN 7500, Prospect Plains Road
Cranbury, NJ 08512
Telephone: 800-776-7337; 609-860-3666
Fax: 609-860-0129
E-mail: amy.schwartz@us.rhodia.com
Website: www.rhodia-pharma ingredients.com