American Pacific Corporation Announces Production Expansion
CEDAR CITY, Utah – On April 15, 2025, the Board of Directors of American Pacific Corporation (AMPAC), a subsidiary of NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU), met and approved a capital investment of up to $100 million to expand its ammonium perchlorate production capabilities in support of growing solid rocket motor demand. This anticipated investment will allow AMPAC to construct an additional production line, increasing capacity by more than 50%. The increased capacity will allow AMPAC to meet the demand of U.S. military and space launch programs, while also addressing the needs of U.S. allies in these critical areas. The project remains subject to approval by NewMarket’s board of directors, and is currently scheduled to be completed during 2026.
Kris Griffith, President of AMPAC, said: “I am excited about this anticipated investment. Our customers are investing to increase solid rocket motor manufacturing capacity to keep pace with the rising global demand for missile production and space launch. This anticipated investment by AMPAC demonstrates our commitment to invest alongside our commercial partners in support of these important initiatives with national security implications.”
ABOUT AMPAC
Based in Cedar City, Utah, AMPAC is the leading North American manufacturer of critical performance additives used in solid rocket motors for space launch and military defense applications. AMPAC is qualified on many NASA and Department of Defense programs, and has been serving space launch and national defense programs for more than 60 years. AMPAC also manufactures Halotron BrX, a clean and environmentally friendly fire extinguishing agent that replaces legacy high ozone-depleting fire extinguishing agents. Founded in 1955, AMPAC has one operating facility and approximately 170 full-time employees. NewMarket acquired AMPAC in January of 2024, which expanded NewMarket’s exposure to mission critical, resilient sectors.
ABOUT NEWMARKET
NewMarket Corporation (NYSE: NEU) is a holding company operating through its subsidiaries, Afton Chemical Corporation (Afton), Ethyl Corporation (Ethyl), and AMPAC. The Afton and Ethyl companies develop, manufacture, blend, and deliver chemical additives that enhance the performance of petroleum products. AMPAC is a manufacturer of specialty materials primarily used in solid rocket motors for the aerospace and defense industries. The NewMarket family of companies has a long-term commitment to its people, to safety, to providing innovative solutions for its customers, and to making the world a better place.
Some of the information contained in this press release constitutes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Although NewMarket’s management believes its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions within the bounds of its knowledge of its business and operations, there can be no assurance that actual results will not differ materially from expectations.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations include, but are not limited to, the availability of raw materials and distribution systems; disruptions at production facilities, including single-sourced facilities; hazards common to chemical businesses; the ability to respond effectively to technological changes in our industries; failure to protect our intellectual property rights; sudden, sharp, or prolonged raw material price increases; competition from other manufacturers; current and future governmental regulations; the loss of significant customers; termination or changes to contracts with contractors and subcontractors of the U.S. government or directly with the U.S. government; failure to attract and retain a highly-qualified workforce; an information technology system failure or security breach; the occurrence or threat of extraordinary events, including natural disasters, terrorist attacks, wars and health-related epidemics; risks related to operating outside of the United States; political, economic, and regulatory factors concerning our products; the impact of substantial indebtedness on our operational and financial flexibility; the impact of fluctuations in foreign exchange rates; resolution of environmental liabilities or legal proceedings; limitation of our insurance coverage; our inability to realize expected benefits from investment in our infrastructure or from acquisitions, or our inability to successfully integrate acquisitions into our business; the underperformance of our pension assets resulting in additional cash contributions to our pension plans; and other factors detailed from time to time in the reports that NewMarket files with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the risk factors in Part I, Item 1A. “Risk Factors” of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024, which is available to shareholders upon request.
You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by NewMarket in the foregoing discussion speaks only as of the date on which such forward-looking statement is made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. We have no duty to, and do not intend to, update or revise the forward-looking statements in this discussion after the date hereof, except as may be required by law. In light of these risks and uncertainties, you should keep in mind that the events described in any forward-looking statement made in this discussion, or elsewhere, might not occur.
