Intertrade Holdings, Inc, located in Copperhill, Tn., and Polk County’s long-time main employer, has agreed to sell its IT organics business to Pilot Chemical.
The original company was a thriving copper mining business that began to produce sulfuric acid as a way of protecting the atmosphere from fumes of the open roasting of copper ore. In the beginning acid was a usable by-product, but later, along with liquid sulfur dioxide, became the key to the business.
Through the years, “the company” (as locally referred to) has changed ownership several times and experienced many challenges with each new ownership. The mines closed in 1987. The acid plant, sulfur dioxide plant and power generation ceased all operations during the last quarter of 2000. Since then, only the organic chemical plant operated.
The organic plant was built in 1952 to produce sulfonated organic products. The facility has utilized a proprietary sulfonation process to produce a unique line of high-purity sulfonated products that are currently sold to both domestic and international markets.
Some chemical production and blending are planned to continue. Market demand for Intertrade’s iron oxide (calcine) continues to escalate; therefore calcine will continue to be shipped.
The water treatment facilities will continue to treat normal plant discharge and surface water in addition to water from Davis Mill Creek.