His Majesty King Abdullah II on Sunday inaugurated the Jordan Bromine Company at the Dead Sea.

The company is a joint venture between the Arab Potash Company and U.S. specially chemical supplier, Albemarle Corporation. Valued at approximately $130 million and expected to employ over 80 people, mostly Jordanians, Jordan Bromine is the largest U.S. investment to date in Jordan and one of the biggest four bromine producing plants in the world.

While touring various sections of the plant, King Abdullah expressed appreciation to the success of investment partnership between Jordan and the United States.

The plant extracts elemental bromine, a material used in the production of fire retardants and other goods from the Dead Sea.

Director of the plant Ahmed Khalifeh described the plant as one of the most vital economic projects in Jordan and it was the fruit of a true partnership between the Arab Potash Company and the U.S. Albemarle Corporation. He said the plant was established with a registered capital of 30 million Jordanian dinar. The cost of the first phase of the project stood at $76 million, 12 millions less than estimated, he said.

Chief Executive of Albemarle Whity Alimore said exports of the plant go to over ten world markets in Europe, the Middle East and the Far East.