Columbia Sales International specializes in the sales and distribution of sodium, potassium, sodium peroxide, electronic-grade chlorine, and vanadium chlorides. Columbia Sales International was formed in 1990 as a sales and marketing company to the chemical and related industries.

MSSA’s plant in Pomblière, France

In late 1990, Columbia Sales International became the exclusive U.S. and Canadian sales representative of Metaux Speciaux of France for sodium, potassium, sodium peroxide, electonic-grade chlorine, and vanadium chlorides. At that time, there were two producers of sodium in the U.S. In 1992, one of those producers discontinued the production of sodium, which allowed Metaux Speciaux to enter the U.S. Sodium market. Up until that time, Metaux Speciaux, now known as MSSA SAS, had some minor sales of specialty grades of sodium in the U.S. At present, MSSA enjoys an important share of the U.S. sodium market, supplying both technical and high-purity grades of sodium. Several of these grades are produced nowhere else in the world. For more details about the activities of MSSA, please go to MSSA’s website, http://www.metauxspeciaux.fr/

Some of the major applications for sodium include:

• the production of polysilicon for electronic components and solar panels
• biodiesel
• sodium borohydride
• sodium sulfur batteries
• metals reduction
• lead recovery

as well as a wide range of applications in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

In 1999, KMR Industries LLC, a joint venture between Columbia Sales International and Creative Engineers (CEI), was formed for the purpose of producing sodium dispersion. This product is mainly used in the treatment of PCBs, a toxic product and persistent organic pollutant banned in the U.S. in 1979. By reacting sodium dispersion with PCB-laden oils, the PCBs are rendered harmless and can easily and safely be disposed. KMR Industries has a plant in York, Pa., and ships sodium dispersion throughout the U.S. and Canada, as well as to several overseas locations. For more information about CEI, please go to CEI’s website, www.creativeengineers.com