The Newport chemical plant operated by SI Group plans to resume operations after an $11 million expansion is completed later this year.

Jeff Prickett, director of Tennessee operations for SI Group, said the expansion would increase current production of biphenol, a white powder used to make plastics, by 50 percent.

More importantly to the international company and Newport, the expansion is key to helping SI Group become the "global market leader" for this product and to overtake Japan, Korea, and India.

During a Community Advisory Panel session on Thursday night, Prickett told citizens that Newport and SI Group already supplies about 90 percent of the biphenol needs in America.

For more details, please see the weekend edition of the Newport Plain Talk.