2020 has been a tumultuous year for many industries, but the global hemp processing industry continued to expand this year despite a number of challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

From new capital investment projects to major players like Nestle entering the CBD space, there was no shortage of exciting announcements over the year. Whether or not hemp companies will keep up the momentum in 2021 remains to be seen.

Powder & Bulk Solids editors selected these hemp industry articles to provide readers with an overview of some of the major developments in the hemp processing industry over the last year.

Nestle Releasing CBD Softgel Product in Europe
Swiss food and beverage firm Nestle is partnering with cannabis formulations and drug delivery systems company Geocann to launch a line of CBD soft gel formulations in Europe that use the patented VESlorb drug delivery system after successfully rolling out the products in the US.

Fire Guts Hemp Facility, Leaves 2 with Injuries
Firefighters and a HAZMAT team responded to a blaze at a hemp facility in rural Colorado in July that involved hazardous chemicals. By the time crews reached the facility near Loma, CO, flames had engulfed the entire structure.

Operations Start at New $9M Hemp Processing Plant
Hemp extractor and refiner Shyne Labs recently commenced operations at its new $9 million hemp processing plant in Simpson County, KY. The plant is capable of processing up to 18,000 lb/day of hemp, which is used to produce pure CBD isolate powder, CBD oil, and water-soluble CBD for food and beverage applications.

New 75,000-sq-ft Hemp Processing Plant Opens
Seed-to-sale hemp company Arbor Vita8 announced the opening of a new 75,000-sq-ft hemp processing facility in Phenix City, AL in November that will support the agriculture and manufacturing industries in the southwest US.

Firm Invests $3.26M to Open New Hemp Processing Plant
Hemp firm BRD Extraction LLC plans to invest $3.26 million to open a new hemp processing facility in South Boston, VA. The company, doing business as Blue Ribbon Extraction, said the facility will be the first large-scale hemp industrial hemp processing plant and cannabidiol (CBD) oil extraction facility in the commonwealth. 

Global Widget to Mark Opening of New CBD Extraction Plant
Hemp-based CBD products manufacturer Global Widget scheduled a ribbon cutting ceremony on October 9 to mark the opening of its new CBD extraction plant in Tampa, FL.

Hemp Firm Breaks Ground on New Processing Facility
Hemp products manufacturer IND HEMP held a groundbreaking event in late August to mark the start of work on its new hemp processing plant in Fort Benton, MT. The company said the new hemp decortication and fiber processing facility will source material from more than 30,000 acres of industrial hemp in Montana’s Golden Triangle region.

Viobin Commits $6.1M to Expand Hemp Processing Plant
Nutritional extractions firm Viobin is planning to invest $6.1 million to add new capabilities to its hemp production plant in Michigan City, IN and acquire new processing equipment.

Firm Launches Expansion Project at Hemp Processing Plant
CBD products brand Love Hemp Limited has started work on a project to add 14,500-sq-ft of space to its manufacturing plant in the UK that will increase the firm’s production capacity by 400%.

Verde Leaf Opens New Industrial Hemp Processing Plant
Vertically integrated hemp company Verde Leaf is moving forward on plans to open a new industrial hemp processing facility in Georgia after receiving a hemp processing permit from the state.

To view more hemp and cannabis articles, click here.