The Royale Group to expand with $2 million Seaford site

Just two years after moving its operations from New Jersey to Delaware, The Royale Group has announced it will double down on the First State with a new facility in Seaford. 

The $2.35 million expansion is expected to create 29 jobs in Southern Delaware.

The Royale Group is a collection of specialty chemical companies that manufacture, formulate and distribute chemicals. 

Royale Pigments & Chemicals — the division expanding into Seaford — distributes specialty colorants into the paint, coatings and fire retardants markets. 

The company has purchased the former BASF Polymer Plant at 100 Industrial Park Boulevard in Seaford. The site was formerly owned by the Delmarva Central Railroad, which will continue operating its transloading facility at the rail spur there.

With on-site rail access, the new site will allow Royale to better serve a growing roster of customers and secure new contracts with companies throughout the region, the firm said in a news release.

The Delaware Prosperity Partnership began working with The Royale Group in 2020 when the company purchased IMS Chemblend and the IMS facility at 400 Carson Drive in Bear, which is now home to Royale’s corporate headquarters.

The company’s $1 million investment in Bear was projected to yield 17 jobs but ultimately resulted in nearly twice that amount. Today, 30 employees work at that location.

Royale officials have applied for a $177,930 jobs performance grant from the state’s Council on Development Finance and a $70,500 capital expenditure grant from the Delaware Strategic Fund.

Distribution of the grants from the Delaware Strategic Fund is conditional on the company meeting commitments as outlined to the Council on Development Finance, which has reviewed and approved Royale’s request for up to $248,430 in total grant funding.

In a news release, Gov. John Carney said the chemical industry has long been an important player in Delaware’s economy. 

“Over the next three years, The Royale Group plans to purchase an underutilized site in Seaford, bringing new jobs and economic growth to Sussex County,” Carney said. “This campus is only possible because of Delaware’s world-class innovative workforce.”

Jobs created at the new Seaford location will include a chemical operator as well as maintenance, warehouse and managerial positions.

The decision to expand into Sussex County was influenced by the state’s educated workforce, lower cost of living and business-friendly government, Royale officials said. 

Delaware has been a great place to do business, said John Logue, Royale’s CEO.

“There are many valuable resources to help start or move a business to the state,” Logue said. “These resources range from the Delaware Prosperity Partnership to a dedicated and assigned omnibus person from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, providing assistance with Delaware’s regulatory agency.”

The Delaware Prosperity Partnership exists to lead Delaware’s economic development efforts to attract, grow and retain businesses while building a stronger entrepreneurial and innovative ecosystem.

The partnership works with site selectors, executives and developers focused on where to locate or grow a business and helps with reviewing potential sites, cost-of-living analyses and funding opportunities, including tax credits and incentives.