1. Vitamin k3
Vitamin K3, also known as menadione, CAS No.: 58-27-5, is an organic compound with the chemical formula C11H8O2 and the molecular weight 172.18.
The products include MSB 96 and MNB 96.
2. MSB 96
Menadione Sodium Bisulfite, also known as vitamin k3 MSB, CAS: 130-37-0, molecular formula: C11H9NaO5S-3H2O, molecular weight: 330.29, is a white crystalline powder, easily soluble in water.
MSB96: content of menadione ≥50.0%
It is involved in the synthesis of thrombin in animal liver and promotes the formation of prothrombinogen, with a unique hemostatic function; it can effectively prevent the weakness of livestock and poultry, subcutaneous and internal bleeding; it can promote the growth and development of livestock and poultry and accelerate the mineralization of bones; it is involved in the formation of poultry embryo and ensures the survival rate of young chicks. As an indispensable nutritional element for the life activities of livestock and poultry, it is a must-add ingredient for animal feed.
3. MNB 96
MNB 96, highly stable vitamin k3, its active ingredient, menadione nicotinamide bisulfite (MNB) CAS code: 73580-79-0, molecular formula: C17H16N2O6S, molecular weight 376.23.
MNB96：content of menadione ≥43.7%, content of nicotinamide≥31.2%
It’s white crystalline powder, slightly soluble in water (1.3g/100ml). MNB is more bioactive and stable than MSB.
4. The role of vitamin k3
It works as vitamin nutritional supplements. Vitamin K is essential for the synthesis of proenzyme (factor B) in the liver and is involved in the synthesis of coagulation factors VII, IX, and X, which maintain the physiological process of blood clotting in animals. Lack of vitamin K can cause the impaired synthesis of the above coagulation factors, affecting the coagulation process and causing bleeding. Vitamin K is also necessary for the vitamin K-dependent carboxylation system in the animal organism (mainly in tissues and organs such as the liver, bones, testes, skin, and kidneys) and is an indispensable factor in the synthesis of skeletal proteins (BGP). In addition, it plays an important role in the process of metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation of high-energy compounds, as well as in aspects of metabolism with other fat-soluble vitamins, and has the function of diuretic, enhancing the detoxification function of the liver, participating in the structure of membranes and lowering blood pressure.
5. Vitamin k3 manufacturers
The manufacturers of vitamin k3 are mainly concentrated in China.
The main manufacturers of vitamin k3 (MSB/MNB) in the world are Hubei Zhenhua Chemical Co., Ltd, Brother Enterprises Holding Co., Ltd, Haining Peace Chemical Co., Ltd, Vanetta Ltd, Chongqing Minfeng Chemical Co., Ltd, Dirox S.A., and Oxyvit.
5.1 Hubei Zhenhua Chemical Co., Ltd
Hubei Zhenhua Chemical Co., Ltd is the world’s largest producer of chromium salts and the world’s largest producer of vitamin K3 with the stock code 603067. The company is a high-tech enterprise with two production bases in Huangshi, Hubei, and Tongnan, Chongqing. In January 2021, the company acquired Chongqing Minfeng Chemical Co., Ltd. The production of vitamin k3 reached 2,600 tons in that year.
5.2 Brother Enterprises Holding Co., Ltd
Founded in 1991 and headquartered in Haining City, Zhejiang Province, Brother Enterprises Holding Co., Ltd has grown over the years to have four business divisions: dermatology, vitamins, fragrances, and APIs. Its vitamin products include vitamin k3, calcium pantothenate, vitamin b1, and vitamin b3. It is the head company of vitamin k3. They also produce vanillin and ethyl vanillin.
5.3 Haining Peace Chemical Co., Ltd
Haining Peace Chemical Co., Ltd was established in 1992, specializing in the research, development, and production of leather chemical products. 2003, They acquired Yunnan Lu Liang Chemical Industry Co. Now, Peace Chemical has started to develop from a single leather chemical product manufacturer to a diversified and integrated enterprise of textile chemicals, chrome chemicals, feed additives (vitamin K3), and printing and dyeing.
5.4 Vanetta Ltd
Vanetta Ltd is a professional vitamin K3 and vitamin B3 (niacin) production plant under Sichuan Yinhe Chemical Company.
It has 1800 tons/year of vitamin K3 production capacity; 6000 tons/year of vitamin B3 production capacity, of which the first phase of 3000 tons was put into production in 2011.
5.5 Chongqing Minfeng Chemical Co., Ltd
Chongqing Minfeng Chemical Co., Ltd was founded in the 1950s and mainly engaged in the production and sales of chromium salt series products. The company has an annual production capacity of 100,000 tons, mainly including industrial sodium dichromate, industrial chromic anhydride, industrial chromium trioxide, chromium powder, industrial sodium sulfide, chromium hydroxide, vitamin k3, and other series products. They were acquired by Hubei Zhenhua Chemical CO., Ltd in January 2021.
5.6 Dirox S.A.
Dirox SA is an Uruguayan company of global scale, with a presence in markets of dozens of countries of the whole world with its two main production lines: Vitamin K3 (Menadione) for animal feed and its derivatives (MNB, MNB Plus, MPB, MPS Plus, MSB, MSBC), as well as Basic Sulfate of Chromium and Synthetic Tannins, products widely used in the leather industry for the tanning and retanning of this raw material.
5.7 Oxyvit
OXYVIT Kimya San. Ve Tic. A.Ş is the first company of the Chemicals Group to have engaged in the field of “Fine Chemicals” and has brought to Turkey a new technology for the production of Vitamin K3, which only a few companies in the world possess.
6. Summary
The key producers of vitamin k3 (MSB/MNB) in the world are Hubei Zhenhua Chemical Co., Ltd, Brother Enterprises Holding Co., Ltd, Haining Peace Chemical Co., Ltd, Vanetta Ltd, Chongqing Minfeng Chemical Co., Ltd, Dirox S.A., and Oxyvit.
