Healthy soil starts with sulphur. Plants depend on it to build proteins, balance nitrogen, and maintain resilience. Alberta produces vast quantities of sulphur every year, but most of it remains locked up in forms that do little to help farmers improve yields or soil health.
Seeing a chance to address a pressing agricultural challenge through a waste-to-value opportunity, Calgary-based Sultech Global Innovation Corp. recognized an opportunity to turn an underused material into a much-needed solution for the agriculture sector.
“Alberta’s energy sector produces a large amount of elemental sulphur,” said Murray MacKinnon, Sultech CEO. “Meanwhile, farmers everywhere are facing declining soil sulphur levels. Connecting a local resource to a global need felt like a natural, made-in-Alberta solution.”
Sultech’s solution is SulGro™, produced by micronizing elemental sulphur into ultra-fine particles that can be converted easily into sulphates. Improving sulphate availability at the root level helps build stronger roots, enabling healthier growth and improved yields. Equally important, it can be applied using the equipment farmers already use, making adoption simple.
“Traditional elemental sulphur can take a very long time to convert to sulphates in the soil,” MacKinnon adds. “Our practically invisible micronized version becomes available to the plant much more quickly and uniformly, outperforming synthetic sulphate fertilizers in adverse conditions and leading to better performance with less waste—it’s a major upgrade for nutrient delivery.”
Supported by a $5 million investment from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), Sultech and its partners are building a new commercial facility in Alberta with an annual production capacity of 50,000 metric tonnes of micronized elemental sulphur products. This state-of-the-art plant will directly address the rising global demand for advanced soil amendment and plant nutrient solutions by converting an abundant industrial byproduct into a high-value resource for farmers.
“ERA’s support has been critical in getting our first commercial plant built and operational,” MacKinnon says. “The investment helped us accelerate development and validate the technology in a real-world setting. It’s a powerful endorsement of both the innovation and its environmental value.”
With Alberta’s energy sector generating a steady supply of sulphur, Sultech’s technology is a strong example of the province’s circular economy in action. Instead of letting byproducts go to waste, Sultech repurposes them into a valuable agricultural nutrient. It is a practical, local solution that supports farmers, reduces waste, and strengthens Alberta’s leadership in turning homegrown innovation into real-world impact.
“Sultech’s work highlights the ingenuity that positions Alberta as a leader in innovation,” said Justin Riemer, ERA’s CEO. “By transforming a readily available byproduct into a high-value nutrient, this project supports farmers, strengthens industry, and shows how a circular economy can deliver lasting environmental and economic benefits.”
Today, SulGro™, is part of a growing line of products helping producers meet rising global food demand while supporting long-term soil health. What began as a promising demonstration is now moving into commercial reality, positioning Alberta as a leader in sustainable nutrient innovation.
In late 2025, Sultech signed a memorandum of understanding with ADNOC Sour Gas to introduce its technology to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The agreement includes a feasibility study and the development of a pilot production facility, starting with 50,000 tonnes for use in the region. Once built, the facility would be the UAE’s first commercial micronized sulphur plant, integrating Sultech’s process into ADNOC’s operations at the Shah Gas Plant, the world’s largest ultra-sour gas facility.
“We’re expanding our footprint in Alberta to serve the North American market, MacKinnon concludes. “We are responding to strong international interest through our recent MoU with ADNOC to bring our technology to the United Arab Emirates. Our goal is simple: provide farmers with a dependable, Alberta-made product that improves soil health and crop performance. As we grow, we’ll continue working directly with growers and industry partners to meet agriculture’s evolving needs.