Huge bio-succinic acid plants to be built in 2011 - producers

23 July 2009 08:57  [Source: ICIS news]

MONTREAL, CANADA (ICIS news)--Construction of large-scale bio-based succinic acid facilities would to start around 2011 on growing recognition that the renewable chemical could replace a wide range of petroleum-based specialty and commodity chemicals, several producers said on Wednesday.

Bio-Amber will start producing this October bio-succinic acid batches from its 2,000 tonne demonstration plant in Pomacle, France, said DNP Green Technology president Jean-Francois Huc at the 6th Annual BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioprocessing.

Bio-Amber is a joint venture between US-based DNP Green Technology and French Agro-Industrie Recherches et Developpements (ARD).

“We believe that we will be the first to market bio-succinic acid and we hope to start building a large-scale commercial plant by 2011,” he added.

Another US producer Myriant Technologies expects commercial production of its bio-based succinic acid in the second half of 2010, said specialty chemicals director Alif Saleh.

The company will market ton-sized samples for its customers in the fourth quarter this year to verify product specifications and quality.

Netherlands-based life science and materials company DSM, meanwhile, expects its biosuccinic acid demonstration plant project in Lestrem, France, with Roquette to be operational by the end of 2009.

The demo plant will have a capacity of around 500 tonnes/year, said Will van den Tweel, business manager for bio-based chemicals and fuels division at DSM White Biotechnology.

“The Lestrem demonstration plant will enable this manufacturing process to be refined further before it is scaled-up to full commercial industrial production in 2011/2012,”he said.

The 3-day industrial biotechnology event ends Wednesday.

To discuss issues facing the chemical industry go to ICIS connect

By: Doris de Guzman
+1 713 525 2653

For the latest chemical news, data and analysis that directly impacts your business sign up for a free trial to ICIS news - the breaking online news service for the global chemical industry.

Get the facts and analysis behind the headlines from our market leading weekly magazine: sign up to a free trial to ICIS Chemical Business.

Printer Friendly