M&G and Genomatica sign strategic partnership for sustainable chems

18 April 2011 18:14  [Source: ICIS news]

LONDON (ICIS)--US biochemical company Genomatica has signed a broad strategic partnership with Italian polyethylene terephthalate (PET) producer Mossi & Ghisolfi (M&G) to produce sustainable chemicals from biomass, the companies said on Monday.

The partnership includes the development of a process for manufacturing bio-butanediol (BDO) from biomass, which is at pilot stage in a research and development facility in Rivalta, northern Italy, owned by Chemtex, M&G’s global engineering and technology division.

A 40,000 tonne/year cellulosic ethanol plant is also being built in Crescentino, northern Italy, with start-up planned for the second half of 2012, the companies added.

“The European market is particularly keen to move to bio-based products, and Genomatica’s strategy of greening the industry at its source offers today’s industry a painless and economically beneficial way to make it happen,” Guido Ghisolfi, vice president of corporate operations and research at M&G, said.

Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica, added that the agreement with M&G further expanded the feedstock flexibility his company intended to deliver for the chemical industry.

The companies said bio-BDO from biomass would be produced at demonstration scale at the Rivalta facility starting in 2012. This will follow production of bio-BDO from conventional sugars at demonstration scale in the US in 2011, through a partnership with UK-based food ingredients producer Tate & Lyle, the companies added.

For more on butanediol, visit ICIS chemical intelligence

By: Franco Capaldo
+44 (0)20 8652 3214

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