BioAmber names possible sites for succinic acid plant in N America

13 June 2011 17:18  [Source: ICIS news]

(recast, clarifies company restructure in seventh paragraph)

LONDON (ICIS)--BioAmber has named two possible sites for its new succinic acid plant in North America, the Minneapolis-headquartered chemical company's CEO Jean-Francois Huc said on Monday.

Huc said the location for the proposed site has been narrowed down to either Sarnia, Ontario or in Watertown, South Dakota.

The initial capacity of the succinic acid plant will be 20,000 tonnes/year and is expected to come online early 2013, he added.

The final location for the succinic facility will be decided in July this year.

In May, BioAmber announced that it had raised $45m (€31m) to help commercialise its biosuccinic acid and modified polybutylene succinate, as well as build a large-scale plant in North America, but did not disclose capacity details or where in North America the plant would be built.

The funds will also support BioAmber’s development work to convert succinic acid to 1,4-butanediol (BDO) and to use non-food feedstocks to produce biobased succinic acid, it said.

BioAmber was previously a joint venture between DNP Green Technology and France-based ARD, or Agro-Industrie Recherches et Developpements. In November 2010, DNP Green Technology acquired 100% of the Bioamber joint venture and changed its name to BioAmber.

The company started up a bio-based succinic acid plant in Pomacle, France, in January 2010.

Succinic acid has a chemical structure similar to maleic anhydride (MA).

($1 = €0.70)

By: Tanzeel Akhtar
+44 208 652 3214

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