I just had an interesting conversation with Elevance regarding their partnership with Versalis, and I will try to post a blog soon. In the meantime, I just received this news from Archer Daniels Midland about its $25 million equity investment in bio-based nylon intermediates developer Rennovia.

It is interesting that this US agribusiness firm is now venturing into the bio-based nylon intermediates. ADM already has some renewable chemicals portfolio such as bio-based propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, refined glycerine, sorbitol, starch-based SAPs, bio-based dispersants… ADM has also been developing bio-based acrylic acid. Another item to note is that it has a production partnership with Solazyme on tailored algal oils.

Rennovia’s first products are nylon intermediates adipic acid and hexamethylenediamine (HMD) using glucose for feedstock. ADM said its investment will be used for Rennovia’s research and development programs and continuing operations.  ADM, by the way, has plenty of starch/sugar operations, for Rennovia to potentially dip into for its feedstock source worldwide.