Company initiatives
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Introducing the World Biogas Association
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The World Biogas Association (WBA) has been launched at the United Nations Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) COP 22 at Marrakesh, Morocco. Following the adoption by the United Nations of a shared vision for transforming lives by 2030 through the Sustainable Development Goals and the first-ever universal, legally binding global climate agreement between the 195…
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Reverdia looks to China for collaboration
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Bio-succinic acid producer, Reverdia, had two recent press releases and both of them announcing collaborations in China. This week, Reverdia has signed a strategic partnership with Hangzhou Xinfu Science & Technology Co. Ltd (Xinfu) for a long-term supply agreement of Reverdia’s Biosuccinium for use in bio-based polymers and co-polymers for the packaging industry. Xinfu will…
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Corbion, Total in PLA JV
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A good news for Corbion as France-based energy company, Total, decided to join forces and formed a 50/50 JV with Corbion to produce and market PLA polymers. The JV will now handle the construction of a 75 ktpa PLA polymerization plant at Corbion’s site in Thailand, which already has a lactide (PLA monomer) production unit,…
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Metabolix, NC State on advanced crop techs
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Metabolix might be out of the PHA (polyhydroxyalkanoate) business now but we will still monitor this company from time to time as it expands its agbiotech business (and hopefully future feedstock for chemical application). This news announced the partnership of Metabolix and North Carolina State University for a worldwide, exclusive license agreement in advanced crop…
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Waste chewing gum to TPEs
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I honestly love this idea of waste chewing gum being converted into a raw material for thermoplastic elastomers (TPEs). According to this press release from UK-based custom compounding expert, Teknor Apex Company, it has been working with Gumdrop Ltd. to advance its technology of recycling waste chewing gum to produce commercial-scale quantities of TPE compounds…
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Pilot Plant Demonstrates the Potential to Co-Process Biomass Streams with Petroleum
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It’s Saturday and I am still working on my Biomaterials newsletter (poor me!) but I just want to post this press release from the US DOE as I find this technology very interesting. Cut and paste story below: The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), together with leading petroleum refining technologies supplier W.R. Grace, and leading…
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Sustainable Sourcing of Feedstocks for Bioplastics
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Bio-based chemicals and materials producer, Corbion, has released a white paper outlining the company’s position on feedstock selection, as well as covering issues such as land use, feedstock efficiency and food security. The paper was presented in September at the company’s PLA feedstock workshop reportedly attended by some 70 companies throughout the value chain. Corbion…
