My apologies for posting this a bit late but it is an interesting development from Verdezyne as the California-based bio-adipic acid developer announced its collaboration with Malaysia’s biotechnology investment agency, Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp), to assess Malaysia as the location for its first biochemical production facility in the Asia Pacific Region.
It has been more than a year since Verdezyne had any production updates when the company started its pilot plant in Carlsbad in November 2011. Back then, the company noted that the pilot plant was expected to produce 5-15 kilogram of bio-adipic acid per week. Verdezyne has been using plant oils feedstock such palm kernel oil and coconut oil although the company has been looking to produce lower-cost feedstock from oilseed processing such as fatty acid distillates and soapstocks.
According to the recent press release, Verdezyne claimed to have created the first renewable nylon fiber and amongst the first to demonstrate the production of diacids (such as adipic acid, sebacic acid and dodecanedioic acid or DDDA) with a variety of vegetable oil-derived feedstocks.
Verdezyne said it has entered into multiple discussions with several Malaysian palm oil producers but unfortunately no other specific information was disclosed on the company’s goals in Asia.
BiotechCorp said it will facilitate Verdezyne in providing what it needs be it feedstock sourcing, location assessment, feasibility studies as well as sets of incentives such as exemptions and financial support.
“This is inline with the BiotechCorp’s mandate as the lead development agency in spearheading the bioeconomy ecosystem in Malaysia,” the agency’s spokesperson said.
Malaysia has been attracting several renewable chemical companies to set up shop such as METabolic EXplorer for a bio-PDO production, Glycos Biotechnologies for bio-isoprene, and Gevo for bio-isobutanol.
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