BASF and Genomatica expand BDO process for packaging to SE Asia

27-Sep-2015 - Last updated on 28-Sep-2015 at 10:14 GMT

BASF and Genomatica have expanded their license agreement to produce 1,4-butanediol based on renewable feedstock (renewable BDO), from North America to Southeast Asia.

BDO and its derivatives are used for producing plastics, solvents, electronic chemicals and elastic fibers for the packaging, automotive, textile, and sports and leisure industries.

Dextrose or sucrose as renewable feedstock

"We are happy to expand our license agreement with Genomatica to the dynamic Asia-Pacific region," said Stefan Blank, president, BASF Intermediates division.

"We appreciate Genomatica's openness to give BASF greater flexibility to add BDO from renewable feedstock to our portfolio and to respond to market requirements."

The license agreement allows BASF to build a production facility using the Genomatica process to manufacture renewable BDO.

BASF has secured rights to allow production of up to 75,000 tons per year.

Under the terms of the agreement, Genomatica will continue to advance its patented GENO BDO process technology for the production of renewable BDO.

The process, which includes a single-step fermentation, can be based on dextrose or sucrose as renewable feedstock.

PolyTHF made from renewable BDO

BASF has produced commercial volumes of renewable BDO, offering it to customers for testing and commercial use. The quality of this BDO is comparable to petrochemical-based BDO.

BASF also expanded its portfolio by producing and offering Polytetrahydrofuran (PolyTHF) made from renewable BDO.

BASF currently produces BDO and BDO equivalents at its sites in Ludwigshafen, Germany; Geismar, Louisiana; Chiba, Japan; Kuantan, Malaysia; and Caojing, China.

It will increase its global capacities for BDO to 650,000 metric tons and for PolyTHF to 350,000 metric tons by the end of 2015, and beginning of 2016, respectively.