- Email: [email protected]
BASF grows enzyme research, products
FOCUS establish a highly integrated platform that will drive innovation in all the fields of industrial catalysis, particularly on biorefinery catalytic processes. It comprises a flexible High-Throughput Technologies (HTT) designed for innovation in heterogeneous, homogeneous, or biocatalysts and their combinations within the innovative concept of hybrid catalysis. The REALCAT platform, which is due for startup in early 2014, will make use of robots for the automated synthesis of catalysts and new biocatalysts, fast characterization tools, and a series of flexible parallel continuous and batch reactors combined with ultra-fast analytical tools for the analysis of reactor effluents. The French government awarded €8.7 M to the REALCAT project, which is being managed by the National Research Agency under the program of Investments for the Future. The project will accept experts from academic institutions and industries for research collaboration and/or provisions of services. In collaboration with private companies, methodological developments will be conducted for developing innovative HTT tools for novel catalysis. In addition to experts from 4 laboratories in Lille University in the North of France, the REALCAT project is working with the Dutch company Avantium selecting the most sophisticated hardware equipment and software. It is expected that the REALCAT consortium will become a major contributor on top-level R&D programmes on various applications, including biorefinery, energy, environmental, food and health. Original Source: ChemistryViews Newsletter, 30 May 2013, (Website: http://www.chemistryviews.org) © WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA 2013
New technologies could improve energy usage The International Energy Agency, International Council of Chemical Associations, and the Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology concurrently revealed a report entitled Technology Roadmap: Energy and GHG Reductions in the Chemical Industry via Catalytic Processes. The report stated how new advancements in the chemical industry can increase
2
ON
C ATA LY S T S
energy efficiency in the production process, and how policymakers and investors respond to achieve the full potential of catalysts for high-volume processes worldwide. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 24 Jun 2013, 283 (22), (Website: http://icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2013
COMPANY NEWS AkzoNobel and Solvay sign partnership agreement for epichlorohydrin AkzoNobel has signed a 3 year agreement expanding links with Solvay for the supply of biosourced epichlorohydrin for use in its paint and coating resins. It aims to increase biosourced material to 20% of total epichlorohydrin purchases by 2016. The 2 partners have previously signed a similar supply contract for renewably sourced solvents. Solvay’s Epicerol is produced from glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production. The project was developed at its site at Tavaux, France. Solvay opened its first commercial unit (100,000 tonne/y) at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, in 2012. A second unit (100,000 tonne/y capacity) is being opened by Vinylthai (58.77% Solvay, 24.98% PTT Chemical) at Taixing, China, in 2H 2014. Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 17 Jun 2013, (637), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie) (in French) © ETAI Information 2013
BASF grows enzyme research, products Dyadic International has allowed BASF to use its production host technology, which can be used in gene discovery, gene expression, and enzyme and protein production, under a research and licensing deal. It is one of three enzyme agreements that will expand BASF’s enzyme technology. BASF has also concluded an agreement to buy Henkel’s detergents enzyme technology. The company will develop enzymes for animal nutrition under an expanded partnership with Direvo Industrial Biotechnology. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 20 May 2013, 91 (20), 18 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2013
Gevo resumes commercial production of isobutanol at its Luverne plant Gevo Inc announced that it has resumed commercial production of isobutanol at its plant in Luverne, MN, USA, in single train mode, successfully utilizing its proprietary Gevo Integrated Fermentation Technology (GIFT). Gevo will sell the isobutanol it produces, using it for market development in the speciality chemicals market, the speciality oxygenated fuel blendstock market, and as a building block to make jet fuel and chemical products such as p-xylene. Original Source: Gevo, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 20 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Gevo, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 21 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
Global Group and ADM team up to develop a catalyst to produce glycerol from carbohydrates Global Bio-chem Technology Group Co Ltd and Global Sweeteners Holdings Ltd (collectively Global Group) together announced a strategic alliance with Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM). In addition, the strategic alliance also formalizes the companies’ intention to collaborate in development of a catalyst for improving the production of glycerol from carbohydrates. It is believed that a successful result could bring significant cost-savings and efficiencies to the production of renewable propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which Global Bio-chem and ADM currently manufacture and market. Original Source: Global Bio-chem, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 27 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)
High-performance enzymes for laundry detergents Henkel and c-LEcta have entered into a collaboration to develop novel enzymes for more sustainable laundry detergents targeting persistent, highly consumer-relevant stains on textiles. In the joint research project c-LEcta will identify substances based on the company’s proprietary enzyme engineering technologies. Henkel’s extensive experience in developing detergent enzymes and formulations AUGUST 2013
New technologies could improve energy usage The International Energy Agency, International Council of Chemical Associations, and the Society for Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology concurrently revealed a report entitled Technology Roadmap: Energy and GHG Reductions in the Chemical Industry via Catalytic Processes. The report stated how new advancements in the chemical industry can increase
2
ON
C ATA LY S T S
energy efficiency in the production process, and how policymakers and investors respond to achieve the full potential of catalysts for high-volume processes worldwide. Original Source: ICIS Chemical Business, 24 Jun 2013, 283 (22), (Website: http://icis.com) © Reed Business Information Limited 2013
COMPANY NEWS AkzoNobel and Solvay sign partnership agreement for epichlorohydrin AkzoNobel has signed a 3 year agreement expanding links with Solvay for the supply of biosourced epichlorohydrin for use in its paint and coating resins. It aims to increase biosourced material to 20% of total epichlorohydrin purchases by 2016. The 2 partners have previously signed a similar supply contract for renewably sourced solvents. Solvay’s Epicerol is produced from glycerol, a by-product of biodiesel production. The project was developed at its site at Tavaux, France. Solvay opened its first commercial unit (100,000 tonne/y) at Map Ta Phut, Thailand, in 2012. A second unit (100,000 tonne/y capacity) is being opened by Vinylthai (58.77% Solvay, 24.98% PTT Chemical) at Taixing, China, in 2H 2014. Original Source: Chimie Pharma Hebdo, 17 Jun 2013, (637), (Website: http://www.industrie.com/chimie) (in French) © ETAI Information 2013
BASF grows enzyme research, products Dyadic International has allowed BASF to use its production host technology, which can be used in gene discovery, gene expression, and enzyme and protein production, under a research and licensing deal. It is one of three enzyme agreements that will expand BASF’s enzyme technology. BASF has also concluded an agreement to buy Henkel’s detergents enzyme technology. The company will develop enzymes for animal nutrition under an expanded partnership with Direvo Industrial Biotechnology. Original Source: Chemical and Engineering News, 20 May 2013, 91 (20), 18 (Website: http://www.cenonline.org) © American Chemical Society 2013
Gevo resumes commercial production of isobutanol at its Luverne plant Gevo Inc announced that it has resumed commercial production of isobutanol at its plant in Luverne, MN, USA, in single train mode, successfully utilizing its proprietary Gevo Integrated Fermentation Technology (GIFT). Gevo will sell the isobutanol it produces, using it for market development in the speciality chemicals market, the speciality oxygenated fuel blendstock market, and as a building block to make jet fuel and chemical products such as p-xylene. Original Source: Gevo, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 20 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com). Original Source: Gevo, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Plastics and Elastomers Formulation, 21 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4polymers.com)
Global Group and ADM team up to develop a catalyst to produce glycerol from carbohydrates Global Bio-chem Technology Group Co Ltd and Global Sweeteners Holdings Ltd (collectively Global Group) together announced a strategic alliance with Archer Daniels Midland Co (ADM). In addition, the strategic alliance also formalizes the companies’ intention to collaborate in development of a catalyst for improving the production of glycerol from carbohydrates. It is believed that a successful result could bring significant cost-savings and efficiencies to the production of renewable propylene glycol and ethylene glycol, which Global Bio-chem and ADM currently manufacture and market. Original Source: Global Bio-chem, 2013. Found on SpecialChem Cosmetics and Personal Care Innovation and Solutions, 27 Jun 2013, (Website: http://www.specialchem4cosmetics.com)
High-performance enzymes for laundry detergents Henkel and c-LEcta have entered into a collaboration to develop novel enzymes for more sustainable laundry detergents targeting persistent, highly consumer-relevant stains on textiles. In the joint research project c-LEcta will identify substances based on the company’s proprietary enzyme engineering technologies. Henkel’s extensive experience in developing detergent enzymes and formulations AUGUST 2013