Loudon, Tennessee -- DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products llc will spend an unspecified amount to increase production of bio-based 1,3 propanediol (Bio-PDO) at its Loudon, Tennessee plant by 35 percent. Construction for the additional capacity is scheduled to start in June and the expansion is expected to be complete by the second quarter 2011. The expansion will bring over 130 construction and engineering jobs to the region, said a 4 May announcement.
DuPont Tate & Lyle, a joint venture set up in 2004 between DuPont and Tate & Lyle, produces Bio-PDO from corn instead of petroleum-based feedstock, using a proprietary fermentation process.
Bio-PDO is used as an ingredient in materials in a variety of applications that have traditionally been based on petroleum. These include DuPont's Cerenol range of high-performance polyether diols, and the company's Sorona, a renewably sourced polymer similar to nylon.
"We are seeing strong demand for our renewable products," said Steve Mirshak, president - DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products. "We had record sales last year and are already anticipating the need for additional capacity after just three years of operation. This expansion is proof that cutting-edge industrial biotechnology can deliver products that meet the needs of industry and consumers while contributing to a smaller environmental footprint."
Other products made from Bio-PDO include cosmetics, personal-care formulations, fluids and polymers. Bio-PDO sold under the Zemea and Susterra brands.
PIC: The existing Bio-PDO plant at Loudon
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