The first commercial-scale US plant for bio-based 1,4-butanediol is taking shape in the midwestern state of Iowa. Industrial agriculture giant Cargill (Minneapolis, Minnesota; www.cargill.com) and German chemical distributor Helm (Hamburg; www.helmag.com) have founded a new joint venture called Qore to run the USD 300m (EUR 247.3m) facility at Cargill’s biotechnology campus and corn refining operation in Eddyville. Start-up is scheduled for 2024, with initial production volume of BDO marketed under the “Qira” brand name expected to be 65,000 t/y. Based on fermented sugar feedstock supplied by Cargill, the technology will be licensed from US biotechnology company Genomatica (San Diego, California; www.genomatica.com).

Helm’s task will be to work with brand owners, OEMs and their suppliers in the apparel, automotive, electronics and packaging industries to incorporate Qira into their respective products. This, the partners said, will result in an improved environmental footprint without sacrificing product performance or altering existing downstream manufacturing processes. Typical products made with the bio-based BDO will be spandex and other polyester-based fibres, as well as biodegradable plastics, polyurethane coatings, sealants and artificial leathers.

Jill Zullo, VP of biointermediates/bioindustrial at Cargill, said, “With consumers demanding more sustainable products, brands are not only looking for more innovative, environmentally-friendly solutions but also are needing supplier capabilities and resources that can consistently meet those expectations.”