Myriant completes construction in Louisiana, reaches scale in Germany

Next steps for Myriant

1. The process guarantee. In the case of Lake Providence, as a first of kind technology, some use was made of the USDA’s B&I loan guarantee program. (Though, some of the financing was unguaranteed, and came at a higher rate). That’s going to need to transition, largely, to a more traditional project finance structure, as Gatto noted — critical to that will be a Uhde process guarantee.

2. The 140 million pound plant. “We hope, by year end, to be well into into permitting and planning with some of the front end engineering done, and the process and performance guarantees in place.”

3. Down the line – think Asia. Myraint has a JV with Thailand giant PTT — called Aurea Biochemicals. The goal there is to have a biosuccinic acid and BDO plant for the Asian market.

4. Does size matter? Is the key to success in the size of the fermenter? Not really, according to Myriant CEO Steve Gatto. “It really doesn’t matter in my opinion, nearly as much as how much sugar goes in, and sugar goes out, and that you can produce product at an affordable cost.