Reverdia: Biofuels Digest’s 2014 5-Minute Guide

Reverdia is a joint venture between Royal DSM, the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company, and Roquette Frères, the global starch and starch-derivatives company. Reverdia is dedicated to be the global leader in the market for sustainable succinic acid, focusing on market development by establishing partnerships with direct and indirect customers, building on customer needs and Reverdia’s strengths.

Biosuccinium succinic acid is a green chemical building block that enables customers to develop superior sustainable products. The company’s first product is the first non-fossil feedstock derived chemical building block that allows customers in the chemical industry to choose a bio-based alternative with a lower eco-footprint for a broad range of applications, from packaging to footwear.

Model:

Owner-operator and technology licensor.

The Situation:

In December, ICIS reported that “Researchers at the University of Utrecht have shown that a low-pH yeast route to succinic acid has the lowest environmental impact in terms of energy use and carbon emissions
yeast-based route to succinic acid is best,” and the report and graphs are related here. http://www.reverdia.com/wp-content/uploads/icb-9-Dec-Reverdia.pdf.

According to ICIS, the report backs “the belief by Reverdia that its new process has environmental benefits over the petrochemical and also bacteria-based bio-routes.”

Past Milestones:

In June 2010, Royal DSM N.V., the global Life Sciences and Materials Sciences company headquartered in the Netherlands, and Roquette Frères, the global starch and starch-derivatives company headquartered in France, announced the signing of a joint venture (JV) agreement, named Reverdia, for the production, commercialization and market development of Biosuccinium™, sustainable succinic acid.

In May 2011 Reverdia announced the construction of a commercial-scale plant for the production of Biosuccinium

In October 2012, a collaboration between Proviron and Reverdia resulted in the introduction of Provichem 2511 Eco, a di-methyl-succinate that can be used as a solvent and a raw material for fine chemicals such as pigments and UV stabilizers.  Reverdia produces and sells Biosuccinium, its registered brand of bio-based succinic acid, which is produced using a unique and proprietary low pH yeast technology. Proviron’s Provichem 2511 Eco will be produced in Belgium and commercial volumes are available now. Biosuccinium will be produced in the world’s first large scale commercial plant for renewable succinic acid, in Cassano Spinola, Italy.

In December 2012 Reverdia has began operations in Cassano Spinola, Italy, as planned, which has a capacity of about 10,000 tonnes/yr, is unique in its kind, being the world’s first dedicated large-scale plant for the production of succinic acid from renewable resources. It is also the only commercial facility to benefit from experience gained using low-pH yeast technology on a demonstration plant scale; Reverdia regards this as essential to be able to promise further improvements in product quality.

Future Milestones:

Second half of 2014: First sales of technology licenses by Reverdia.

Website.