Wood teams with CuanTec to develop chitin extraction facilities

In the UK, Wood, the global consulting and engineering company, will work with CuanTec Ltd., a Scottish circular economy business, to develop cutting edge separation facilities that will process shellfish waste to extract chitin, a naturally occurring, 100% compostable biopolymer with a wide range of applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries.

The contract will see Wood provide the front-end engineering design (FEED) to deliver modifications for CuanTec’s newly acquired separation plant in Glenrothes, Scotland, followed by the expansion of that facility. Wood will then continue to provide the FEED, engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) of additional new production facilities in the UK and globally which will enable mass production of CuanTec’s ultra-pure chitin and chitin-based products.

Wood will leverage its extensive engineering capability and experience to develop facilities that are ready for responsible, efficient and safe production and will support the development of a circular economy within the UK’s materials industry.

CuanTec’s proprietary technologies use a novel, scientifically proven method to process shellffish waste in an environmentally friendly way, producing valuable, high-quality chitin, with no CO2 emissions. CuanTec will also contribute to the circular economy through the production of chitin-based bioplastics that are biodegradable and have naturally antimicrobial properties which can extend the shelf life of foods wrapped within it, preventing further wastage.