Reverdia and Helm partner for Biosuccinium™ distribution and market development in Europe

Reverdia, a joint venture between DSM and Roquette, and Helm have signed an agreement for the European distribution and joint market development of Reverdia's Biosuccinium™ sustainable succinic acid. The partnership will build on Helm's strong position in Europe as a marketing enterprise and distributor for a wide portfolio of chemical products, and Reverdia's emerging leadership position for the commercialization of renewable succinic acid.

Biosuccinium™ sustainable succinic acid is a new renewable raw material, derived from non-fossil feedstock and produced with unique and proprietary yeast-based fermentation technology resulting in the production of bio-based succinic acid with best-in-class quality, economics and environmental footprint. The technology has been proven in the 300 tons demo plant in Lestrem, France, that has been operational since early 2010.

Reverdia will be the first in the world to have a large scale facility for the commercial production of bio-based succinic acid, which is currently being completed in Cassano Spinola, Italy. The plant is scheduled to be operational by the end of 2012.

Biosuccinium™ offers quality, economic and environmental benefits for a broad range of markets and applications. These include coolants, surfactants, adhesives, corrosion inhibitors, lubricants, photo development fluids, herbicides, soldering pastes, runway deicers, polyurethanes, coating resins, phthalate-free plasticizers, polybutylene succinate (PBS) and many others. Materials and products based on Biosuccinium™ are (partly) renewable, using fewer of the earth’s limited fossil resources, whilst delivering a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. For example, Biosuccinium™ sustainable succinic acid has a reduced carbon footprint compared to fossil-based adipic acid, a conventional chemical used in many of the mentioned target segments: it can generate an improvement of about 90%.

Jo Kockelkoren, Commercial Director of Reverdia, commented: “Our partnership with Helm will deliver expanded market development capacity for Reverdia in Europe. Helm is an experienced distributor and strong marketing company. We are pleased with Helm’s active support to bring Biosuccinium™ to many more interested direct and indirect customers.”

Christina Wienholz, Senior Excecutive Manager of Helm, commented: “With its highly sophisticated production process, Reverdia is a very important partner as we set out to offer our customers top-of-class products. Biosuccinium™ is a great new addition to our portfolio of renewable chemicals and our di-acids such as sebacic, azelaic and adipic acid. We see a growing market need for bio-based chemicals with an improved environmental footprint. Biosuccinium™ helps us to deliver on these emerging customer needs. Biosuccinium™ does not only offer an alternative to petrochemical succinic acid, but also for other fossilbased acids like adipic acid, so the market potential is huge.”

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