Verdezyne Commences Groundbreaking for Verdepalm Plant

KUALA LUMPUR, July 31 (Bernama) -- Verdezyne Inc, a synthetic biology company producing biobased chemicals, has commenced the groundbreaking of its VerdePalm plant, the world’s first bio-based plant for dodecanedioic acid (DDDA) production. The DDDA is a key component of FerroShield, which can be used in numerous corrosion inhibitor applications, including metalworking fluids, engine coolants, metal cleaners, die cast release agents, and aqueous hydraulic fluids. The plant, Verdezyne’s first commercial-scale renewable chemicals manufacturing facility, was located at the Bio-XCell premier biotechnology and ecosystem park in Nusajaya, Iskandar in the southern state of Johor. In a statement Sunday, the company said the VerdePalm plant was part of the company's comprehensive strategy of expansion into Asia and represented a major step toward its goal of replacing petroleum-derived chemicals with renewable drop-in replacements. Chairman Chad Waite said crude palm oil and palm byproducts, as well as other plant-based raw materials, would be used to produce approximately 6,000 metric tons of industrial grade DDDA each year. “Verdezyne’s technology will enable a very low-value by-product of palm oil processing to become a high-value “green” product that reduces the use of petroleum,” he said. The VerdePalm plant is expected to be completed in 12-18 months. The new facility is designed to produce biobased long chain diacids via fermentation of Verdezyne’s proprietary yeast, which has been engineered to use non-food biomass to produce high value chemicals. -- BERNAMA