Minneapolis, MN -- PTTMCC Biochem (PTTMCC) a joint venture between PTT PLC and Mitsubishi Chemical, has selected BioAmber Inc. as its partner for a polybutylene succinate (PBS) plant that will begin construction in Thailand in 2012. BioAmber will build a biobased succinic acid plant in Thailand and supply PTTMCC with biobased succinic acid on an exclusive basis. Succinic acid is the principal starting material for the production of PBS, along with 1,4-butanediol.

PTTMCC plans to take an interest in BioAmbers succinic acid plant and secure off?ake for a portion of the plants capacity. The plant will be built in proximity to PTTMCCs PBS plant, and both plants are expected to come online in 2014. After evaluating the various biosuccinic acid technologies, PTTMCC concluded that BioAmbers platform offered the lowest cost biosuccinic acid and the lowest technology risk. By securing BioAmbers cost competitive succinic acid, PTTMCC expects to drive down the manufacturing cost of biobased PBS, a renewable, biodegradable polymer that has significant growth potential and strong patent protection thanks to a recently issued Mitsubishi Chemical patent.

The partners have begun a feasibility study to determine the exact location of the succinic acid plant, which could be built next to the PBS plant at the Map Ta Phut site in Rayong. At peak capacity BioAmber expects to produce 65,000 MT of succinic acid on the site. BioAmber also plans to produce 50,000 MT of biobased 1,4-butanediol on site, using its technology licensed exclusively from DuPont to convert biobased succinic acid directly to 1,4-butanediol in an integrated process. PTTMCC will help BioAmber secure biomass for the plant, which will initially source sugar from cane and/or tapioca, and subsequently biomass sugars.

"BioAmber operates the worlds only large-scale biobased succinic acid plant and is already Mitsubishi Chemicals sole supplier of biobased succinic acid. BioAmber has proven the quality and cost of its biosuccinic acid and we have been working together for a number of months to further improve the technology," said Shigeru Handa, General Manager of Mitsubishi Chemicals Sustainable Resources Business Development Department and a member of the PTTMCC board of directors. "Partnering with BioAmber will allow PTTMCC to have competitive biosuccinic acid from a local source by 2014," he added.

"Securing the lowest cost succinic acid was a priority for PTTMCC," said Worawat Pitayasiri, Managing Director of PTTMCC. "BioAmbers commitment to building a large-scale plant in Thailand will benefit our company and represents a major investment in Thailand by a leading US?ased renewable chemicals company," he added.

"This partnership is a testament to our market leadership in succinic acid. We are proud that PTTMCC Biochem has chosen BioAmber as the succinic acid supplier for its PBS venture," added Jean┢rancois Huc, CEO of BioAmber. "With its strong patent portfolio, PTTMCC Biochem is poised to be the dominant player in biobased PBS and this partnership gives BioAmber a strong position in a fast growing segment of the biosuccinic acid market," he added.

Source: BioAmber