GERMAN chemicals supplier BASF and Dutch firm Purac, a subsidiary of CSM, are entering a joint venture to make biobased succinic acid, with an initial capacity of 10,000 tonnes in 2013, and an expansion to a second facility of 50,000 tonnes/year.

BASF and CSM are currently modifying an existing fermentation facility at Purac’s Montmélo site near Barcelona, Spain, for the production of succinic acid. Plans for the second large-scale facility will be made following a successful market introduction.

The jv company, to be based in Germany, will be named Succinity GmbH and will be operational in 2013.

BASF and CSM have been conducting research on succinic acid under a joint development agreement since 2009. The complementary strengths in fermentation and downstream processing led to the development of a sustainable and highly efficient manufacturing process based on a proprietary microorganism.

The bacterium used is Basfia succiniciproducens, which produces succinic acid through natural processes. It is capable of metabolising a variety of renewable feedstocks into succinic acid.

The new process combines high efficiency with the use of renewable raw materials and the fixation of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) in the production of succinic acid. (PRA)