Partnership Aims To Reduce Dependence On Fossil-Based Resources

Materials manufacturer Covestro and biotechnology company Genomatica join forces to research and develop high-performance materials based on renewable feedstocks. Both partners aim to reduce the use of fossil-based resources such as crude oil, still the most common carbon and raw material sources for the chemical and plastics industries. Using carbon from plants instead would help reduce CO2 emissions and close the carbon loop in another move towards a circular economy, according to the companies.

The long-term partnership involves teams from both companies working together to drive commercially-focused innovations. Genomatica will deploy its strengths in developing industrial-scale bioprocesses to produce widely-used chemicals. Covestro complements the collaboration with strong know-how in chemical process technology and application development.

“The market is showing increasing interest in products based on renewable raw materials,” says Dr. Klaus Schäfer, chief technology officer of Covestro. “Being able to increasingly derive key materials from biomass is essential for making our industry less dependent on fossil raw materials and market fluctuations. With this, we are pursuing our vision of making the world a brighter place.”

For more information, visit: www.genomatica.com