Geno announced July 11 that it has begun production of 1,4-butanediol (BDO) using a proprietary fermentation process that converts U.S.-grown, plant-based sugars into the platform chemical used in performance textiles, engineered plastics and packaging.
Geno is a San Diego-based biotechnology company that develops and licenses biomanufacturing processes to replace fossil-based inputs with renewable alternatives.
The facility, located in Eddyville, Iowa, is operated by Qore, a joint venture between Cargill and HELM, under license from Geno. The company said the biomanufacturing technology enables up to 90% lower greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fossil-based BDO processes.
The site reportedly represents the second commercial-scale deployment of Geno’s Bio-BDO process and the first in the United States. The company’s first licensed plant began operations in Italy in 2016, with a third facility under construction in Vietnam.
The Iowa facility brings the company’s total licensed Bio-BDO capacity to 150,000 metric tons per year in operation or development, according to the company. The technology supports demand for renewable chemical building blocks as manufacturers seek to decarbonize supply chains.
