Braskem, producer of polyolefins and biopolymers, is meeting the polypropylene raw material needs of medical manufacturing customers for the production of respiratory masks as well as protective medical gear.
Author: Il Bioeconomista
“The bioeconomy gives us new tools and opportunities to exploit this chaotic time”. An interview with Tony Duncan, CEO Circa Group

“Within the bioeconomy we have a massive range of new tools and opportunities to exploit this chaotic time.” To say it – in this long exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, the Australia-based biochemical company, which is revolutionizing the traditional chemical sector. With him we talk about his company and the bioeconomy in the COVID-19 age.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
In Brussels launched an alliance for a green recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic

An alliance has been launched in the European Parliament on the back of calls from 12 EU environment ministers who have signed an appeal for a green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The “green recovery alliance” was launched last Monday at the initiative of Pascal Canfin, a French centrist MEP who chairs the European Parliament’s committee on environment and public health.
Nouryon introduced a natural film-forming polymer for use in high SPF emulsion sunscreens
Nouryon introduced a natural film-forming polymer for use in high sun protection factor (SPF) emulsion sunscreens. SolAmaze™ Natural, which is bio-based and readily biodegradable, addresses the fast-growing consumer demand for natural and clean label ingredients in personal care products.
Clariant started monthly production of 2 million liters of disinfectant using bioethanol

Clariant, a focused and innovative specialty chemical company, today announced it has started monthly production of 2 million liters of disinfectant at its facilities in Gendorf, Germany. This disinfectant is then directly or via repacking partners provided to regional hospitals and other vital institutions in Bavaria, who are currently facing limited availability of this critical product during the COVID-19 outbreak.
A Story from the Near Future
It’s awesome! The emergency is finally over. We can go back to our life. The virus was defeated without waiting for the vaccine, because we all behaved in the best way, staying at home and respecting the physical distance. Now we can go back to meet, talk to each other and, if necessary, also to hug. We’ll always remember all the dead people and the sufferings. And also the physicians and nurses and all the people who spent themselves on others.
DSM completed its acquisition of Glycom to grow in the Early Life Nutrition solutions

Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, completed its acquisition of Glycom A/S, the world’s leading supplier of Human Milk Oligosaccharides (HMO) for an enterprise value of €765 million.
An exclusive interview with Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech. “We have to stop waiting for leaders to make decisions for us. We need to act.”

“We also need to careful that the warning bells don’t go unnoticed as we try to rebuild our way of life in the same mold as before. Already we are hearing murmurings about a need for cheap (and fossil) energy to stimulate ailing virus hit sectors. We do not need to go back in time, we need to move forward. Hopefully COVID will have taught us how bad things can get when we do not think, do not plan, do not collaborate, do not listen to the science, do not listen to early warnings. But the most important lesson, I think, is that through individual action and caring for others, people who were healthy and in “low” risk groups, stayed home. They were sacrificing for others; they were not thinking about themselves.”
To say it – in this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Jennifer Holmgren, CEO of LanzaTech.
Interview by Mario Bonaccorso
Metsä Fibre takes a step forward in the bioeconomy

Metsä Fibre, part of Metsä Group, made the decision to build the world’s most modern sawmill in Rauma, Finland. The value of the investment is approximately 200 million euros. Construction will begin in the spring of 2020 and the production at the sawmill is set to begin during the third quarter of 2022. The coronavirus outbreak may have an impact on the schedules.
Nouryon expands its partnership with Sumitomo Chemical to include a new plant in Japan

Nouryon is expanding its partnership with Sumitomo Chemical to include a new plant Sumitomo is building at its site in Oita, Japan. The new plant will supply a key raw material used for Nouryon’s Perkadox 14 organic peroxide. Perkadox 14 is an essential ingredient in the manufacture of many elastomeric products, including shoe soles, yoga mats and other rubber goods.