Business

An exclusive interview with Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica

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Christophe Schilling, CEO of Genomatica

Christophe Schilling founded Genomatica in 1998. Since being named CEO in May 2009, he has led Genomatica to widespread recognition as a leader in industrial biotech, with a commercialized first process and plant and multiple leading partners. The company has earned awards for industry impact (recognized in ICIS Top40 Power Players five years in a row), engineering (Kirkpatrick), science (EPA Presidential Green Chemistry), industry leadership (voted #1 Hottest four years in a row by Biofuels Digest), and company culture (The Scientist as a Best Place to Work). Christophe is Chairman of Biocom, the largest advocate organization for California’s life sciences sector; serves on BIO’s Industrial & Environmental Section Governing Board; serves on the World Economic Forum Global Agenda Council on Biotechnology; and is a member of YPO, an international leadership organization for chief executives. In this exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista, he talks about the recent agreement with Covestro and the Genomatica’s way towards the bioeconomy.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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Metsä Board and Metsä Fibre move towards fossil-free production

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Metsa Group Aanekoski pulp mill. Source: http://www.metsafibre.com

Metsä Board and its associated company Metsä Fibre, both part of Metsä Group, will launch pre-engineering phases for three major investments. All three investments will further develop the competitiveness of pulp and energy production for both companies, and move them towards fossil-free production.

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Amyis fully exited its Vitamin E business

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John Melo, President and Ceo of Amyris

Amyris, a leader in the development and production of sustainable ingredients for the Health & Wellness, Clean Beauty and Flavors & Fragrances markets, sold its Vitamin E royalty agreement to Koninklijke DSM N.V. (Royal DSM). This agreement assigns Amyris’s rights to Vitamin E royalties to DSM in exchange for total consideration of approximately $57 million. In addition, DSM and Amyris have agreed to a further manufacturing cooperation for Amyris products at DSM’s Brotas facility that provides additional capacity and lower cost of goods sold with an expected approximate aggregate benefit of $30–$40 million over the next three years. The expected economic benefit of both agreements to Amyris is approximately $90 million.

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New Report: Asian asset owners are uniquely exposed to climate and water risks

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Hong Kong

“Climate change is multiplying risks for investors in Asia, and unless unprecedented actions are taken we are on track to a 3°C world, with serious, severe impacts on water resources. Investment portfolios of Asian asset owners are uniquely exposed, putting the continent’s savings at risk”, says the new report presented by the Asian Investor Group on Climate Change, an initiative to create awareness among Asia’s asset owners and financial institutions about the risks and opportunities associated with climate change and low carbon investing

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Nouryon launched a versatile non-amine adhesion promoter derived from renewable resources

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Nouryon has taken a step forward in the bioeconomy. The Dutch company (formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals) has expanded its offering for the asphalt market with Wetfix G400, a versatile non-amine adhesion promoter derived from renewable resources. Wetfix G400 meets customers’ needs for a more sustainable alternative that maintains asphalt mixture performance and durability.

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Unilever and Bio-on launched MyKAI, the first biobased solar milk

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Marco Astorri, Ceo Bio-on

MyKAI, the cosmetic product line born from the alliance between Bio-on and Unilever landed on the market. The distribution by Unilever of the first products of the line, namely the MyKAI solar products, started last week. They represent the first products in the world to bring the environmental value, as well as protection, of the innovative Bio-on technology into the hands of consumers.

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KaiCell Fibers’ biorefinery in Finland has a very remarkable impact on regional economy

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Jukka Kantola, CEO of KaiCell Fibers

Pöyry Finland Ltd has completed a survey on socio-economic impacts of KaiCell Fibers’ biorefinery in Finland. According to the survey, the impact on the total output of Finland is close to one billion euros and over 700 million euros in the Kainuu province alone.

The on-going biorefinery project has a very remarkable impact on regional economy and employment. Through the indirect effects of the biorefinery, 1190 jobs are created in Kainuu region when the mill is operational. At national level, the employment effect is almost 2000 jobs. The impact of the construction period is 6400 person-years in Finland. Once mill is in operation, the increase on gross national product of Finland will be about 0,2% and in the area province of Kainuu, the increase will be 12 %. Continue reading →

Covestro and Genomatica joined forces to reduce the use of fossil-based resources

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German materials manufacturer Covestro and California-based biotechnology company Genomatica joined forces to research and develop high-performance materials based on renewable feedstocks. With their collaboration announced on March 27, both partners are aiming to reduce the use of fossil-based resources such as crude oil. These are today still the most common carbon and raw material sources of 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.

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Nouryon expanded its offering to customers in the personal care market with a bio-based polymer

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Nouryon expanded its offering to customers in the personal care market with a bio-based polymer, Amaze SP, helping formulators to meet the latest consumer trends in hair styling. The new polymer is a result of formerly AkzoNobel Specialty Chemicals’ exclusive global supply agreement with Itaconix to market bio-based polymers to customers in the personal care market.

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Avantium locates the new demonstration plant for its Mekong technology in Chemie Park Delfzijl

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Avantium’s pilot plant in the Nerherlands

Dutch biochemical company Avantium will locate the new demonstration plant for its Mekong technology in Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The construction of the demonstration plant – with a capacity of around 10 tons of plant-based mono- ethylene glycol (MEG) – is on track, with the opening scheduled for the second half of 2019. This is an important step in commercializing the production of plant-based MEG, a fossil-free raw material for products such as plastic materials and textiles.

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