An exclusive interview with Nick Smith, Head of Development and Commercialisation at Circa Group

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“When we consider that nearly all of the materials and products in society today are essentially 100% based on petrochemicals and that the chemical sector is responsible for 10% of global carbon emissions, half of that from the fossil-based feedstock used to produce the chemicals, we see that the world is not only dependent on petroleum but also on petrochemicals. To transition to a lower carbon economy, we need renewable chemicals just as much as renewable energy.” Nick Smith, Head of Development Commercialisation at Circa Group, talks to Il Bioeconomista. In this exclusive interview, he talks about the ReSolute plant in Eastern France, the new partnerships and the next steps of the Australian company and the role of the bioeconomy to make industries more sustainable.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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Circa and Valmet partner to industrialize biochemicals productions

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Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin

Circa and Valmet have signed a Heads of Agreement to realise and optimise the Furacell™ production process at scale through the ReSolute project and future large-scale plants. Valmet will be the main process technology and equipment supplier, and actively contribute to accelerating the development of Circa’s large-scale production plants. The cooperation considerably strengthens Circa’s ability to build and deliver its plan to become a large-scale producer of sustainable biochemicals.

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Circa Group takes a step forward in France

 

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Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin


Circa Group AS takes a step forward. The ReSolute™ project in France – the Australian company claims – has continued to progress well, with significant work undertaken to ensure plant costs are kept within updated estimates. In early Q1 2022 Circa announced €8.2 million in funding from the French government for the development of the ReSolute™ plant in Eastern France as part of the ‘France Relance’ programme.

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Circa Group successfully completed €56 million IPO on Euronext Growth Oslo

Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin

Australian biochemicals company Circa Group AS has successfully completed a private placement of 575 Norwegian Kroner (NOK) – approximately €56 million – in a transaction led by Pareto Securities and Sparebank 1 Markets in Oslo, at a post-money market valuation of approximately NOK 2 billion (approximately €194 million). The company (ticker code: CIRCA) shares started trading on Euronext Growth Oslo at 09:00 CET yesterday (2 March 2021).

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An interview with Jason Camp, CTO at Circa Group

“It is in everyone’s interests for life-sustaining chemicals to be manufactured both safely and reliably. We would argue that it is also extremely important that those chemicals be as sustainable as possible, so that future generations will have a habitable plant to use them on.” Jason Camp, CTO at Circa Group, talks to Il Bioeconomista. The Australia-based company is converting waste biomass into advanced biochemical materials.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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“The bioeconomy gives us new tools and opportunities to exploit this chaotic time”. An interview with Tony Duncan, CEO Circa Group

Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin

“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

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Circa Group’s FC5 commercial demonstration plant is now online

Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, at IFIB 2018 in Turin

Australian biotech company Circa Group’s FC5 commercial demonstration plant is now online, paving the way to a regular supply of Circa’s bio-based solvent Cyrene. A joint venture between Circa and Norwegian pulp and paper company Norske Skog, the FC5 plant is located in Tasmania, Australia. Now successfully commissioned and operated end-to-end, FC5 is starting to produce a steady stream of 99% pure Cyrene, a non-toxic solvent made from certified and renewable cellulose waste.

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An interview with Tony Duncan, CEO Circa Group, the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2017

Tony Duncan

Last December Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, was nominated by our readers the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2017. In this long interview with Il Bioeconomista, he talks about this recognition, what is innovation, the bioeconomy and the next steps of his company.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

First of all, congratulations for the recognition as The Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2017. What is innovation in the bioeconomy, from your point of view?

Thank you – it was certainly a surprise to be nominated, and the result is very much a confirmation of Circa’s approach and the efforts of the team over the past 9 plus years – staff, shareholders, researchers and partners!

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Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, is the Most Innovative Bioeconomy CEO 2017

Our readers have voted: the most innovative bioeconomy CEO 2017 is Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, the Australian company headquartered in Melbourne that is converting waste biomass into advanced biochemical materials. For the second consecutive year is the CEO of an Australian company to win the award (in 2016 was Ken Richards, CEO of Leaf Resources).

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An exclusive interview with Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group

“By taking the time to scale up efficiently and deliberately, our position in the bioeconomy is growing. Circa remains focused on creating non-toxic, high-performance chemicals from cellulose, using our FuracellTM technology. We are targeting a market of over 900,000 tonnes per annum, growing at 4%. While we do not want to compete in the inevitable price war currently unfolding, as companies vie to be ‘last man standing’ to extract some cash out of legacy plants producing these toxic products, we do see plenty of opportunity to sensibly scale into the market over the next 5-10 years”. To say this – in this long, exclusive interview with Il Bioeconomista – is Tony Duncan, CEO of Circa Group, an Australian innovative company which is converting biomass into advanced biochemical materials.

Interview by Mario Bonaccorso

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