Circa Group is converting waste biomass into advanced biochemical materials. 

Millions of tonnes of renewable and under-utilised cellulose provide opportunities for innovative companies to develop novel bioprocesses and products with improved environmental and health outcomes across global markets.

The sustainability of cellulose, the world’s most abundant polymer, inspires Circa’s strategy to become a leader in converting non-food cellulose into advanced, high-performance chemicals.

Established in 2006, Circa’s proprietary Furacell™ technology utilises cellulosic waste to manufacture Levoglucosenone, a valuable platform molecule. And leveraging Levoglucosenone’s functionality is an emerging portfolio of sustainable products such as bio-solvents, flavours, and bio-polymers, for pharmaceutical, agrichemical, new materials, and clean technology companies.

With a manufacturing joint venture between Norske-Skog and Circa Group, “FC5” – a 50 tonne per year commercial demonstration plant - Circa is now working with global businesses to discover and develop solutions to current health and environmental concerns. An example is Cyrene, an increasingly viable alternative to traditional polar aprotic solvents, including NMP, DCM, and DMF, under regulatory pressure in Europe, North America, and elsewhere.

To exploit the unique functionality of Levoglucosenone, Circa is building a collaborative network of researchers around the world to develop performance-based derivatives - shaping Circa’s growing position in the bio-economy with sustainable and novel, bio-derived products.