Reverdia, a global producer of starch and starch-derivatives, has begun operations in Cassano Spinola, Italy, at a commercial-scale plant producing Biosuccinium sustainable succinic acid. The plant, which has a capacity of about 10,000 tons per year, is unique in its kind, being the world's first dedicated large-scale plant for the production of succinic acid from renewable resources.

It is also the only commercial facility to benefit from experience gained using low-pH yeast technology on a demonstration plant scale; Reverdia, a joint venture between life sciences and materials sciences company DSM and Roquette Frères, regards this as essential to be able to promise further improvements in product quality.

Key applications for Biosuccinium include polybutylene succinate (PBS), polyester polyols for polyurethanes, coating and composite resins, phthalate-free plasticizers, and 1,4 butanediol. End products include footwear, packaging and paints.

"We feel honoured and proud to open this new era in the lives of Reverdia and Biosuccinium," says Will van den Tweel, Reverdia's General Manager. "The new phase will enable direct and indirect customers to start production of commercial scale volumes of materials and end products based on bio-based succinic acid. These will be the first Biosuccinium-based products to find operational use in industry and to show up on retail shelves."