IFF and Kemira Form Joint Venture To Produce Sustainable Biobased Materials at Scale
IFF (NYSE:IFF) and Kemira have announced the formation of Alpha Bio, a joint venture focused on commercial-scale production of renewable biobased materials. The venture involves a €130 million investment, with production scheduled to begin in late 2027 at IFF's biorefinery in Kotka, Finland.
The facility will convert up to 44,000 MT of plant sugars into bioproducts, including high-performance biopolymers for home and personal care and industrial applications. The production will utilize IFF's proprietary Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB) platform technology, which creates biobased materials using plant-based sugars and enzymes under mild process conditions.
The joint venture will operate independently and is expected to create approximately 30 direct new jobs in the Kotka area, with additional employment during construction. The facility will manufacture specific DEB technology-enabled products exclusively for IFF and Kemira's use.
IFF (NYSE:IFF) e Kemira hanno annunciato la creazione di Alpha Bio, una joint venture focalizzata sulla produzione su scala commerciale di materiali biobased rinnovabili. L'iniziativa prevede un investimento di 130 milioni di euro, con l'inizio della produzione programmato per la fine del 2027 presso la biorefinery di IFF a Kotka, in Finlandia.
La struttura convertirà fino a 44.000 tonnellate metriche di zuccheri vegetali in bioprodotti, inclusi biopolimeri ad alte prestazioni per applicazioni domestiche, per la cura personale e industriali. La produzione utilizzerà la tecnologia piattaforma proprietaria di IFF, Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB), che crea materiali biobased utilizzando zuccheri vegetali ed enzimi in condizioni di processo mild.
La joint venture opererà in modo indipendente e si prevede che creerà circa 30 nuovi posti di lavoro diretti nella zona di Kotka, con ulteriori occupazioni durante la fase di costruzione. La struttura produrrà prodotti specifici abilitati dalla tecnologia DEB esclusivamente per l'uso di IFF e Kemira.
IFF (NYSE:IFF) y Kemira han anunciado la formación de Alpha Bio, una empresa conjunta centrada en la producción a escala comercial de materiales biobasados renovables. La iniciativa implica una inversión de 130 millones de euros, con la producción programada para comenzar a finales de 2027 en la biorrefinería de IFF en Kotka, Finlandia.
La instalación convertirá hasta 44,000 toneladas métricas de azúcares vegetales en bioproductos, incluidos biopolímeros de alto rendimiento para el cuidado del hogar y personal, así como aplicaciones industriales. La producción utilizará la tecnología de plataforma propietaria de IFF, Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB), que crea materiales biobasados utilizando azúcares de origen vegetal y enzimas bajo condiciones de proceso suaves.
La empresa conjunta operará de manera independiente y se espera que genere aproximadamente 30 nuevos empleos directos en la zona de Kotka, con empleo adicional durante la construcción. La instalación fabricará productos específicos habilitados por la tecnología DEB exclusivamente para el uso de IFF y Kemira.
IFF (NYSE:IFF)와 Kemira는 재생 가능한 바이오 기반 소재의 상업적 규모 생산에 중점을 둔 Alpha Bio라는 합작 회사를 설립했다고 발표했습니다. 이 사업은 1억 3천만 유로의 투자를 포함하며, 핀란드 코트카에 있는 IFF의 바이오 리파이너리에서 2027년 말에 생산을 시작할 예정입니다.
이 시설은 최대 44,000MT의 식물당을 바이오 제품으로 전환하며, 가정 및 개인 관리, 산업 응용 분야를 위한 고성능 바이오폴리머를 포함합니다. 생산은 IFF의 독점 기술인 Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB) 플랫폼 기술을 활용하여 식물 기반의 당과 효소를 사용하여 부드러운 공정 조건에서 바이오 기반 소재를 만듭니다.
합작 회사는 독립적으로 운영되며, 코트카 지역에서 약 30개의 직접적인 새로운 일자리를 창출할 것으로 예상되며, 건설 중 추가 고용도 있을 것입니다. 이 시설은 IFF와 Kemira의 사용을 위해 특별히 DEB 기술이 적용된 제품을 제조할 것입니다.
IFF (NYSE:IFF) et Kemira ont annoncé la création de Alpha Bio, une coentreprise axée sur la production à grande échelle de matériaux biobasés renouvelables. Ce projet implique un investissement de 130 millions d'euros, avec un début de production prévu pour fin 2027 dans la bioraffinerie d'IFF à Kotka, en Finlande.
Cette installation convertira jusqu'à 44 000 tonnes métriques de sucres végétaux en bioproduits, y compris des biopolymères haute performance pour les applications domestiques et de soins personnels, ainsi que pour des applications industrielles. La production utilisera la technologie de plateforme propriétaire d'IFF, Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB), qui crée des matériaux biobasés à partir de sucres d'origine végétale et d'enzymes dans des conditions de processus douces.
La coentreprise fonctionnera de manière indépendante et devrait créer environ 30 nouveaux emplois directs dans la région de Kotka, avec des emplois supplémentaires pendant la construction. L'installation fabriquera des produits spécifiques activés par la technologie DEB exclusivement pour l'utilisation d'IFF et de Kemira.
IFF (NYSE:IFF) und Kemira haben die Gründung von Alpha Bio angekündigt, einem Joint Venture, das sich auf die kommerzielle Produktion von erneuerbaren biobasierten Materialien konzentriert. Das Unternehmen umfasst eine Investition von 130 Millionen Euro, mit der Produktion, die Ende 2027 in der Biorefinery von IFF in Kotka, Finnland, beginnen soll.
Die Anlage wird bis zu 44.000 MT pflanzlicher Zucker in Bioprodukte umwandeln, einschließlich hochleistungsfähiger Biopolymere für Haushalts- und Körperpflege sowie industrielle Anwendungen. Die Produktion wird die proprietäre Technologieplattform von IFF, Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB), nutzen, die biobasierte Materialien unter milden Prozessbedingungen aus pflanzlichen Zuckern und Enzymen herstellt.
Das Joint Venture wird unabhängig operieren und wird voraussichtlich etwa 30 direkte neue Arbeitsplätze in der Region Kotka schaffen, mit zusätzlicher Beschäftigung während der Bauphase. Die Anlage wird spezifische Produkte, die mit der DEB-Technologie ausgestattet sind, ausschließlich für den Gebrauch von IFF und Kemira herstellen.
- Significant scale-up of sustainable biopolymer production capacity (44,000 MT)
- Strategic partnership with established industry leader Kemira
- Proprietary DEB technology offering superior product purity and consistency
- Expansion into growing sustainable materials market
- High initial investment cost (€130 million)
- Long timeline to production start (late 2027)
- to specific product lines for IFF and Kemira use only
Insights
The IFF-Kemira joint venture Alpha Bio represents a significant advancement in scalable biobased materials production. The planned
What's technically impressive about this platform is its ability to create tailored biopolymers through enzymatic processes under mild conditions - delivering superior purity and consistency compared to conventional synthetic polymers. This addresses a critical challenge in biopolymer commercialization: matching or exceeding performance while maintaining sustainability credentials.
The integration at IFF's existing biorefinery in Finland creates operational synergies while building on their four-year collaboration. The 2027 production timeline indicates this isn't a speculative venture but a calculated scaling of proven technology.
From a sustainability perspective, this represents crucial industrial infrastructure development for transitioning chemical supply chains away from fossil feedstocks. The joint venture tackles two key sustainability challenges simultaneously: reducing petroleum dependence in polymer production while utilizing renewable plant-based inputs that can be continuously regenerated.
What sets this venture apart from many sustainability initiatives is the performance focus - explicitly targeting high-performance applications while maintaining biodegradability. This addresses a common industry compromise where sustainable alternatives often underperform their conventional counterparts.
This joint venture represents a strategic diversification for IFF, extending their proprietary biotechnology platform into commercial-scale production of high-value materials. The
The structure as an independent entity with exclusive manufacturing rights creates a focused business unit while protecting IFF's intellectual property. For IFF investors, this represents progression beyond their traditional sectors into higher-growth sustainable materials markets, potentially commanding premium pricing.
The Finland location leverages existing infrastructure while positioning the venture within Europe's advanced bioeconomy ecosystem. The 2027 production timeline indicates this is a long-term strategic investment rather than an immediate revenue driver.
What's particularly valuable is the business model flexibility. The technology platform can apparently be tailored for various applications from home/personal care to industrial solutions, creating multiple potential revenue streams from a single technology investment. The joint venture also benefits from complementary expertise - IFF's biotechnology capabilities combined with Kemira's market knowledge in paper, board packaging and water treatment.
For long-term investors, this represents important positioning in the growing market for sustainable materials with proprietary technology advantages. The enzymatic approach offers potential cost advantages over traditional chemical synthesis while meeting increasing regulatory and customer demands for environmental responsibility.
Joint venture Alpha Bio will use IFF’s proprietary Designed Enzymatic Biomaterials™ technology to provide high-performance, sustainable alternatives to fossil-based ingredients
"Our partnership with Kemira has reached a significant milestone, enabling us to scale the production of groundbreaking biobased materials to meet the large and growing demand for high-performing and sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived polymers," said Erik Fyrwald, IFF CEO. "IFF’s DEB technology not only guarantees superior purity and consistency compared to traditional biopolymers but also enhances performance across various applications. This innovative approach allows us to combine biodegradability and material sustainability while maintaining cost efficiency and the high performance our customers expect."
IFF’s DEB platform leverages biotechnology by using plant-based sugars and enzymes under mild process conditions to create biobased materials, which can be tailored for specific product applications. This allows manufacturers to replace traditional fossil-based synthetic polymers with more sustainable alternatives. This highly efficient enzymatic polymerization process converts plant sugars to biopolymers, offering superior purity and consistency compared to conventional synthetic polymers. These tailored biopolymers enhance product performance across diverse applications.
“Since 2020, we’ve been collaborating with IFF using the DEB platform technology, which has allowed us to bring sustainable innovation to our key markets,” said Antti Salminen, CEO, Kemira Oyj. “The new joint venture will build on this initial success, enabling us to scale up production and provide new performance-competitive alternatives to fossil-based products in key markets, including paper and board packaging, paper coatings, and water treatment, while continuing to develop opportunities across other growth markets.”
Operating as an independent entity in Kotka,
Visit www.iff.com for more information.
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This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including Section 27A of the Securities Act, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”). Forward-looking statements often address expected future business and financial performance and financial condition, and often contain words such as “”plan”, “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “believe,” “seek,” “see,” “will,” “would,” “target,” similar expressions, and variations or negatives of these words. Forward-looking statements by their nature address matters that are, to different degrees, uncertain, such as statements about the timing or nature of the proposed expansion. The forward-looking statements included in this release are made only as of the date hereof, and we undertake no obligation to update the forward-looking statement to reflect subsequent events or circumstances.
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