Twenty years of bio-based PDO
Biomaterials company Covation is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the start of its commercial production of propanediol (PDO).
Under previous owners DuPont and Tate & Lyle, commercialisation of the new, high-performance, renewably sourced biomaterial that became Susterra PDO.
It has undergone ownership changes and now operates as Primient CovationBio, but it still describes itself as the world’s first and largest producer of 100% bio-based 1,3 PDO.
It has an annual production capacity of 77,000 tonnes, but says it has plans to increase this to 110,000 tonnes.
Susterra PDO is used by sports and activewear brands, including Saucony, which has developed midsoles that are 55% Susterra, and Pangaia, which uses fabrics developed by Hyosung from Susterra and spandex.
The group also produces Zemea PDO for use in the food, pharmaceuticals and personal care industries.
