Covation Bio ready to scale production of bio-based elastane component
CovationBio has announced the industrial scaling of bioPTMEG at a new C4 facility in Qidong, Jiangsu Province, China. This long-awaited compound is described as a drop-in replacement for fossil-derived PTMEG and is used to produce elastane, polyurethanes and thermoplastic elastomers. The company is marketing the product under a new brand name Xatryx. It is said to offer a ‘substantial reduction of greenhouse gas emissions compared to fossil-based incumbents’.
In the first of three construction phases, the RMB 10 billion (or €1.2 billion) facility will be launching later this year on a 50,000-tonne-per-year capacity for both bioPTMEG and bioTHF. It is introducing a new process technology developed by CovationBio and is using second generation bio-based feedstocks, such as corncobs, which do not compete with primary food sources.
Covation Bio, originally the biomaterials division of DuPont de Nemours, was acquired by Chinese group Huafon in 2022. Its main products are Sorona, a 37% plant-based polymer, and Susterra, a 100% plant-based diol ingredient used in footwear, outdoor apparel and performance gear.
Photo courtesy Covation Biomaterials
