Bio-chemical plant coming to Sarnia

A multi-million-dollar bio-industrial plant is slated to be built in Sarnia, Ont.

Montreal-based renewable chemistry company BioAmber Inc. has announced plans to build a new bio-based succinic acid plant in the city.

According to a BioAmber press release, the plant will produce bio-based succinic acid, derived from corn and used to match or improve existing petrochemical products, plastic auto parts among them.  

Government officials, meanwhile, described the announcement as the beginning of regional shift, as Sarnia moves from petrochemical supplier to hybrid chemistry supplier. “The transformation of the petrochemical industry in Sarnia to a bio-hybrid chemical cluster will create significant economic opportunities for the development of new markets and new products that are better, cheaper and safer for our health and the environment,” said Ontario Minister of Economic Development and Trade Sandra Pupatello. “And it will help move Ontario’s clean agenda forward, while creating jobs to strengthen our economy and help our families.”

The plant is scheduled to open in 2013, and initial capacity will be 17,000 tons a year, with plans to double that by 2014. The new BioAmber facility is expected to create, at minimum, 40 full-time jobs, along with 150 construction jobs during the building phase.

BioAmber also plans to produce 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) on site.