Hyosung scales up renewable sugarcane-based feedstock production

SOUTH KOREAN industrial giant Hyosung is ramping up production of the sugarcane-based 1,4-Butanediol (Bio-BDO) at its new facility in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Hyosung, a global manufacturer of spandex materials, has developed a bio-based feedstock for a range of applications, including in textiles, chemicals and plastics. The company says it is “chemically identical” to fossil-derived BDO.

The company believes its bio-based solution will help chemical and materials manufacturers integrate renewable feedstocks into their supply chains, supporting Hyosung’s wider transition from fossil-based chemical manufacturing to bio-based spandex production.

“The bio business will become a core pillar of Hyosung's strategy for the next 100 years,” said Hyosung chairman Hyun-Joon Cho. “We will strengthen our global market presence based on sustainable biomaterials.”

Bio-BDO

BDO is a viscous liquid commonly used as a solvent. In addition to spandex production, it is also used as a cross-linking agent in coatings and paints.

Typically, BDO is produced using coal or petrochemical feedstocks. However, Hyosung is a using fermentation technology developed by US company Geno, which converts sugars from sugarcane into BDO. Geno says that the bio-BDO it produces contains 100% renewable carbon, with an estimated 90% carbon avoidance compared with fossil-derived BDO.

The sugarcane used in the process is sourced from Brazil and verified under the VIVE Sustainable Supply Programme, allowing the feedstock to be traced back to its region and farm of origin.

Simon Whitmarsh-Knight, Hyosung’s marketing and sustainability director, said: “We aren't just buying biomass; we are managing the chemistry from the sugar stage through to the finished material, so our partners can move away from fossil-based inputs at a pace that fits their own strategies.”

Drive for self-sufficiency

The BDO industry is worth around US$8.2bn globally, with production dominated by China, which typically uses coal as a feedstock.

European regulators have moved to curb the influx of Chinese BDO imports in an effort to reduce market dependence. In February, the EU introduced provisional anti-dumping duties of between 106% and 114% on BDO imports originating from China. The measures are intended to support production capacity among Europe’s main BDO manufacturers Germany, the Netherlands and Italy.

Hyosung operates across 30 countries, with production sites in India, Brazil and the US. The company has invested US$6bn expanding its operation into Vietnam as part of a strategy to strengthen its regional manufacturing footprint beyond China.