Montreal-based BioAmber says its new plant in Sarnia has begun shipping bio-succinic acid to customers and is operating at commercial scale, meeting a significant company milestone. The $141-million plant on Vidal St. S., that officially opened in early August, will use the equivalent of three million bushels of Ontario corn annually to produce 30,000 metric tons of succinic acid. In a news release Friday, the company says its yeast biotechnology is exceeding performance targets and the bio-succinic acid being produced is of higher quality than the product produced previously in its demonstration plant in France. The company expects the Sarnia plant will increase production volumes progressively to reach full capacity in 2017. Succinic acid is used in a broad range of products including plastics, cosmetics and personal care products. Construction of the plant created about 300 jobs with full time employment to reach 60. In the meantime, BioAmber is considering plans for a second plant, expected to cost $500-million, and was looking at sites in Sarnia-Lambton, Louisiana and the U.S. Midwest.
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