Together with US-based LanzaTech (Roselle, Illinois; www.lanzatech.com), Evonik Industries (Essen; www.evonik.com) plans to combine its existing biotechnology platforms with the synthetic biology and gas fermentation capabilities of the Midwestern biotech specialists. The two entities recently signed a three-year cooperation agreement to develop an approach to bio-processed precursors for speciality plastics from waste-derived synthesis gas.

Founded in New Zealand and now headquartered in the US, LanzaTech uses proprietary microorganisms to capture waste gas streams, including synthesis gas for the production of low carbon fuels and chemical intermediates. It has partners and investors in India, Malaysia, Japan and the UK and plans to build two commercial facilities in China during 2014.

Since early 2012 Evonik has been involved in research with German speciality chemicals giant Lanxess (Leverkusen; www.lanxess.com) and the Technische Universität München (TUM, Garching; www.tum.de) looking into the industrial production of important precursors for thermoplastics and rubber utilising the fermentation of sugar and synthetic gas. The new project with the US specialists is evidently the next step in further investigating the use of sugar as a source.