In an effort to develop butadiene from renewable feedstocks, Global Bioenergies (Evry / France; www.global-bioenergies.com) has entered into a cooperation with Synthos (Oswiecim / Poland; www.synthosgroup.com), under the terms of which the former will focus on laboratory-scale R&D whereas the latter is to realise the processes on an industrial scale at a later stage.

In addition, Synthos will invest EUR 1.4m in the French bio-tech company, in return for which it will receive 3.6% in Global Bioenergies’ shares. The French company is also supposed to receive additional R&D grants as well as royalties on Synthos’ proprietary bio-butadiene, used in natural rubber applications. Global Bioenergies reserves the exlusive rights to applications beyond the natural rubber sphere.

At present, butadiene – an important petrochemical feedstock – can only be sourced from crude oil. According to Global Bioenergies, the global butadiene market is worth around USD 31 bn (about EUR 21.2 bn). Two-thirds of the roughly 10m t of butadiene produced each year go into the manufacture of artificial rubber, while the remaining third is reserved for the manufacture of polyamide, ABS, latex and other polymers.