Iowa, US – Qore, a joint venture between Cargill and Helm, is now producing 1,4-butanediol (BDO) via a fermentation process from locally grown corn in Eddyville, Iowa. The new $300m plant, claimed to be the world’s largest of its type, has now been officially opened, in an event attended by local farmers and elected officials.

The biobased BDO produced there is being sold under the brand name Qira. The new facility has a capacity of 66kT/year, with most of the corn used in the process grown within 100 miles of the site.

As a drop-in replacement for petroleum-based BDO, Qira is already being used within the polyurethane supply chain, with the Lycra Company using it to make more sustainable Lycra spandex. And BASF has secured a long-term supply agreement for the product.

“Qore is able to leverage the deep agricultural network and world-class fermentation technology expertise from Cargill and Helm’s global market reach to bring Qira to life,” said Qore CEO Jon Veldhouse. “By providing a reliable, renewable, and transparent feedstock, Qira helps global manufacturers and brands implement identical materials that reduce reliance on overseas supply chains, bringing more transparency to their product portfolios.”

Source: Qore