14. May 2009 by Mykel Pereira.

OPX Biotechnologies,Inc.

2425 55th Street Suite 100
Boulder, CO 80301
Phone: (303) 243-5190
Fax: (303) 243-5193

About

OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. is a Colorado-based bioproducts company using proprietary bioengineering technology to convert renewable feedstocks into biofuels and green chemistry products. The OPX EDGE - Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering - technology platform enables rapid, rational, and robust optimization of microbes and bioprocesses. Compared to petroleum-based alternatives, OPX EDGE bioprocesses deliver equivalent product performance with improved sustainability at lower cost. Using the EDGE platform, OPX has produced multiple biofuel and green chemistry products at laboratory scale from several different renewable feedstocks. OPX is proving its economical bioprocesses at larger scale in advance of a demonstration plant startup in 2011. OPX is located in Boulder, Colorado and is funded by Altira Group LLC, Braemar Energy Ventures, MDV - Mohr Davidow Ventures and X/Seed Capital

Technology

The OPX EDGE™ - Efficiency Directed Genome Engineering - technology platform enables rapid, rational, and robust optimization of microbes and bioprocesses to manufacture bioproducts with equivalent performance and improved sustainability at lower cost compared to petroleum-based alternatives. Using OPX EDGE, they identify the genes that control microbial metabolism and then implement a comprehensive, rational genetic change strategy to simultaneously optimize microbial production pathways and vitality as well as overall bioprocess productivity. OPX EDGE includes a first-of-its-kind, massively parallel, full genome search technology known as SCALEs. The OPX EDGE technology is 1000 to 5000 times faster than conventional genetic engineering methods, meaning OPX creates optimized microbes and bioprocesses within months rather than years. The bottom line - OPX EDGE makes possible biofuels and green chemistry products that have up to 50% lower cost than petroleum-based alternatives.

Posted in Bioplastic Techs, Biomass Techs, Chemistry Techs, Colorado, Biofuel Techs, USA | No Comments »

25. July 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

ECO2 Plastics
680 Second Street, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94107
415-829-6000
info@eco2plastics.com

About

Inspiration

You have to wash plastic to recycle it, but traditional recycling technology uses billions of gallons of water each year in the process. A decade ago, industry veteran, Gary De Laurentiis, set out to change that. He discovered a process developed by Honeywell and the Department of Energy for recycling used HDPE oil bottles. This would be the inspiration for the process Eco2 plastics utilize today.

Vision

Following years of research and development in conjunction with researchers from Honeywell, he expanded the process to clean PET beverage containers by combining a biodegradable solvent and liquid carbon dioxide to replace traditional water-based methods. With this newly patented technique, he gave the world a completely closed-loop plastic recycling system — one that uses no water and continually reuses the cleaning agents.

The company built around that idea is now known as ECO2 Plastics. They’ve assembled the finest, most experienced minds in the plastics and recycling industries to revolutionize the business. Recognizing the benefits of their process, the State of California supported the company with a loan in 2005. Private investors have invested over $20 million. They are now in full-scale production in California, and have plans for 10 plants in the U.S. within five years.
Innovation

But the idea doesn’t stop there. They now see additional applications for this unique process and they are hard at work on next generation technology, such as work currently underway with USCAR.

They’re making plastic recycling more ecological, more economical, and quite simply more logical. A process they call eco.logical.recycling.

Product

PET plastic flakes are a commodity product, processed and delivered to industry for use in hundreds of applications. Our product is virtually identical to traditionally recycled plastic, but produced in a more efficient and earth-friendly way.

Quality Assurance.

Their recycled plastic is of the highest quality. It is odor-free and contaminant-free to 100 parts per million. Every 1,000 pounds is tested for intrinsic viscosity, melt flow, density, moisture content and PVC content. You’re guaranteed a perfect product.

Supply Chain Stability.

Their process enables us to provide high-quality plastic flake at the lowest cost of production. In a commodity business, they are positioned as a company with staying power.

Posted in Bioplastic Techs, California, USA | No Comments »

16. May 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Metabolix, Inc.

21 Erie Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
617-583-1700
617-583-1768 fax

About
Metabolix is a public company, well through its transition from development stage to commercialization stage. Their vision is a sustainable future through biotechnology for bioplastics, fuels, and energy.

“We are creating a compelling, sustainable alternative to petrochemical materials, and have established a technology platform that will enable the widespread adoption of Mirel Bioplastics in the marketplace.”

They are meeting this new future using a business model that:

1. Focuses now on commercializing a broad and versatile range of Mirel bioplastics through the conversion of agricultural products such as sugars and oils using microbial biofactories; and

2. Is developing the ability to produce bioplastics directly in non-food crop plants, with economics that will enable bioplastics to serve as viable, sustainable alternatives to very large volume, general purpose plastics such as polystyrene, polyethylene, PET, and polypropylene, and to a variety of currently important industrial chemicals.

Metabolix Plant Team headed by
Dr. Kristi Snell

Commercializing Metabolix bioplastics products now via fermentation

The manufacture of Metabolix bioplastics using microorganisms to convert agricultural products such as sugars and vegetable oils, provides a very broad range of compositions with an equally broad range of properties. In November 2004, we announced formation of a strategic partnership with Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), one of the world’s largest agricultural products processors and industrial fermentors, to produce these bioplastics through fermentation.

Metabolix is taking several different approaches to commercializing its bioplastics, depending on the structure of the specific market. In cases where these materials are used directly and the market is highly concentrated, Metabolix intends to market its bioplastics directly and is building the organizational capability to do so. Where they are used in formulated products, where there is substantial art in their conversion to final form, where the market is highly fragmented, or where intimate familiarity with the technical needs of the marketplace and significant technical support are required, Metabolix will serve the market through specialist distributors or through partnerships with market leaders and specialist formulators/converters. In general, these partners are eager to offer products that provide differentiation from their competitors.

Bioplastics Made Directly in Plants

Global plastics consumption is enormous, with over 350 billion pounds consumed in 2003, and forecast to grow at over 5% annually to reach over 500 billion pounds in 2010. This means that global plastics consumption is growing by over 15 billion pounds per year today! Metabolix bioplastics made directly in plants offer the promise of a naturally produced, cost competitive, sustainable alternative to much of this material. Metabolix is targeting the production of these bioplastics in crops that can also provide energy based on the residual biomass. In this way, bioplastics gain benefit from the economies of scale associated with energy production, and biomass based energy is made economic by the high value bioplastics produced. This concept is the basis of the “Biomass Biorefinery” program, a $15 million program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, now in its fourth year, and Metabolix has also received support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Recently, Metabolix and British Petroleum announced a collaborative agreement to further progress this technology.

Posted in Bioplastic Techs, Massachusetts, USA | No Comments »

18. April 2008 by Mykel Pereira.

Green Bottle

Greenbottle Ltd
The Technology Centre
Framlingham
Woodbridge
Suffolk
IP13 9EZ

Tel: 01728 726577
Fax: 01728 726533

Designed and manufactured in Britain, Greenbottle is a biodegradable milk bottle that uses a smart two-part system to aid recycling. The bottles are composed of a cardboard outer manufactured from pulped, recycled cardboard, which is lined with an inner sleeve of biodegradable plastic made from corn starch. The plastic keeps the cardboard from becoming soggy, and the cardboard makes for easy transport, storage and pouring. Once the bottle is empty, the inner sleeve can be pulled out and will decompose in a landfill within six weeks. The cardboard outer can be put out for recycling with other paper or thrown in with kitchen and garden waste for home composting.

Greenbottle just went through a week-long test run at an Asda supermarket, where the new milk jugs sold out quickly. The bottles currently cost up to 30% more than their plastic counterparts, but costs will go down once production steps up.

Posted in Bioplastic Techs, United Kingdom, Waste Techs | No Comments »