22 June 2016
ABOUT CATHAY INDUSTRIAL BIOTECH
Dibasic Acids (Dicarboxylic Acids)
1,5-pentamethylene diamine
renewable polyamide
green polyamides
Product |
% renewable |
| Polyamide 56 | 45% |
| Polyamide 510 | 100% |
| Polyamide 511 | 31% |
| Polyamide 512 | 29-100% |
| Polyamide 513 | 28-100% |
| Polyamide 514 | 26-100% |
DETAILS
Cathay Industrial Biotech Ltd. (Cathay),
a leading privately-held industrial
biotechnology company focused on
producing specialty bio-based chemicals, announced
a ground-breaking and agreement signing to initiate
a significant expansion in their production capability for
* bio-produced long chain dibasic acids (LCDA)
and ground-breaking of production facility for
* bio-pentanediamine (DN5), and
Cathay currently has production assets in
Jinxiang, Shandong province
with a production line of LCDA,
multi-thousands tons of DN5 and bio-PA.
The ground-breaking will be to recognize
the beginning of construction for production assets
announced on December 14, 2015.
This agreement signing will initiate
a new investment of LCDA and
associated long chain polyamides.
This new production facility in Wusu, Xinjiang province
is anticipated to provide
* a significant expansion to LCDA production plus
* an additional 500 kilotons (KT) of PDA,
* 1,000 KT of polyamide 56, and
* 150 KT of long chain polyamides.
The initial phase of this project,
with investment of over $500 million,
anticipated to be complete by May 2017,
will provide
* 50 KT of DN5,
* 100 KT of bio-PA and
* double the current capacity for LCDA.
After over a decade of research,
Cathay is the first in the world to commercialize
a new bio-based monomer of polyamides
for the textile and engineering polymer market.
DN5 is produced by Cathay
by converting starch
from natural biological sources,
including biomass.
Since 2003, Cathay has been producing LCDAs
by converting vegetable oils, or
hydrocarbon fractions from oil or coal,
via fermentation.
Polymerizing these two monomers provide
a broad array of bio-based polyamides, including
* PA 56, PA 511 and PA512,
with unique and new performance characteristics.
This new technology reduces both dependence upon oil
and environmental impact in the production of polyamides.
It has also been recognized and affirmed
for rapid development by many governmental
and technology associations including
* the China Ministry of Industry,
* the China Textile Association,
* the China Chemical Fiber Association among others.
These new technologies have also been recognized
as China's "Strategic Emerging Industries."
Cathay's trademarks for new polyamides,
Terryl® and Ecopent™,
deliver a unique softness, inherent flame retardance,
good moisture absorption, high strength and wearability,
plus ease of dying and spinning.
These features also provide a very favorable synergy
when blended with wools, cotton, polyesters
and other fibers, not only in cost savings,
but delivering high performance, feel
and appearance attributes associated with
much more expensive alternatives.
Dr. Xiucai Liu,
Cathay's CEO
"Doubling our LCDA capacity provides supply security
for customers and meets
the demands of new markets that
Cathay has recently developed,"
"Customer response has been overwhelming
for the new bio-based materials.
The value of these new products is very clear and
Cathay is eager to work closely with
selected downstream partners
to deliver this value to the market."
Cathay has developed and commercialized
bio-production technology for
* long chain diacids,
* bio-butanol and now
* 1,5-pentanediamine (DN-5).
Cathay has the distinction of being
the first, and currently only,
industrial biotechnology company
to gain a dominating share of a global market
from the chemically produced incumbents.
SOURCE Cathay Industrial Biotech, Ltd
WWW.CHEMWINFO.COM BY KHUN PHICHAI
