Mascoma acquires SunOpta Bioprocess Inc.

Mascoma Corporation, an innovative biofuels company, today announced the acquisition of SunOpta BioProcess Inc. (SBI), a division of SunOpta Inc. This combination brings together the technologies of SBI and Mascoma, to create a company with comprehensive capabilities for converting non-food cellulose (wood chips, energy crops and organic solid waste) into ethanol and high value co-products.

The acquisition combines the leading bio-chemical platform companies in Canada and the US, resulting in a company that is well-positioned to achieve the industry’s objective of low-cost, sustainable production of transportation fuels from non-food biomass. By integrating SBI’s state-of-the-art fibre preparation and pretreatment technology (known as the upstream component of cellulosic ethanol production) with Mascoma’s consolidated bioprocessing technology (known as the downstream component of cellulosic ethanol production), the new company brings together the two core technical components essential for the effective conversion of non-food cellulose into ethanol and high value co-products. In addition to the technical synergies, the combined entity will have the leading intellectual property position in the cellulosic biofuels sector, extensively covering both pretreatment and consolidated bioprocessing technologies.

“The combined company has extensive commercial experience, with the application of our technologies around the world, and the technology breadth to offer a complete biofuels solution. We believe the combination of Mascoma and SBI significantly advances our capabilities in the cellulosic ethanol field and positions us for a successful future.” said Bill Brady, CEO of Mascoma.

Both SBI and Mascoma have made significant progress towards commercialisation and collectively have development partners in the US, Canada, China, Brazil and South Africa, all of which will benefit from the combination. In early 2010, SBI announced a major contract to supply its fibre preparation and pretreatment technology to one of the largest operators in the new energy sector in China. Mascoma, through its affiliate Frontier Renewable Resources LLC, is currently developing a commercial scale production facility in Kinross, Michigan.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/drilling-and-production/02092010/mascoma_acquires_sunopta_bioprocess_inc/