Vilsack visits opening of new plant-to-sugar facility

US-based Renmatix, a manufacturer of cellulosic sugars for biobased chemical and fuel markets, has unveiled its new multiple-feedstock processing facility at its King of Prussia, Pennsylvania headquarters.

Secretary Tom Vilsack, leader of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), was present at the commissioning of the BioFlex Conversion Unit and took a tour of the facility with Renmatix CEO Mike Hamilton.

“Rural America holds tremendous promise today, thanks in large part to innovation taking place in the biobased economy. Since 2009, USDA has made tremendous investments in the research necessary to develop the next generation of biobased products,’ says Vilsack.

‘Such research is validated when companies like Renmatix can convert locally relevant feedstocks into the very low-cost sugar intermediates demanded by global fuel and chemical markets.’

The new facility has created 50 new jobs in the local area

‘The sugars produced at this site will continue to enable development of the emerging bioeconomy and will be shared with key industry collaborators and Fortune 50 downstream partners in our active sampling programme,’ adds Hamilton.