The Taiwan-based company tells The Sarnia Journal is has more than doubled the 8,000 metric tons per year of annual capacity achieved by BioAmber, the bankrupt former owner of the plant.
“LCY Group (has been) a chemical company for more than 50 years. We have a lot of experience in mass production and commercialization,” says LCY general manager Dex Hsu.
After an undisclosed investment, LCY Biosciences has reached 18,000 metric tons of annual capacity and aims to bring this output up to 30,000 metric tons by 2023.
Most of the succinic acid produced in Sarnia is exported to Asia to be made into biodegradable plastics. “It is increasingly in demand all over the world, simply because every country recognizes that single-use plastic is a very big issue,” Hsu adds. “Biodegradable material made from succinic acid will be one of the solutions.”