FAQs


What are the long-range benefits of the renewable economy?

DuPont Chairman and CEO Charles O. Holliday, Jr., sums it up this way: “Biology-based solutions offer us the opportunity to transform economies by creating new, high-performance bio-materials that use less energy to manufacture, are preferred by our customers and are better for the long-term health of our economy and the environment.” Tate & Lyle Chief Executive Iain Ferguson adds, “We think the time for corn is now and that we are ideally placed to bring this new bio-based material to market. Bio-PDO™ delivers on green credentials and meets both the environmental and economic need to reduce oil-dependency. The corn fields of today will be the oil fields of the future.”

How long have Tate & Lyle and DuPont worked together?

DuPont carried out an extensive survey of potential partners and chose Tate & Lyle as having the best balance of complementary skills and experiences. Process development and piloting began in July 2000, culminating in the announcement made in May 2004 that Tate & Lyle and DuPont would establish a joint venture: DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products, LLC. This was followed by detailed plant design and construction, and finally, startup in November 2006.


How long has Tate & Lyle been operating the Loudon site?

Tate & Lyle will celebrate its 25th anniversary of operations at Loudon on August 25, 2007. The plant actually started up on August 22, 1982. It was built by AE Staley and purchased by Tate & Lyle in 1988.

Why was Loudon chosen as the site for the first Bio-PDO™ operations?

The facility was located in Loudon to take advantage of the availability of corn sugar, the main feedstock for Bio-PDO™ production, which is produced at the Tate & Lyle wet milling facility on site.

What did it cost to build the Bio-PDO™ plant?

DuPont and Tate & Lyle jointly funded the plant. Total investment was $100 million.

What is the capacity of the Bio-PDO™ plant?

Current plant capacity is 100 million pounds per annum. We are currently ramping up production and are very satisfied with the progress made since start up.

Can the plant make any other products apart from Bio-PDO™? Will this change in the future?

The Loudon facility was specifically designed for the manufacture of 1,3 propanediol. At the present time, there are no plans to produce other materials at this facility.

What expertise does each party bring to the joint venture?

Tate & Lyle brings a history of working with renewable feedstocks and an expertise in fermentation technology. DuPont offers world-class biotechnology expertise and its unique integrated science approach that marries biology, chemistry and engineering to take this new science from the lab to commercial scale. In addition, DuPont provides the market access into downstream applications such as fibers and polymers.

Do you have any competition in this area?

There is a chemical propanediol competitor, but no one else is producing Bio-PDO™ on a commercial scale.

What can Bio-PDO™ currently be used to make?

Over a dozen products can be made today using Bio-PDO™ as a key ingredient. The primary brands are Zemea™ renewably sourced propanediol and Susterra™ renewably sourced propanediol. Zemea™ propanediol offers a high purity level and low irritation in personal care and cosmetic applications. Susterra™ propanediol provides low toxicity and biodegradability to applications such as deicing fluids, anti-freeze and heat transfer fluids. In deicing applications, it significantly reduces energy use and emissions over other propylene glycol formulations. Susterra™ propanediol is also a key ingredient for DuPont™ Sorona® polymer and DuPont™ Cerenol™ polyols.

What performance benefits does Zemea™ renewably sourced propanediol have over competitors’ products?

Zemea™ propanediol has lower irritation and skin sensitization potential than competitive products used in the personal care and cosmetics industries. Zemea™ propanediol also offers a luxurious feel and superior hand in lotions and creams.

What performance benefits does Susterra™ propanediol have over competitors’ products?

In fluid applications, Susterra™ propanediol offers excellent low-temperature characteristics and has shown improved degradation characteristics versus conventional glycols in engine coolants for light vehicles and heavy duty trucks. In polymer applications, the unique structure of Susterra™ propanediol contributes to increased flexibility and better impact resistance.

What are the environmental benefits of Bio-PDO™?

The production of Bio-PDO™ consumes 40% less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions by 20% versus petroleum-based propanediol. Production of 100 million pounds of Bio-PDO™ will save the energy equivalent of 15 million gallons of gasoline per year, or enough to fuel over 27,000 cars annually, which is nearly half the cars in Loudon County, Tenn.

Are products made with Bio-PDO™ biodegradable?

Susterra™ propanediol and Zemea™ propanediol are both considered readily biodegradable. The biodegradability of products made with these grades of Bio-PDO™ will depend on the product itself.

What is the American Chemistry Society Heroes of Chemistry Award?

The teams at DuPont, Tate & Lyle, and Genencor International have been selected to receive the ACS Heroes of Chemistry 2007 Award for their work on the “Commercial Production of Bio-PDO™ (1,3-Propanediol) by a Novel Biological Pathway”. This award recognizes industrial chemical innovators and their companies whose work has led to the welfare and progress of humanity. Recipients are selected based on the technical merit of the chemical innovation, including talent and foresight demonstrated by the nominees, the commercial impact of the products on the marketplace, and the benefits to mankind through the products’ performance.

How does Bio-PDO™ fit the strategy of DuPont?

DuPont has established sustainability goals for 2015 that focus on providing sustainable solutions for customers and markets while continuing to reduce the company’s environmental footprint. Bio-PDO™ is a key contributor to achieving these goals as it contributes to the company’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from operations. It also contributes to the goal of increasing sales from non-depletable resources to at least $8 billion. In addition, Susterra™ propanediol and Zemea™ propanediol, DuPont™ Sorona® polymer and DuPont™ Cerenol™ polyols are evidence of the company’s commitment to develop and market products based on renewable feedstocks that match or exceed the functionality of petroleum-based products.

How does Bio-PDO™ fit Tate & Lyle’s strategy?

Bio-PDO™ is an excellent addition to Tate & Lyle’s industrial ingredient portfolio which utilizes the company's core competencies of fermentation and separation. By continuing to invest in research, and through strategic partnerships, we can help meet the world’s increasing demand for products from renewable resources that match or exceed the functionality of petroleum-based alternatives.