Samyang Group is accelerating its eco-friendly business by completing Korea’s first ‘Isosorbide’ plant, a white bio material using plant resources.
Samyang Innochem, a chemical business affiliate of Samyang Group, held a completion ceremony for the isosorbide (product name: NOVASORB®) commercialization plant at its Gunsan plant in Jeollabuk-do on the 16th. About 130 officials, including Samyang Holdings Chairman Kim Yoon, Jeollabuk-do Governor Kim Kwan-young, and Gunsan Mayor Kang Im-jun, attended the completion ceremony.
Isosorbide is a white bio material made by chemically processing starch extracted from plant resources such as corn, and is used in the production of plastics and paints, replacing existing petroleum-derived materials such as BPA (Bisphenol A). Plastic made using isosorbide is an eco-friendly product that not only contributes to reducing carbon emissions, but also has excellent durability and heat resistance, so it can be used in a variety of materials such as food containers, automobile interior and exterior materials, and electronic product exterior materials.
Samyang Innochem’s isosorbide plant is 7,000 pyeong in the Gunsan Free Trade Zone. Construction began in 2020, mechanical completion was completed last year, and commercial production began in February of this year. The current annual production capacity of the plant is 15,000 tons, and it is planned to expand to 30,000 to 40,000 tons per year through facility efficiency improvement and expansion investment.
The only companies capable of commercializing isosorbide are Samyang Innochem and France-based ROQUETTE, and Samyang Innochem is the only company in Korea. Samyang Innochem’s strategy is to use the completion of this plant as an opportunity to expand supply to the domestic and global markets and continue to increase the proportion of overseas sales from eco-friendly businesses.
Samyang Holdings Chairman Kim Yoon said in his welcoming speech at the inauguration ceremony, “There have been many difficulties in the process of developing and researching isosorbide, but the eco-friendly white bio business was something we absolutely had to do.” He added, “Following the development of biomass-based eco-friendly materials, mass production will continue. “I am happy and honored to have secured a factory that can do this,” he said. He also added, “In the future, in line with the growth of the white bio market, we will promote the expansion of the isosorbide plant and contribute to the creation of a low-carbon industrial ecosystem along with revitalizing the local economy.”
Kang Ho-seong, CEO of Samyang Innochem, said, “Eco-friendliness is more than just a trend, it is an essential requirement for a company’s sustainable management and future growth. We are also actively pursuing the development of eco-friendly materials using isosorbide to pioneer the emerging white bio material market.” “And we will realize ESG management that contributes to reducing plastic carbon emissions.”
Meanwhile, as part of the expansion of eco-friendly business, Samyang Innochem signed an MOU with Kukdo Chemical, a leading global epoxy company, in July for cooperation in research and development of eco-friendly bio materials and jointly research and develop eco-friendly epoxies, coatings, adhesives, and paints using isosorbide. We are pursuing commercialization. In addition, Samyang Corporation was selected as the overall lead company for the ‘Development of biomass-based eco-friendly polycarbonate (PC) and components’ project hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy in April last year, leading to the development of biomass-based PC using isosorbide and automobiles using it. Commercialization of interior parts for use is underway.
Source: Pangyo Techno Valley Official Newsroom
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