IFF and Kemira announced the formation of Alpha Bio, a joint venture aimed at commercial-scale production of renewable biobased materials. With an investment of approximately €130 million ($137 million USD), the Alpha Bio facility is set to begin production in late 2027, converting up to 44,000 MT of plant sugars to bioproducts, including biopolymers for use in various applications, such as home and personal care and industrial solutions.
Alpha Bio’s production will use IFF’s Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial (DEB) platform technology, integrated at the IFF refinery in Kotka, Finland.
Operating as an independent entity in Kotka, Finland, the joint venture will manufacture a specific line of products enabled by DEB technology for exclusive use by IFF and Kemira. The creation of Alpha Bio is expected to generate 30 direct new jobs in the Kotka area with additional job creation during the project’s construction phase.
Erik Fyrwald, CEO of IFF, says, "Our partnership with Kemira has reached a significant milestone, enabling us to scale the production of groundbreaking biobased materials to meet the large and growing demand for high-performing and sustainable alternatives to fossil-derived polymers."
Fyrwald adds, "IFF’s DEB technology not only guarantees superior purity and consistency compared to traditional biopolymers but also enhances performance across various applications. This innovative approach allows us to combine biodegradability and material sustainability while maintaining cost efficiency and the high performance our customers expect."
Antti Salminen, CEO, Kemira Oyj says, “Since 2020, we’ve been collaborating with IFF using the DEB platform technology, which has allowed us to bring sustainable innovation to our key markets. The new joint venture will build on this initial success, enabling us to scale up production and provide new performance-competitive alternatives to fossil-based products in key markets, including paper and board packaging, paper coatings, and water treatment, while continuing to develop opportunities across other growth markets.”
