BioAmber and Mitsui & Co. announced that the initial phase of their Sarnia, ON facility is expected to have production capacity of 17,000 tonnes of biosuccinic acid and commence commercial production in 2013. In addition, the companies announced plans to jointly build and operate two additional facilities that, together with Sarnia, will have a total cumulative capacity of 165,000 tons of succinic acid and 123,000 tons of butane diol (BDO). BioAmber will be the majority shareholder in the plants.

The first of the two other facilities will be located in Thailand, and is projected to come on line in 2014. Partners BioAmber and Mitsui & Co are currently undertaking a feasibility study with PTT MCC Biochem Company Limited, a joint venture established between Mitsubishi Chemical Corp. and PTT Public Company Limited. BioAmber and Mitsui & Co. also plan to build and operate a third plant, located in either North America or Brazil, which will be similar in size to the Thailand project.

"Our goal is to play a leading role in the growth of renewable chemicals, as evidenced by our recent joint ventures with BioAmber in North America for biosuccinic acid and The Dow Chemical Company in Brazil for biochemicals," said Masanori Ikebe, General Manager of Mitsui's Specialty Chemicals Division.

BioAmber is currently producing and selling succinic acid at a plant in France and has proven the quality and cost competitiveness of its technology without subsidies, using commercial scale fermenters. Its proprietary technology platform combines industrial biotechnology, an innovative purification process and patented catalysts to convert renewable feedstocks into chemical that are cost effective replacements for petroleum‐derived chemicals.

"BioAmber's partnership with Mitsui & Co. is a strong endorsement of our technology platform," said Jean‐Francois Huc, CEO of BioAmber. "Mitsui is an ideal partner thanks to its long‐term commitment to renewable chemistry, its extensive reach into chemical markets and its strategic access to sustainable feedstocks. Mitsui also has the financial strength to support our expansion and help us compete internationally," he added.