Press Releases

Anellotech Welcomes Jean-Pierre Burzynski as R&D Consultant and Strategic Advisor to Board of Directors

April 25, 2023

Pearl River, NY, April 25, 2023 — Anellotech announces today that Jean-Pierre Burzynski, who served as Director of the Process Business Unit at IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN), which is a major research and innovation center in the fields of energy, transport and the environment, has been retained as an R&D Consultant and appointed as a Strategic Advisor to Anellotech’s Board of Directors.

These appointments come on the heels of Anellotech’s longstanding strategic partnership with IFPEN, materialized by their recent achievement of the development of the Bio-TCat® technology, an efficient thermal catalytic process converting nonfood renewable biomass feedstocks into aromatics.

“I’m very pleased to be joining Anellotech and serving as strategic and technical advisor,” says Burzynski. “We have always shared the mutual goal to develop and commercialize technologies for the efficient chemical recycling of mixed plastic waste into light olefins and aromatics, as well as the production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels. I’m excited to help accelerate these efforts.”

While at IFPEN, Burzynski, who holds advanced degrees in chemistry and fluid dynamics, drove research and innovation (R&I) efforts in areas like petrochemicals, natural gas conversion, biofuels, bioproducts and plastic recycling. During his tenure, he was responsible for the development of many processes related to renewable fuels and bioproducts. Many of these processes are commercialized, licensed and implemented in various industries throughout the world and have contributed to the success of IFPEN Group.

For more information, contact us or visit https://anellotech.com

ABOUT ANELLOTECH:
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its fully developed and patented Bio-TCat® technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. In addition to BTX, Bio-TCat produces heavier aromatics, which can be used to make high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonize transportation fuels supply chains. Anellotech’s R&D team is now focused on Plas-TCat®, an emerging process technology that converts mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.

Anellotech Offers Drum-Quantity Samples of Recycled BTX Made From Mixed Waste Plastics via Plas-TCat® Process

November 29, 2022

Pearl River, N.Y, November 29, 2022 — Anellotech is pleased to announce that it is offering drum-quantity product samples of aromatics produced from recycled mixed waste plastics. The recycled benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) will be available to current and potential commercial partners.

The samples are made at Anellotech’s TCat-8® facility — a fully automated, 30-meter-tall pilot plant located inside Trecora’s Silsbee, Texas facility— during ongoing studies demonstrating Anellotech’s Plas-TCat® catalytic pyrolysis technology. TCat-8 can operate 24/7 and converts a representative mixed waste plastics feedstock — including all major plastic types, with the exception of PVC, into BTX, light olefins and paraffins.

“Anellotech can offer BTX samples made directly from mixed waste plastics to potential commercial partners to encourage engagement with our program” says David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech. “Unlike thermal pyrolysis, Plas-TCat makes BTX and other chemicals in one reactor, providing true 100-percent recycled BTX (not mass balance approach) for studies today and eventual future commercial use.”

Based on a proprietary catalyst and fluid bed reactor-regenerator system, Plas-TCat provides a new, direct route to light olefins and aromatics from plastic waste streams — such as polyolefins, polyamides (nylon), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polycarbonate and polystyrene — without the need for steam cracker furnaces. The resulting output of benzene, toluene and xylenes, as well as ethylene, propylene and butylene (light olefins), are suitable after separation for plastics manufacturers to produce a wide range of virgin plastics.

For more information see Plas-TCat update, video and Anellotech presentation, or visit anellotech.com.

About Anellotech
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its fully developed and patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylenes, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts.

Anellotech Selects Barracuda Virtual Reactor

October 06, 2022

October 6, 2022 — CPFD Software (Houston, TX) and Anellotech, Inc. (Pearl River, NY) announce they have entered into a software licensing agreement.

Anellotech is using CPFD’s Barracuda Virtual Reactor as part of the design process for a commercial-scale fluidized bed reactor for its cutting-edge Plas-TCat™ process, a catalytic pyrolysis technology that chemically recycles mixed waste plastics.

“Catalytic pyrolysis of plastics is a rare example of heterogeneously catalyzed gas-solid reactions, and having the most effective simulation tools is critical to enable the development and optimization of our
breakthrough Plas-TCat technology,” says David Sudolsky, CEO of Anellotech.

“Effective reactor design requires an understanding of the hydrodynamic and mixing parameters of the system as well as their effect upon the catalytic reactions. CPFD’s Virtual Reactor™ software supports
Anellotech’s philosophy of model-based development, which reduces development time and scale-up risk.”

“We applaud Anellotech’s commitment to the development and commercialization of efficient and cost-effective sustainable technologies,” says Peter Blaser, CPFD’s vice president of operations. “Anellotech’s mission aligns well with an ongoing transition across the global Barracuda Virtual Reactor user community, whereby the simulation software is increasingly used to accelerate the commercialization of urgently-needed applications in the sustainability, renewables and decarbonization space.”

Anellotech has been conducting demonstration studies of its Plas-TCat technology at its TCat-8™ facility, a fully automated pilot plant with fluidized bed catalytic reactor, catalyst stripper and regenerator. The TCat-8 facility continuously processes solid, post-consumer plastic waste into aromatics and olefins with a nameplate capacity of 0.5 tons per day. Barracuda Virtual Reactor is also used to support and troubleshoot TCat-8.

Press contact:
David Sudolsky
845-735-7700
dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Peter Blaser
281-915-2502
peter.blaser@cpfd-software.com

ABOUT ANELLOTECH:
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its fully developed and patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are
chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. In addition to BTX, Bio-TCat produces heavier aromatics, which can be used to make high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonize transportation fuels supply chains. Anellotech’s R&D team is now focused on Plas-TCat™, an emerging process technology that converts mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.

ABOUT CPFD SOFTWARE:
CPFD Software (https://cpfd-software.com) is advancing multiphase simulation and technology. Its flagship product, Barracuda Virtual Reactor, is a physics-based engineering software package capable of
predicting fluid, particulate-solid, thermal and chemically reacting behavior in fluidized bed reactors and other fluid-particle systems, reducing the risk associated with design, scale-up, commercialization and troubleshooting of industrial processes. The Virtual Reactor technology is accessible through software licensing, consulting or engineering services.

Anellotech Wins Plastics Industry Association Bioplastics Innovation Award

September 15, 2022

Washington, D.C., September 15, 2022 — The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today announced sustainable technology company, Anellotech, as the winner of PLASTICS’ 2022 Innovation in Bioplastics Award. The announcement came as part of PLASTICS’ annual, online #BioplasticsWeek awareness and education event.

Anellotech won the award for the development of the first 100% bioPET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottle made from loblolly pine and other biomass feedstocks, potentially lessening the industry’s reliance on petroleum and natural gas as feedstocks. PET is a widely used plastic most often seen by consumers in plastic beverage bottles.

Anellotech’s patented Bio-TCat™ technology converts non-food biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene (including paraxylene used in making PET), which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts and result in a product with 70% lower greenhouse gas emissions than petroleum-based PET. The paraxylene used to make these 100% bioPET bottles was made by Anellotech at its fully automated TCat-8TM pilot plant located in East Texas. The Company’s partners and collaborators including Suntory purified and converted it into PTA, then PET (using bioMEG supplied by 3rd parties) and finally into 100% bioPET bottles.

Anellotech Demonstrates New Direct Route to Light Olefins and BTX from Conversion of Mixed Plastic Waste in 0.5 TPD Pilot Plant

August 29, 2022

Pearl River, N.Y., August 29, 2022 — Anellotech is pleased to announce that it has, for the first time, continuously processed solid, post-consumer plastic waste into light olefins and aromatics using its Plas-TCat™ catalytic pyrolysis technology. The waste consisted of a mixture of all major plastic types (Figure 1), with the exception of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). 
 
The processing trial took place at Anellotech’s TCat-8TM fully automated, 30 meter tall pilot plant near Houston, Texas (Figure 2, video here). That plant’s nameplate capacity is 0.5 tons per day, and Plas-TCat’s scalable fluidized bed reactor design provides a path to larger commercial production plants capable of addressing substantial global recycling goals.
 
Plas-TCat employs one thermal catalytic reactor to convert a broad range of mixed waste plastics into the same valuable chemical feedstocks used today to make virgin plastics. These include benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) as well as ethylene, propylene and butylene (light olefins). Based on a proprietary catalyst and fluid bed reactor-regenerator system, Plas-TCat provides a new, direct route to light olefins and aromatics from heterogeneous plastic waste streams—without the need for steam cracker furnaces.
 
The technology can effectively process a wide range of waste plastics, alone or within composites. This includes polyolefins, polyamides (nylon), PET, polycarbonate and polystyrene. With the completion of these continuous process runs Plas-TCat is now at Technology Readiness Level (“TRL”) 6.  Trials planned for later in 2022 will be run to confirm promising laboratory yields for Plas-TCat (see Plas-TCat update and Anellotech presentation). 
 
 “Plas-TCat is advantageous due to its high olefin and aromatic hydrocarbon selectivity, high scalability, broad feedstock tolerance, as well as its substantial carbon dioxide emissions savings compared to industrial steam crackers,” says David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech. “The TCat-8 unit will be used in future month-long 24/7 trials to prove the robustness of the process and generate process performance data over an equilibrated catalyst, which are required to design a commercial plant.”
 
Press contact:
David Sudolsky
845-735-7700
dsudolsky@anellotech.com
 
 
ABOUT ANELLOTECH:
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. It’s fully-developed and patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. In addition to BTX, Bio-TCat produces heavier aromatics, which can be used to make high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonize transportation fuels supply chains.   Anellotech’s R&D team is now focused on Plas-TCat™, an emerging process technology that converts mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.

Advance In Plastics Chemical Recycling To Meet A Growing Need

April 08, 2022
Pearl River, New York April 8, 2022 - Brand owners all have recycled content goals for 2025 to 2030. If you add up all the commitments, it’s a fairly huge supply of recycled polymers that is needed. The market needs a recycling process that can be scaled up to chemical industry volumes, is flexible enough to use most plastic wastes as feedstocks, has an attractive LCA, can economically enable the purchase of waste plastic feedstock, and is simple and cost effective.

Anellotech is developing an advanced chemical recycling technology (Plas-TCat™) that aims to meet these key criteria, providing extraordinary process yields of valuable hydrocarbons (especially light olefins and BTX aromatics) used today to make a wide range of plastics.

Read more:

Anellotech and Trecora Resources subsdidary South Hampton Resources renew site host and services agreement for process development pilot plant

January 25, 2022

Pearl River, New York, USA and Silsbee, Texas, USA, January 25, 2022, Anellotech and South Hampton Resources, Inc. (SHR), a subsidiary of Trecora Resources, (NYSE: TREC), announced today the renewal of their agreement for SHR to serve as site host and provide operations services for Anellotech’s TCat-8TM process development pilot plant, which is located inside of SHR’s Silsbee, Texas production plant. SHR owns and operates a 128-acre specialty petrochemicals facility at the Silsbee site, specializing in high purity hydrocarbons. SHR originally began its site hosting relationship with Anellotech in 2016 with Anellotech’s development of its Bio-TCat process for producing petrochemicals from wood.

The original services agreement between Anellotech and SHR allowed Anellotech to install and then operate the TCat-8 unit inside the SHR plant.  SHR also provides a range of site services, including provision of fully-trained plant and control room operators to assist in routine operations of the highly instrumented and automated plant, as well as maintenance services. This has allowed Anellotech’s engineers to focus on the Bio-TCat research program, which featured more than 5,000 hours of successful TCat-8® pilot plant operation, produce tonne quantities of BTX aromatic product from pine wood feedstock, and obtain the data necessary for process design and commercialization.
 
The TCat-8 unit produced the  bio-p-Xylene that was used by Suntory, a global consumer beverage company, to make 100% bio-PET resin and successfully produce prototype PET beverage bottles, as they announced on Dec. 3rd 2021.
 
Going forward under the renewed agreement with SHR, Anellotech intends to continue to conduct studies for Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process as the bio-based technology moves into its commercialization phase. Additionally, Anellotech will transition the TCat-8 unit to conduct the large pilot plant development and demonstration of Anellotech’s new Plas-TCatTM process for making petrochemicals from plastic waste. 
“Anellotech has been very pleased with the quality of the SHR facility and its people, which allowed us to successfully conduct over 5,000 hours of plant operation on our Bio-TCat Process.  We look forward to running additional Bio-TCat process improvement studies and developing our Plas-TCat Process at the SHR site with the able assistance of the SHR team,” said David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech.
 
“I am delighted to announce the renewal of our site host and operations services agreement with Anellotech. SHR and Anellotech have enjoyed a very productive relationship under our original agreement resulting in their successful launch of the TCat-8 process. We look forward to supporting the expansion, operation and commercialization of the Bio-TCat Process in this next phase of our relationship.  This success further demonstrates why SHR is a partner of choice for demonstration and launch of new sustainable technologies,” said Patrick Quarles, President & CEO of Trecora Resources.

 
About Anellotech
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. In addition to BTX, Bio-TCat™ technology produces heavier aromatics AnelloMateTM”, which can be used to make high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonize transportation fuels supply chains.  Engineering work to design the first commercial Bio-TCat plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.
Anellotech’s R&D team is now focused on Plas-TCat™, a development-stage process technology aiming to convert mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.
 
About Trecora Resources (TREC)
TREC (http://www.trecora.com) owns and operates a specialty petrochemicals facility specializing in high purity hydrocarbons and other petrochemical manufacturing and a specialty wax facility, both located in Texas, and provides custom processing services at both facilities.

For further information, contact:
 
Trecora
The Equity Group Inc.
Jeremy Hellman, CFA       
jhellman@equityny.com
(212) 836-9626

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky, President
Information@anellotech.com
USA 845-735-7700

Anellotech's Bio-TCat™ Technology for Making Bio p-Xylene, Toluene and Benzene from Woody Biomass Is Ready for Commercialization

December 15, 2021

100% bio based, polymer-grade p-Xylene produced in Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant has been used by Suntory, a global consumer beverage company, to make 100% bio-PET resin and successfully produce prototype PET beverage bottles, as announced by the company on Dec 3rd 2021.
 
Production of bio-PET, starting with bio p-Xylene from the Bio-TCatTM  technology of Anellotech through the subsequent downstream separation, purification, intermediate PTA (purified terephthalic acid) and final PET steps, was the last milestone to completely validate the Bio-TCatTM technology for the production of prototype 100% bio-based bottles.  This follows more than 5000 hours of successful TCat-8® pilot plant operation using pine wood feedstock to produce tonnes of BTX aromatics. To date, enough of the produced bio paraxylene was separated to allow potential production of more than five thousand (5000) 100 % bio-based Plastic 500 ml bottles, while fully meeting polymer grade specifications.
 
This achievement by Anellotech and its joint process development alliance partners, IFPEN and Axens, affirms their commitment to innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals. Anellotech also partnered with Johnson -Matthey for the Bio-TCat catalyst development.  Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant, built to develop the Bio-TCatTM technology, demonstrates the performance of this efficient thermal-catalytic process which converts non-food renewable biomass feedstocks into aromatics. The Bio-TCat™ process will enable aromatic chemical producers and brand owners to meet environmental, sustainability product goals, due to its low carbon footprint and its non-food renewable biomass feedstock.  Bio-TCatTM benzene can be used to make a range of bio-styrenics, nylon, and polycarbonate, while Bio-TCatTM toluene can be used for production of polyurethanes.

Discussions are underway by Anellotech and its exclusive licensing partner Axens to commercialize the Bio-TCat Process, by identifying potential partners (including off-take) and a plant location for a first 500 tonne/day feed rate commercial plant.  A “white paper” process design package has already been completed by Axens for adaptation to the actual plant site, once selected.

“The competitive advantage of Anellotech’s Bio-TCat generated paraxylene is its process efficiency (it uses a single-step thermal catalytic process by going directly from biomass to aromatics (benzene, toluene and xylene)), as well as the opportunity it creates for a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as compared to its identical fossil-derived paraxylene in the manufacture of PET, especially as it generates required process energy from the biomass feedstock itself” said  David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech.
 
“We are extremely glad to announce this major step of our common development that fits in our goal to develop new technologies and products for a low-carbon economy. It shows that Bio-TCat BTX products can be used to make key polymers answering the needs of brand-owners for sustainable products and opening the road for sustainable processes to produce the main chemical intermediates “ said Jean Pierre Burzynski, Process Business Unit Director at IFPEN.
 
“I am delighted to announce this major achievement. It validates the bio-paraxylene produced by the Bio-TCat process showing the growing interest of the market for sustainable products and open the way for the realization of the first commercial plant.  This is part of our strategy to accelerate the deployment of bio-based products and to reduce substantially the GHG emissions of the chemicals value chain. ” said Pierre Beccat, CTO of Axens.
 
 
About Anellotech
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. In addition to BTX, Bio-TCat™ technology produces heavier aromatics AnelloMateTM”, which can be used to make high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonize transportation fuels supply chains. 

Engineering work to design the first commercial plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

About IFPEN
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN), the French public research entity, has collaborated with Anellotech since 2014 to leverage its expertise in fluid bed catalytic reactor technology, refining and petrochemicals processing and aromatics processing. In addition to extensive activities at its R&D center in Lyon, France, IFPEN has provided technical experts to work for several years at Anellotech’s Texas location during the start-up and operations of the TCat-8® development unit.
 
About Axens
Axens ((https://www.axens.net/ is an international provider of licensed advanced technologies, catalysts, adsorbents and services to the petroleum refining and petrochemicals industries, which has a global reputation for engineering design excellence and licensing in the production of aromatics. Globally, 45% of all refineries have at least one Axens technology license.
 
For further information, contact

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky, President
Information@anellotech.com
USA 845-735-7700

Anellotech Secures Funds to Develop Innovative Plas-TCat™ Plastics Recycling Technology from R Plus Japan, a New Joint Venture Company launched by 12 Cross-Industry Partners within the Japanese Plastic Supply Chain

June 30, 2020

Pearl River, NY, USA - June 30, 2020 - Sustainable technology company Anellotech has announced that R Plus Japan Ltd., a new joint venture company, will invest in the development of Anellotech’s cutting-edge Plas-TCat™ technology for recycling used plastics. R Plus Japan was established by 12 cross-industry partners within the Japanese plastics supply chain. Member partners include Suntory MONOZUKURI Expert Ltd. (SME, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Ltd.), TOYOBO Co. Ltd., Rengo Co. Ltd., Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Ltd., J&T Recycling Corporation, Asahi Group Holdings Ltd., Iwatani Corporation, Dai Nippon Printing Co. Ltd., Toppan Printing Co. Ltd., Fuji Seal International Inc., Hokkaican Co. Ltd., Yoshino Kogyosho Co. Ltd..

Many plastic packaging materials are unable to be recycled and are instead thrown away after a single use, often landfilled, incinerated, or littered, polluting land and oceans. Unlike the existing multi-step processes which first liquefy plastic waste back into low value “synthetic oil” intermediate products, Anellotech’s Plas- TCat chemical recycling technology uses a one-step thermal-catalytic process to convert single-use plastics directly into basic chemicals such as benzene, toluene, xylenes (BTX), ethylene, and propylene, which can then be used to make new plastics. The technology’s process efficiency has the potential to significantly reduce CO2 emissions and energy consumption. Once utilized across the industry, this technology will be able to more efficiently recycle single-use plastic, one of the world’s most urgent challenges.

Suntory began collaborating with Anellotech in 2012, to develop the Bio-TCat process for making aromatics (including paraxylene) from non-food biomass (pine wood), required to make 100% plant-based PET bottles. Anellotech is leveraging and adapting its process technology for Plas-TCat™, which will convert mixed plastic waste feedstocks, including composite films and other difficult-to-recycle materials, at industrial scale into the same basic chemicals (aromatics and olefins) already used to make most virgin plastics, including PET.

“We believe this initiative by Anellotech and R Plus Japan, combining enabling Plas-TCat chemical recycling technology with the concerted efforts of committed supply chain players, illustrates the best model to aggregate and apply the required resources in amelioration of the problem of plastic waste”, says Anellotech CEO Dave Sudolsky. “Plas-TCat’s unique ability to directly produce basic chemicals (used today to make most virgin plastics) from mixed plastics waste, at large scale, represents an economically viable and impactful solution to the plastic waste problem. We are excited by the opportunities ahead and look forward to collaboration with R Plus Japan in tackling this challenge.”

“The significance of chemical recycling is its ability to transform and convert plastic waste into its original chemical components, to eventually produce new plastics. Turning used plastic into secondary, raw materials enables the sustainable use of resources for various industries across the plastics supply chain,” said Tsunehiko Yokoi, Chief Executive Officer of R Plus Japan. “Through the development of this innovative technology, we hope to contribute to solving the global plastic waste issue, which has long been a challenge due to its difficulties in recycling. We’re very excited to work with our industry partners to move this important work forward.”

With the engagement of various industries throughout the value chain, from raw materials manufacturers, and packaging suppliers to beverages companies, the newly established R Plus Japan, together with Anellotech, will advance the development and commercialization of this eco-efficient plastic recycling technology by 2027

About R Plus Japan, Ltd.
R Plus Japan, founded in June 2020 by twelve cross-industry partners in the Japan plastics supply chain, is devoted to expanding development of recycling technology for used plastics. Mr. Tsunehiko Yokoi is the President & CEO, and its corporate headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan.

About Anellotech
Founded in 2008, Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com/) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non- food biomass or waste plastics. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum- based counterparts. The process has been extensively demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas. Engineering work to design the first commercial plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

The Bio-TCat™ platform is now being leveraged for Plas-TCatTM, a development-stage process technology aiming to convert mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.

For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky
+1 (845) 735 7700
DSudolsky@anellotech.com

Amie Lee Fortes
+1 (347) 366 1627
AFortes@anellotech.com

Anellotech’s Technology Converts Lay’s Potato Chip Bag into Key Chemical Required for New Plastic Bottles

February 27, 2020
Pearl River, NY, USA, 27 February 2020 – Sustainable technology company Anellotech has announced that a laboratory demonstration of its Plas-TCatTM technology – which transforms mixed plastic waste directly into chemicals – successfully converted a Lay’s Barbeque Potato Chip (PepsiCo) bag into para-xylene, the primary chemical used to make virgin PET for beverage bottles. The conversion also had high yields of benzene, toluene and olefins used to make a range of plastics, including polyethylene, polypropylene, nylon, ABS and polycarbonate.

Consumer goods brand owners in the beverage, textile, food and cosmetics sectors are setting ambitious 2025-2030 goals to include recycled PET (rPET) content in their products. Used beverage bottles are the main source of rPET – however, not enough beverage bottles are currently produced, collected or recycled to satisfy growing global demand.

By successfully converting multilayer food packaging like potato chip bags and other non-PET waste plastics into chemicals including para-xylene, Anellotech can help brand owners meet their recycled PET content targets.
 
Diagram
Plas-TCatTM has the potential to convert a wide mix of plastics and natural materials – including composite films and multicomponent, single-use packaging like the Lay’s Barbeque Potato Chip bag – directly into commodity chemicals. From the same mixed plastic feedstock, the new process can be adjusted to two different production modes: ‘Hi-Olefins’ which emphasizes the production of olefins such as ethylene and propylene or ‘Hi-BTX’ which will produce mostly aromatics like BTX (benzene, toluene and xylene) and paraxylene – the key component needed for PET.

David Sudolsky, President & CEO of Anellotech, said “This is a world first, a significant step forward for our Plas-TCat technology, solving two major problems at once – expanded rPET supply and efficient, large-scale recycling of single use packaging (including PE, PP and multilayer films). In addition, we are producing the same chemicals used today to make most major plastics. Our unique approach features an economical zeolite catalyst and heat in one fluid bed reactor to make commodity chemicals directly from plastic waste. Contrast this with companies making pyrolysis oils from plastics which must be upgraded at a chemical plant. By leveraging our lab and TCat-8® pilot systems – used to develop Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process for making bio-aromatics from wood – we are on track for an accelerated Plas-TCat program. Anellotech is currently seeking R&D funding from brand owners and other strategic investors to further develop the process.

Want to find out more? Consult a detailed Plas-TCat presentation on our website and check out our ‘About Anellotech’ video.
If you’re interested in having your plastic product screened for Plas-TCat, you can also email Plas-TCat@anellotech.com.” 

About Anellotech
Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing the innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass or waste plastics. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into benzene, toluene and xylene, which are chemically identical to their petroleum-based counterparts. The process has been extensively demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas. Engineering work to design the first commercial plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.
 
The Bio-TCat™ platform is now being leveraged for Plas-TCat™, a development-stage process technology aiming to convert mixed waste plastics into commodity chemicals such as olefins and aromatics, the primary chemicals used to make plastic packaging and other products.


For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky
+1 (845) 735 7700
DSudolsky@anellotech.com

New Anellotech technology tackles plastics pollution by recycling plastic waste into chemicals

December 06, 2019

Pearl River, NY – December 6, 2019 – Sustainable technology company Anellotech is significantly expanding its program with Plas-TCat™, a new process technology aiming to convert a wide range of plastic waste directly into chemicals – which can then be used to make new, virgin plastics.

95% of plastic packaging material is annually lost to the economy after a single use and often ends up in combustors, landfills or polluting the ocean. By leveraging Anellotech’s existing Bio-TCat™ process – which converts biomass into bio-based chemicals and biofuels – Plas-TCat has demonstrated encouraging results in lab studies using pure plastics.

Plas-TCat has the potential to offer a new, cost-effective process which will recycle significant quantities of waste plastics directly into commodity chemicals. Once in the recycling system, waste plastics could be converted into commodity chemicals such as olefins, alkanes and aromatic chemicals, which are identical to their petro-based counterparts which are currently used by manufacturers to make virgin plastics.

Anellotech wants to develop Plas-TCat so it could convert the majority of plastic materials used today, including composite films. Anellotech aims to use its Bio-TCat lab and TCat-8® pilot systems to feed in plastics waste, eventually developing and designing a commercial plant to efficiently make commodity chemicals at large scale, using the same basic process configuration.

Anellotech has expanded its development program, which is expected to last several years. The company has planned studies to ensure that the Plas-TCat process is robust and capable of running long term, on a range of real-world waste plastics feedstocks, with all the impurities that come with them. Anellotech’s TCat-8 pilot plant extensively ran 24/7 with biomass and the company expects it to do the same with plastics.

“Plas-TCat has the potential to transform plastic waste such as composite films, mixed plastics and plastics with biomass – such as paper labels – directly into valuable chemicals. It can handle oxygenated polymers, an important advantage over pyrolysis processes that produce complex oil mixtures which require upgrading and additional conversion in steam crackers,” said David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech. “With potentially high yields of valuable products, we are keen to use Plas-TCat in areas where plastic waste collection is not enforced and collection infrastructure to isolate waste plastics streams is currently lacking. By allowing payment for waste plastic, Plas-TCat provides economic incentives to tackle plastics pollution, especially in developing countries where much of the ocean plastic pollution originates. We are excited about this new venture and are seeking engagement with knowledgeable strategic partners to provide development funding, as well as knowledge in waste plastics supply chain and mechanical handling, to help accelerate this project.”

About Anellotech

Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com/) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$85 million in cash and in-kind contributions from strategic partners. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastic consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components.

Bio-TCat™ technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate™ fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels. The Bio-TCat™ process has already been demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas. This platform is now also being leveraged for Plas-TCat™, a development stage process technology aiming to convert mixed waste plastics into chemicals and fuels. Engineering work to design the first commercial plant is underway by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 Dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Barbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult +32 485 92 05 81 bmj@sustainabilityconsult.com

Anellotech’s New Biomass Pre-Treatment Technology to Remove Minerals Successfully Demonstrated at 20 Metric Tons/Day Scale

July 05, 2019
Pearl River, NY – July 5, 2019 – Anellotech’s MinFree™ technology, an innovative, patent pending biomass pretreatment process has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the mineral (ash) content of loblolly pine at a 20 metric ton/day scale. Month-long trials converting this MinFree™-treated, low-mineral pine into aromatics (BTX) at Anellotech’s Bio-TCat™ process TCat-8® pilot plant showed extended, economic catalyst life.

MinFree™ is expected to provide similar results with other woody biomass like eucalyptus and hard woods, and agricultural residues like cotton straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stover. Anellotech is in discussions with feedstock suppliers and other participants in the supply chain to select the next feedstock for development and commercialization with the MinFree™ process.

David Sudolsky, Anellotech’s President & CEO, said, “We have successfully validated loblolly pine and with our partner Axens have begun engineering work for a commercial plant. We now want to move forward to develop the next feedstock(s) for use in the Bio-TCat™ process. We look forward to working with other feedstock growers as partners to assess and commercialize abundant feedstocks for conversion to valuable chemicals and fuels.”

MinFree™ also has application in the bioenergy sector. The MinFree™ process removes high levels of mineral elements from agricultural residues which could cause fouling, erosion and corrosion, enabling the use of residues as economical feedstocks in addition to wood pellets.


About Anellotech

Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com/) is a technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$80 million in cash and in-kind contributions to date. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastic consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. Bio-TCat™ technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate™ fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels. The Bio-TCat™ process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas which is currently producing aromatics from loblolly pine and generating data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 Dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Kathryn Sheridan Sustainability Consult +32 (0)496 116198 ks@sustainabilityconsult.com

Bio-TCat™ technology viability confirmed during extensive Anellotech pilot plant campaign

May 06, 2019
Pearl River, NY, and Paris, France – May 6, 2019 – The viability of Anellotech’s Bio-TCat™ technology has now been proven by achieving commercially-targeted yields in its TCat-8® pilot unit in Silsbee, Texas during six months of continuous process operations.

Process yields of 22-24% by weight of liquid products from loblolly pine feedstock were demonstrated. Supplemental carbon monoxide (CO) output provides potential for an additional 3-5% yield by weight of cellulosic ethanol via third-party technologies or production of renewable electricity.

The Bio-TCat™ reactor produces a liquid product containing over 98% C6+ aromatic chemicals directly from the MinFree™-pretreated feedstock. After mild hydro-treating and purification, AnelloMate™ products – the family of liquid products made through Bio-TCat™ – meet all specifications for sale as chemicals or fuel blendstocks.

Anellotech is now planning the construction of its first commercial plant and is engaging in partnership and funding discussions with existing and new strategic partners. Engineering work is expected to begin this summer and once funding is secured, the next phase of construction will begin in the second half of 2020. The first plant will be capable of processing 500 bone dry tonnes/day of loblolly pine wood into 40,000 tonnes/year (860 BPSD) of products including benzene, toluene, xylenes, and C9+ aromatics to use as fuels or for making bio-based plastics for packaging and consumer products. 30,000 tonnes of carbon monoxide (CO) and other by-product gases will also be produced, for use in generating renewable electricity or used for chemical feedstock.

“We are delighted with these results, as they validate the economic potential of the Bio-TCat™ process and give us confidence that even small, initial scales of production are viable”, said David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech. “The goal of being cost-competitive with fossil resource technologies is a reality and we look forward to on-going process improvements.

Anellotech and its partner Axens are looking forward to licensing much larger plants following this first commercialization. These would be five-times bigger, producing 200-250,000 tonnes/year (4,000-5,000 BPSD) of aromatics and 150,000 tonnes of CO. This rapidly expands the availability of bio-aromatics for chemicals and fuels, providing cost-competitive solutions needed by refiners and brand owners looking to make a difference in their carbon footprints.

“We are very excited about the prospects of deploying the Bio-TCat™ technology commercially under license in the coming years. We expect to bring non-food, renewable solutions to the fuels and chemicals markets for products that meet sustainability goals and provide attractive returns under competitive market conditions,” affirmed Pierre Beccat, Executive Vice-President Technology Development and Innovation at Axens.

For more information on Bio-TCat™ technology, visit Anellotech’s website.

About Anellotech

Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com/) is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised over US$80 million in cash and in-kind contributions to date. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High-purity BTX is used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture a variety of plastic consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. Bio-TCat™ technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate™ fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulfur marine fuels. The Bio-TCat™ process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas which is currently producing aromatics from loblolly pine and generating data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design by Anellotech and its engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

About Axens

Axens (www.axens.net) is a major international process licensing and engineering firm that provides a broad range of process and catalytic solutions to the oil refining, petrochemical, and natural gas industries including novel technologies for renewable biomass conversion. They are ideally positioned to cover the entire engineering value chain for Bio-TCat technology including design and licensing packages, feasibility studies, unit start-up, and technical service. Axens success is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network of engineers and technicians for manufacturing, technical, and commercial support services.

About IFPEN

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) (http://www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr) is the French public research entity and a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transportation, and the environment. From research to industry, technological innovation is central to all its activities, structured around three strategic priorities: sustainable mobility, new energies and responsible production and use of oil and gas resources. IFPEN collaborates with Anellotech to leverage its expertise in fluid bed catalytic reactor technology, refining, and petrochemicals processing. In addition to extensive activities at its R&D center in Solaize, France, IFPEN provides technical experts to work on-site at Anellotech’s Texas location to help operate the TCat-8 development unit.

For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 Dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Bárbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 233 81 47 bmj@sustainabilityconsult.com


IFPEN:
Anne-Laure de Marignan +33 1 47 52 62 07 anne-laure.de-marignan@ifpen.fr


AXENS:
Corinne Garriga +33 1 47 14 25 14 corinne.garriga@axens.net

100% Renewable Plastic Bottle Significantly Closer to Reality After Successful Production of Bio-based Paraxylene from Non-food Biomass Bio-based Benzene Is Next

February 26, 2019
Pearl River, NY, and Paris, France – 26 February 2019 – Sustainable technology company Anellotech and its joint development partners IFPEN and Axens have processed renewably-sourced aromatics made at Anellotech’s TCat- 8® pilot plant to successfully recover high-purity bio-based paraxylene – a key component for making 100% biobased PET bottles a reality.

This is a key development milestone for Anellotech and global consumer beverage company Suntory, as the two partners will collaborate to produce the bottles. Anellotech, IFPEN and Axens will now purify additional paraxylene to create pilot sample 100% bioPET beverage bottles – as well as sample quantities of bio-based benzene whose derivatives (nylon, ABS, polycarbonate, linear alkyl benzene) are used in clothing, toys, mobile phones and laundry detergent.

“We’re delighted with this achievement, a key milestone on the path to 100% bio-based PET bottles,” said Munehiko Takada, Chief Specialist of Packaging Material Department at Suntory. “High-purity bio-paraxylene is an important material for our business, especially from a sustainability viewpoint.”

Anellotech has been producing renewably-sourced aromatics for purification by IFPEN and Axens in Europe. Since the announcement of a successful two-week continuous trial in March 2018 at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant at Silsbee, Texas, over 4,000 hours of cumulative on-stream time have been achieved.

An initial volume of high-purity bio-paraxylene test samples has been produced. These samples have completely met all of the ASTM International specifications for downstream derivatives in conversion to PET. As larger amounts of paraxylene are purified, Anellotech will begin to make renewable PET resin for prototype bottle manufacture and product trials. This will be the industry’s first major production of bio-PET from continuous, costeffective processing of non-food biomass.

David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech said, “The successful production of high-purity bio-paraxylene from non-food biomass feedstock represents a significant accomplishment for Anellotech, its partners and industry at large, as this latest breakthrough brings 100% renewable plastic bottles closer to reality. Project planning is now underway for the first commercial process plant which will use our proprietary Bio-TCatTM process to produce paraxylene, benzene and other aromatics from sustainably-sourced loblolly pine wood, to be used in bio-based chemicals and biofuels.”

“This is an important milestone to reach our mutual goal and see this technology become a reality,” noted Jean- Pierre Burzynski, Director of the Process Business Unit at IFPEN. “Collaborating with Anellotech offers us a unique opportunity to participate in the development of an innovative and cost-competitive path to bio-aromatics, consistent with our objectives to develop cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass.”

As well as bio-paraxylene, Anellotech continues to work on the recovery of bio-benzene and toluene from TCat-8® output. Separation and purification of high-purity bio-benzene will enable sample volumes of a range of important bio-based polymers such as nylons, polycarbonate, polystyrene and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) to be produced.

“Today, the energy and chemical industries must be responsive and proactive in adapting their assets and operations to contribute to a sustainable future. Our common project with Anellotech and IFPEN enters fully in this objective. Bio-TCat will complete effectively our processes portfolio to transform biomass into fuel or chemicals.” said Pierre Beccat, Executive Vice President Technology Development & Innovation of Axens.

About Anellotech

Anellotech (http://www.anellotech.com/) technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost- competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$80 million in cash and in-kind contributions to date. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastic consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. Bio-TCatTM technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate™ fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels. The Bio-TCatTM process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas which is currently producing aromatics from loblolly pine and generating data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design by Anellotech and its engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

About Axens

Axens (www.axens.net) is a major international process licensing and engineering firm that provides a broad range of process and catalytic solutions to the oil refining, petrochemical, and natural gas industries including novel technologies for renewable biomass conversion. They are ideally positioned to cover the entire engineering value chain for Bio-TCat technology including design and licensing packages, feasibility studies, unit start-up, and technical service. Axens success is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network of engineers and technicians for manufacturing, technical, and commercial support services.

About IFPEN

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) (http://www.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr) is the French public research entity and a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transportation, and the environment. From research to industry, technological innovation is central to all its activities, structured around three strategic priorities: sustainable mobility, new energies and responsible production and use of oil and gas resources. IFPEN collaborates with Anellotech to leverage its expertise in fluid bed catalytic reactor technology, refining, and petrochemicals processing. In addition to extensive activities at its R&D center in Solaize, France, IFPEN provides technical experts to work on-site at Anellotech’s Texas location to operate the TCat-8 development unit.

About Suntory

Suntory is one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies with over $25 billion annual sales and has partnered with Anellotech to advance development and commercialization of cost-competitive aromatics, including bio-paraxylene, the key component needed to make 100% bio-based PET bottles. Suntory currently uses 30% plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100% bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices. The alliance began in 2012 under a collaboration agreement and Suntory has since provided more than $30 million in funding to date.

For further information contact:

Anellotech:
David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Bárbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 233 81 47 bmj@sustainabilityconsult.com


IFPEN:
Anne-Laure de Marignan +33 1 47 52 62 07 anne-laure.de-marignan@ifpen.fr


AXENS:
Corinne Garriga +33 1 47 14 25 14 corinne.garriga@axens.net

New Technology Advances Lead Anellotech to Announce Commercial Plant Engineering Plans

October 16, 2018
Pearl River, NY, October 16, 2018 –Sustainable technology company Anellotech confirms significant progress in its Bio-TCat™ technology development program and has begun planning for scale-up design and engineering of a commercial plant with its process development and design partner IFPEN and commercialization, engineering, and licensing partner Axens.

Anellotech is pioneering an innovative manufacturing process to produce cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Its patented Bio-TCat thermal-catalytic technology produces a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene (BTX) which can be used to make important polymers such as polyester, polycarbonate, and nylon, or high-octane gasoline blendstock. Jacobs, a globally respected engineering firm, recently confirmed that the Bio-TCat process enables a CO2 emission reduction potential of 70-90% when compared to petroleum-derived equivalents. Co-product gas streams from Bio-TCat can be used to make significant amounts of renewable electricity, hydrogen or cellulosic ethanol using third party technologies.

Commercially-viable process yields and catalyst performance has now been achieved at economic design conditions at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot unit in Silsbee, Texas. TCat-8 has demonstrated consistently stable operation of major process steps and recycle loops, with highly-accurate analytic confirmation. These attractive results have been achieved with real world commercial feedstock, loblolly pine recently harvested from Georgia forests. Anellotech’s MinFree pretreatment process, operational at multi-ton scale, has been used to ensure low mineral content in the TCat-8 feedstock which is critical for catalyst performance.

TCat-8 has operated for over 2,000 hours with continuous catalyst circulation including a fluid bed reactor, catalyst stripper, catalyst regenerator, quench tower, and recycle compressor. The pilot plant is operating mass balance closures of 100% +/-2%, and regularly completes uninterrupted 24/7 runs. The TCat-8 unit operates inside a commercial chemical facility that is OSHA PSM compliant..

David Sudolsky, President & CEO of Anellotech, said, “Our TCat-8 unit consistently demonstrates stable, economic performance as we continue to further optimize process conditions. These advancements come from the dedicated and coordinated efforts of Anellotech, IFPEN and Johnson Matthey engineers and scientists. We are excited to begin commercial plant engineering activities with our partner Axens and open up engagement with potential partners for investments and locations for the first commercial plant.”

This week, Anellotech CEO David Sudolsky will be at the European Forum for Industrial Biotechnology & the Bioeconomy (EFIB) Conference in Toulouse, France, where he will speak on October 17 at 11:30. In the USA, Anellotech Chief Scientific Officer Charles Sorensen will attend VERGE 18 in Oakland, California, on October 16- 18. You can find Anellotech in the Expo area at booth number 311.

About Anellotech

Anellotech is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of costcompetitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$80 million in cash and in-kind contributions to date. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastics for consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. Bio- TCat technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate™ fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels. The Bio-TCat process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas and is currently collecting data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design by Anellotech and its engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.

Anellotech’s Bio-TCat technology will help aromatics chemical producers and brand owners meet environmental sustainability goals for their products, due to its low carbon footprint. Unlike many others, Anellotech’s thermalcatalytic technology is focused on utilizing lower-cost and highly available lignocellulosic starting materials such as wood and agricultural by-products as feed rather than processes that start with sugars or that are based on fermentation.

Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, highly-interactive, and long-term alliances with leaders in process development, catalysis, engineering design, and licensing to accelerate development and drive cost-competitiveness. IFPEN is our process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is our catalyst development partner, and Axens is our partner for industrialization, commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain, including Suntory, Toyota Tsusho, and other confidential strategic investors have provided funding to Anellotech.

To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

About Axens

Axens (www.axens.net) is a major international process licensing and engineering firm that provides a broad range of process and catalytic solutions to the oil refining, petrochemical, and natural gas industries including novel technologies for renewable biomass conversion. They are ideally positioned to cover the entire engineering value chain for Bio-TCat technology including design & licensing packages, feasibility studies, unit start-up, and technical service. Axens success is based on highly trained human resources, modern production facilities and an extended global network of engineers and technicians for manufacturing, technical, and commercial support services.

About IFPEN

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN), is the French public research entity and a major research and training player in the fields of energy, transportation, and the environment. From research to industry, technological innovation is central to all its activities, structured around three strategic priorities: sustainable mobility, new energies and responsible production and use of oil and gas resources. IFPEN collaborates with Anellotech to leverage its expertise in fluid bed catalytic reactor technology, refining, and petrochemicals processing. In addition to extensive activities at its R&D center in Solaize, France, IFPEN provides technical experts to work on-site at Anellotech’s Texas location to operate the TCat-8 development unit.

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Kathryn Sheridan Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 233 81 47 ks@sustainabilityconsult.com

Jacobs Confirms Anellotech’s Bio-TCat™ Process Leads to Significant Carbon Emission Reductions Compared to Petro-based Aromatics

October 11, 2018
Pearl River, NY, October 11, 2018 – Sustainable technology company Anellotech announced that its pioneering Bio-TCat process, which produces bio-based aromatics from pine wood, has a CO2 emission reduction potential of 70% or more when compared to petroleum-derived equivalents. Jacobs’ analysis confirms that Bio-TCat is ideal for chemical producers and brand owners looking to meet sustainability goals for producing renewable polymers for consumer products or biofuels blended into transportation fuels.

Jacobs [Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:JEC)], a globally respected engineering firm conducted an in-depth review of Anellotech’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) Lifecycle Analysis (LCA), using its own industry-accepted refinery and petrochemical models. Jacobs verified that renewably-sourced Bio-TCat products enable significant GHG reductions when compared to identical chemicals currently made from crude oil.

“Engaging Jacobs’ expertise to review our process energy and material balance helped us improve the accuracy of our LCA model tremendously, and make meaningful comparisons with real-world carbon footprints. This makes us even more confident that Bio-TCat technology will deliver on its sustainability promises and provide an economical route to a range of renewable chemical and fuel applications products that can replace those made from crude oil,” said Anellotech President and CEO David Sudolsky.

The LCA compared Bio-TCat aromatics, produced using sustainably-sourced loblolly pine feedstock from the southern United States, to petro-aromatics produced in the US Gulf Coast from three crude oils which represented a range of carbon intensities. Jacobs employed their proprietary, detailed models for oil production, transportation and refining to estimate the carbon intensity of producing high-purity paraxylene and benzene products.

The results found that CO2 emissions for producing paraxylene and benzene from pulpwood using Anellotech’s process are estimated to be 70-80% lower than emissions for identical petro-based chemicals made from crude oils. If Bio-TCat is configured to make renewable gasoline and distillate fuel blendstocks, the reduction potential exceeds 90% as fuels are burned to make energy. In the coming months, Anellotech will be revisiting its process design and performing additional energy integration and optimization work to identify further ways to lower CO2 emissions.

About Jacobs

Jacobs leads the global professional services sector delivering solutions for a more connected, sustainable world. With $15 billion in fiscal 2017 revenue when combined with full-year CH2M revenues and a talent force of more than 77,000, Jacobs provides a full spectrum of services including scientific, technical, professional and construction- and program-management for business, industrial, commercial, government and infrastructure sectors.

About Anellotech

Anellotech is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Founded in 2008, Anellotech has raised US$80 million in cash and in-kind contributions to date. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal-catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. High purity benzene, toluene and xylenes are used to make commodity polymers such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture plastics for consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. Bio-TCat technology can also produce renewable AnelloMateTM fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulfur marine fuels. The Bio-TCat process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstock at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas, and is currently collecting data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design.

The Bio-TCat technology will help aromatics chemical producers and brand owners meet environmental sustainability goals for their products, due to its low carbon footprint. Unlike many others, Anellotech’s thermal-catalytic technology is focused on utilizing lower-cost and highly available lignocellulosic starting materials such as wood and agricultural by-products as feed rather than processes that start with sugars or that are based on fermentation.

Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, highly-interactive, and long-term alliances with leaders in process development, catalysis, engineering design and licensing to accelerate development and drive cost-competitiveness. IFPEN is our process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is our catalyst development partner and Axens is our partner for industrialization, commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain including Suntory and Toyota Tsusho, as well as other confidential strategic investors, also have provided funding to Anellotech.

To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Kathryn Sheridan Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 233 81 47 ks@sustainabilityconsult.com

Developments at Anellotech Plant Bring 100% Bio-based Plastic Bottle Closer to Reality

July 16, 2018
Pearl River, NY, July 16, 2018 – Sustainable technology company Anellotech recently achieved new milestones at its TCat-8® pilot plant in Texas, thereby progressing its 100% bio-based bottle collaboration with global consumer beverage company Suntory.

Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant is using Bio-TCatTM technology, an efficient thermal catalytic process which converts non-food biomass feedstock material into BTX aromatics, a group of renewable chemicals identical to their petro-based counterparts. The first shipment of BTX has now been sent to joint development partners IFPEN and Axens for purification studies to make bio-paraxylene – the key aromatic chemical needed to make 100% renewable beverage bottles a reality. Bio-paraxylene from TCat-8® will be used to make renewable PET resin for prototype bottle manufacture and product testing.

Since the announcement of a successful two-week continuous pilot plant trial in March 2018, over 1,200 hours of cumulative on-stream time have been achieved at TCat-8®, while BTX has been generated for product testing and evaluation and process development data collected for future commercial plant design. Anellotech also continues to produce other aromatic products through its Bio-TCatTM process, including benzene and toluene. These can be used to make a range of bio-based polymers such as nylon, polycarbonates, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and industrial chemicals such as LAB (linear alkyl benzene), which is used in laundry detergents.

David Sudolsky, President & CEO of Anellotech, said “Following our announcements earlier this year on process development and continuous operation, we are glad that significant progress continues at our TCat-8® pilot plant. We continue to move the technology towards commercialization, and shipping the pilot plant’s product for downstream evaluation is another major milestone. Having collaborated with Suntory since 2012 to advance development of cost-competitive bio-aromatics, we hope bio-based plastics made from our Bio-TCatTM process and a 100% bio-based bottle soon become a reality.”

Anellotech CEO David Sudolsky will be talking more about these developments and Anellotech’s work in a breakout session at the BIO World Congress tomorrow, Tuesday 17 July. Join him from 10.15am at ‘Renewable Chemicals Making Headway into New Materials and Consumer Biobased Products’.

About Anellotech

Anellotech, is a sustainable technology company focused on commercializing innovative production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass. Its patented Bio-TCat™ technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts and can be used in a range of chemical applications. BTX aromatics can also be used to make commodity plastics such as polyester (polyethylene terephthalate or “PET”), polystyrenes, polycarbonates, nylons and polyurethanes which are used to manufacture consumer goods such as beverage bottles, food packaging, clothing, footwear, carpeting, automotive and electronic components. As well as BTX, Bio-TCat™ technology has produced heavier aromatics AnelloMateTM”, which can be used as a high-quality biofuels blendstock for transportation fuel to help decarbonise transportation fuels supply chains. The Bio-TCat™ process is being demonstrated with pulpwood feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8® pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas. Bio-TCat™ can also use other non-food, renewable feedstocks which are all less expensive than sugar. Jointly designed with IFPEN, the plant will generate scale data to optimize the Bio-TCat™ process with tonnage-scale production, as Anellotech advances towards commercial-scale plant designs. Anellotech’s Bio-TCat™ technology will help aromatics chemical producers and brand owners meet environmental sustainability goals for their products, due to its low carbon footprint and its non-food biomass feedstock.

To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

About Suntory

Suntory is one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies with over $25 billion annual sales and has partnered with Anellotech to advance development and commercialization of cost-competitive aromatics, including bio-paraxylene, the key component needed to make 100% bio-based PET bottles. Suntory currently uses 30% plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100% bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices. The alliance began in 2012 under a collaboration agreement and Suntory has since provided more than $30 million in funding to date.

About Axens

Axens is Anellotech’s partner for commercialization, global licensing, basic engineering design, start-up and technical support for licensees. It is an international provider of licensed advanced technologies, catalysts, adsorbents and services, which has a global reputation for engineering design excellence and licensing in the production of aromatics. Globally, 45% of all refineries have at least one Axens technology license.

About IFPEN

IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN), the French public research entity, collaborates with Anellotech to leverage its expertise in catalytic reactor modeling, catalyst regenerator design and aromatics processing. In addition to extensive activities at its R&D center in Lyon, France, IFPEN has dedicated three full-time senior engineers and technical experts to work at Anellotech’s USA location for two years during the start-up of the TCat-8® development unit in 2016.

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Bárbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 347 11 01 bmj@sustainabilityconsult.com

Anellotech Achieves Key Process Technology Operating Milestone;

March 28, 2018
Pearl River, NY, March 28, 2018 – Anellotech, a sustainable technology company pioneering the Bio-TCat™ process for production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass, today announced a key operating milestone, achieving two weeks of continuous operation of its seven-story tall TCat-8 pilot plant, producing aromatics (primarily benzene, toluene, and xylenes) from loblolly pine feedstock. Anellotech also secured an additional $6 million investment from Suntory Holdings Limited, which was part of a previously announced $15 million package. Suntory’s total investment in Anellotech’s program is now more than $30 million.

The Bio-TCat Process’s cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals are “drop in” replacements for their identical petroleum-derived counterparts, and can be used in manufacturing plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. The low carbon footprint of Bio-TCat products can help chemical producers and consumer brand owners meet challenging corporate environmental sustainability goals.

Having recently announced completion of commissioning of the TCat-8® pilot plant located in Silsbee, Texas, Anellotech has begun an extensive development program to optimize process variables, validate process economics, confirm catalyst long-term performance, and obtain the critical data for commercial plant design. As these studies continue, TCat-8 is producing evaluation quantities of renewable aromatic chemicals for conversion into bio-based polymer prototypes and for bio-fuel certification programs.

“We have demonstrated continuous, stable operation of the TCat-8 pilot unit over a two week period as the first key step in demonstrating Bio-TCat’s commercial viability,” said Dr. Charles Sorensen, Chief Technology Officer of Anellotech. “In a relatively short time period, our pilot plant has generated a large amount of high-quality data which gives us confidence that we will be able to achieve our longer-term operational goals. Continuous catalyst circulation, the injection of solid biomass feedstock into the reactor, and several internal recycle loops create numerous complexities that Anellotech engineers and scientists, together with our R&D partners IFPEN and Johnson Matthey, have successfully addressed.”

The alliance with Suntory, one of Anellotech’s principal strategic investment partners, began in 2012 with the goal of enabling the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles. Suntory currently uses 30 percent plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 percent bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices.

Anellotech continues to seek additional strategic partners to support its development and participate in the future success of Bio-TCat™ technology. With Suntory’s strong interest in paraxylene, Anellotech’s technology provides a unique complementary opportunity for companies interested in using bio-benzene or toluene to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the manufacture of polymers and products such as ABS, nylons, polycarbonates, polyurethanes, detergents, and other aromatic-containing products currently made from petroleum.


About Anellotech

Anellotech is developing the Bio-TCat™ process to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes, “BTX”) from non-food biomass for use in making plastics, including polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Bio-TCat’s cost-competitive advantage results from the use of non-food biomass (including wood or agricultural residues), and an efficient and economical catalyst as the only significant inputs. Anellotech’s R&D program includes process studies to confirm Bio-TCat’s viable process economics, long-term operability, and carbon footprint reduction in comparison to petroleum-derived BTX. Anellotech is currently evaluating loblolly pine and eventually other sustainable bio-feedstocks at its seven-story tall TCat-8® pilot plant operated within the South Hampton Resources chemical plant in Silsbee, Texas. The R&D program will generate bio-based BTX samples for use in making prototype samples of PET polymer for bio-based bottles and bio-benzene-based polymers such as ABS, polycarbonate and polyurethane for strategic investors.

By using renewable and readily available non-food feedstock materials the Bio-TCat process is less expensive compared to bio-based processes relying on sugar as a feedstock, and avoids competition with the food chain. These renewable products are expected to be produced and sold profitably either against identical, petroleum-derived BTX counterparts, or as renewable fuel blend stocks. Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, highly-interactive, and long-term alliances with leaders in process development, catalysis, engineering design, and licensing to accelerate development and drive cost-competitiveness. IFPEN is our process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is our catalyst development partner, and Axens is our partner for industrialization, commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain, including Suntory and Toyota Tsusho, as well as other confidential strategic investors, also have provided funding to Anellotech. To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Bárbara Mendes-Jorge Sustainability Consult +32 (0)2 347 11 01 bmj@sustainabilityconsult.com

Anellotech and Suntory Honored as Recipients of “Top 10 Innovations” Award by Innovation for Cool Earth Forum

February 05, 2018
Pearl River, NY, February 5, 2018 – Anellotech, a sustainable technology company pioneering the production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass, today announced that its alliance with Japan-based Suntory, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies, was honored as a recipient of the “Top 10 Innovations” award at the 2017 Innovation for Cool Earth Forum (ICEF) in Japan.

The alliance with Suntory, one of Anellotech’s principal strategic investment partners, began in 2012 with the goal of developing new technology leading to the commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles. Suntory currently uses 30 percent plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 percent bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices. Suntory has invested more than $25 million in Anellotech’s Bio-TCat™ technology to date.

“We are honored to be selected for this prestigious award and for its recognition of the importance of our achievements in this field,” said Dave Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech.

ICEF, which is hosted annually by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry; New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, and co-hosted by Ministry of Foreign Affairs; and Ministry of the Environment, is aimed at addressing climate change through innovation. ICEF brings together global leaders and experts from business, academia and the public sector to promote discussion and cooperation on innovation in energy and environmental technology.

“Top 10 Innovations” is an event to elect the most notable among recent innovative developments in energy and climate change mitigation that had been presented within the past two years. Selection criteria include GHG emissions reduction potential, innovativeness, and overall feasibility. “Top 10 Innovations” were determined through votes cast by ICEF’s global participants to elect “the latest technological and business model innovations and polices with the potential to transform society in the fields of energy and environment.”

In preparing for the event, the ICEF secretariat collected approximately 400 cases from international journals, databases and other sources, and selected 100 cases as a longlist by interviews with professionals on respective areas. Subsequently, The Top 10 Working Group, comprising four members of the ICEF Steering Committee selected 25 cases out of the 100 to be shortlisted for the final voting. Finally, “Top 10 Innovations” were determined through votes cast by ICEF participants.

The Top 10 Working Group provided the following comments in summarizing its vote for the Anellotech and Suntory Alliance: “Highly recommended, since decarbonization of raw materials used in plastics is a particularly great challenge and all advances in this field should be encouraged.”

For additional information about ICEF and “Top 10 Innovations” please visit: http://www.icef-forum.org/top10/top10-icef2017.html.”


About Anellotech

Anellotech is developing the Bio-TCat™ process to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes, “BTX”) from non-food biomass for use in making plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Bio-TCat’s cost-competitive advantage results from the use of non-food biomass such as wood or agricultural residues, and an efficient and economical catalyst as the only significant inputs. Anellotech’s R&D program includes process studies to confirm Bio-TCat’s viable process economics, long-term operability, and carbon footprint reduction in comparison to petroleum-derived BTX. Anellotech is currently evaluating loblolly pine and eventually other sustainable bio-feedstocks at its seven-story tall TCat-8® pilot plant operated within the South Hampton Resources chemical plant in Silsbee, Texas. The R&D program will generate bio-based BTX samples for use in making prototype samples of PET polymer for bio-based bottles and bio-benzene-based polymers such as ABS, polycarbonate and polyurethane for strategic investors.

By using renewable and readily available non-food feedstock materials the Bio-TCat process is less expensive compared to bio-based processes relying on sugar as a feedstock, and avoids competition with the food chain. These renewable products are expected to be produced and sold profitably either against identical, petroleum-derived BTX counterparts, or as renewable fuel blend stocks. Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, highly-interactive, and long-term alliances with leaders in process development, catalysis, engineering design, and licensing to accelerate development and drive cost-competitiveness. IFPEN is our process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is our catalyst development partner, and Axens is our partner for industrialization, commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain, including Suntory and Toyota Tsusho, as well as other confidential strategic investors, also have provided funding to Anellotech. To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Cory Ziskind ICR +1 (646) 277 1232 cory.ziskind@icrinc.com

Anellotech Announces First $9 Million of Total $15 Million Additional Investment to Advance Suntory’s Environmental Vision

January 18, 2018
Pearl River, New York – January 18, 2018 – Alliance continues progress towards the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles

Anellotech, a sustainable technology company pioneering the production of cost-competitive renewable chemicals and fuels from non-food biomass, today announced that Japan-based Suntory Holdings Limited, one of the world’s leading consumer beverage companies, has invested an additional $9 million in Anellotech’s Bio-TCat technology. This latest tranche, which is part of a new $15 million package based on Anellotech achieving specific milestones, brings Suntory’s total investment in Anellotech to more than $25 million to date.

Anellotech’s Bio-TCat Process will produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes, “BTX”) from non-food biomass for use in manufacturing plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Anellotech recently announced the completion of the commissioning of its 25 meter tall TCat-8 pilot plant, and has commenced the critical development program to validate process economics and obtain necessary data for commercial plant design.

The alliance with Suntory, one of Anellotech’s principal strategic investment partners, began in 2012 with the goal of enabling the development and commercialization of cost-competitive 100 percent bio-based plastics for use in beverage bottles. Suntory currently uses 30 percent plant-derived materials for its Mineral Water Suntory Tennensui brands and is pursuing the development of a 100 percent bio-based PET bottle through this alliance, as part of its commitment to sustainable business practices.

“We have made significant progress achieving key milestones in commissioning the TCat-8 pilot plant, and are now ready to begin the next stage of the development program including the production of prototype test samples of renewable bio-chemicals for ultimate conversion to bio-based plastics,” said David Sudolsky, President and CEO of Anellotech. “Suntory is a leader in its commitment to environmental sustainability. With its continued investment in Anellotech’s technology, and together with our development partners, we will demonstrate a scalable and cost-effective route to bio-paraxylene production. Our innovative technology will advance the development and commercialization of the world’s first cost-competitive bio-based aromatics production for bio-plastics for consumer products.”

In 2014, the Suntory Group established its Environmental Vision toward 2050 and set targets toward 2020 to provide clear direction to its environmental management based on its corporate tagline “Follow Your Nature.” Suntory is committed to promoting innovative technology solutions to reduce environmental impact through the entire value chain in accordance with its mission - To Create Harmony with People and Nature. Suntory’s Environmental Vision will take on the following challenges toward 2050:

  • Preserving and regenerating the natural environment in Suntory’s major business countries
  • Halving the environmental impact generated by Suntory’s business activities by 2050 in such areas as water consumption at company plants, and CO2 emission throughout the entire value chain


Suntory Group recognizes the social and environmental impacts that containers and packaging cause and considers the environment in the entire product life cycle – from planning and product design to transport and post-consumption recycling. The company has implemented a wide range of initiatives focused on dramatically decreasing the amount of resources that it uses and is actively introducing renewable resources as a measure to limit its environmental impact as much as possible. For plastic bottle containers, Suntory Group aims to replace petroleum-derived raw materials with renewable raw materials as much as possible.>

“We are very pleased to play an important role in helping Suntory advance its environmental vision as the Bio-TCat technology will help enable Suntory to reduce its use of petroleum-derived packaging and reduce its carbon footprint,” added Sudolsky. “Anellotech anticipates that the Bio-TCat Process can produce renewably-sourced aromatic chemicals with significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to their identical petroleum-derived counterparts, helping brand owners and others achieve their corporate environmental sustainability goals.”

Sudolsky concluded, “Anellotech’s technology has end use applications for a range of consumer products, including clothing/textiles, food and beverage packaging, automobiles, adhesives, coatings, consumer electronics, detergents and tires. We look forward to partnering with innovative consumer product companies and brand owners that are seeking first mover advantage with a renewable technology that offers unique and compelling environmental and cost benefits, especially for benzene-chain bio-plastics which are complementary to Suntory’s interest in p-xylene.”


About Anellotech

Anellotech is developing the Bio-TCat™ process to produce cost-competitive renewable aromatic chemicals (benzene, toluene and xylenes, “BTX”) from non-food biomass for use in making plastics such as polyester, nylon, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or for renewable transportation fuels. Bio-TCat’s cost-competitive advantage results from the use of non-food biomass such as wood or agricultural residues, and an efficient and economical catalyst as the only significant inputs..

By using renewable and readily available non-food feedstock materials the Bio-TCat process is less expensive compared to bio-based processes relying on sugar as a feedstock, and avoids competition with the food chain. These renewable products are expected to be produced and sold profitably either against identical, petroleum-derived BTX counterparts, or as renewable fuel blend stocks. Anellotech complements its world-class R&D team with in-depth, highly-interactive, and long-term alliances with leaders in process development, catalysis, engineering design, and licensing to accelerate development and drive cost-competitiveness. IFPEN is our process development and scale-up partner, Johnson Matthey is our catalyst development partner, and Axens is our partner for industrialization, commercialization, global licensing and technical support. Industry-leading strategic partners in the BTX supply chain, including Suntory and Toyota Tsusho, as well as other confidential strategic investors, also have provided funding to Anellotech. To learn more, please visit: www.anellotech.com

For further information contact:

David Sudolsky Anellotech Inc. +1 (845) 735 7700 dsudolsky@anellotech.com

Cory Ziskind ICR +1 (646) 277 1232 cory.ziskind@icrinc.com

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