DuPont and Tereos start a new natural betaine production facility in France

The joint investment by the two global leaders results in the world’s first facility to produce betaine from vinasse

DuPont (NYSE:DD), a world leader in market-driven innovation and science, and Tereos, a global player in the primary processing of sugar beet, sugarcane and cereals, celebrate the culmination of a joint investment by announcing the start-up of the first facility in the world to produce betaine from vinasse. In 2011, DuPont acquired Danisco, forming two new business units Nutrition and Health and Industrial Biosciences, which incorporates Danisco Animal Nutrition. Initiated in 2010, prior to the acquisition, this pioneering investment will allow DuPont to better satisfy market demand for natural betaine.

Collaboratory success

The new dedicated betaine production facility is located within Tereos’ existing bioethanol production plant, the biggest sugar beet distillery in the world, at Origny-Sainte-Benoîte (France). This site is the world’s largest single source of natural betaine and will be managed and operated by Tereos. DuPont, in collaboration with Novasep Process, are responsible for building the process line which combines Danisco’s proprietary chromatographic technology with membrane and evaporation steps to produce natural betaine.

Natural betaine benefits

Natural betaine is used in a large variety of different applications across many markets, in particular as a technical additive in animal feed. For Danisco Animal Nutrition the natural betaine product Betafin^® is a key element supporting the business’ strategy of providing healthy nutrition solutions to the animal feed industry. The osmolytic and hydration functionality of Betafin^® provides exceptional value to producers by improving livestock intestinal health and it reduces the negative impact of heat and disease challenges that can disrupt the animals’ water balance.

Increasing availability

Since the early 1990s, when Danisco’s pioneering research into the applications of natural betaine in animal nutrition clearly demonstrated superior value compared to synthetic analogs, supply has been outweighed by market demand. This opening in Origny will bring DuPont closer to meeting market demand by increasing substantially the availability of natural betaine from early 2013.

Opportunity to increase the value of distillery by-product

For Tereos, this partnership is a unique opportunity to extract further value from a distillery by-product and develop its industrial know-how through large scale production. This new activity has created 20 permanent jobs in the Origny sugar factory-distillery.

“As the world population is growing, DuPont is committed to delivering solutions for a strong global food demand”, commented James C. Collins, president of DuPont Industrial Biosciences. “Our science and innovation capabilities, together with our collaborative approach, ensure we are able to meet the needs of the market while creating new opportunities”.

Yves Belegaud, Executive Officer of Tereos France, said: “We are very pleased to launch this new industrial production facility in Origny with such a prestigious partner as DuPont. This opening is the recognition of 80 years of know-how in the sugar beet industry developed in Origny. Thanks to this new industrial unit and the large volume that we will be able to supply, Tereos France will be developing a new source of income from its by-products and deliver greater value to our sugar beet growers.

About DuPont

Danisco Animal Nutrition pioneered the development and use of enzymes and betaine in animal nutrition. Its products are now widely used by poultry and pig producers throughout the world. The company’s mission is to deliver innovative, sustainable solutions that increase efficiency and safety of the food production chain in an environmentally sensitive way. In May 2011, DuPont acquired Danisco forming a global leader in Nutrition & Health and Industrial Biosciences. Danisco Animal Nutrition is a business unit of DuPont Industrial Biosciences.

DuPont Industrial Biosciences works with customers across a wide range of industries to improve products and make processes more sustainable. Through a unique combination of capabilities in agriculture, biotechnology, chemistry and material science, coupled with the power of 2,500 talented individuals worldwide, the organization focuses on providing biobased solutions to meet the needs of a growing population while protecting our environment.

DuPont (NYSE: DD) has been bringing world-class science and engineering to the global marketplace in the form of innovative products, materials, and services since 1802. The company believes that by collaborating with customers, governments, NGOs, and thought leaders we can help find solutions to such global challenges as providing enough healthy food for people everywhere, decreasing dependence on fossil fuels, and protecting life and the environment.

About Tereos

Tereos is an agro-industrial cooperative specialising in the primary processing of sugar beet, sugarcane and cereals. Thanks to the hard work of its 12,000 beet-producing associate cooperative members, in addition to 40,000 cereal producers, the Group has seen vigorous expansion over the past 20 years, increasing its total production of sugars, starches and alcohol by a factor of 50.

In 2011, Tereos, which has 39 production facilities and 26,500 employees, recorded revenues of €4.4 billion.

Tereos boasts leadership positions in three business lines: sugars (no. 4 worldwide, no. 1 in France and the Czech Republic, no. 3 in Brazil), alcohol and ethanol (no. 1 in Europe, no. 3 in Brazil) and starch (no. 3 in Europe).