Evonik joint venture for Biolys production in Russia: Executive Board approves realization

16-07-2012: Evonik Industries is moving forward with its plans to produce Biolys®, a source of L-lysine for animal nutrition, in the OOO DonBioTech joint venture in Russia. The Evonik Executive Board has approved the realization of the project, based in Volgodonsk in Russia's Rostov region. The DonBioTech joint venture will now go ahead with the construction of a Biolys® manufacturing plant in Volgodonsk. The facility is scheduled to go on stream in 2014 with a capacity of around 100,000 metric tons of Biolys®. Evonik, which is holding a minority share, and the Russian Varshavsky Group are the operative partners in the joint venture. Furthermore, JSC Russian Agricultural Bank is interested in participating in the financing of the project.

The joint venture will predominantly serve the Russian market. "Russia will become an important market for us, given that demand there for amino acids used in animal feed has experienced healthy growth for years," explains Patrik Wohlhauser, the Evonik Industries Executive Board Member in charge of the Consumer, Health & Nutrition segment. "The special biotech-based L-lysine, which Evonik markets under the name of Biolys®, is benefitting from growth in worldwide meat consumption."

The joint venture in Russia will employ Evonik fermentation technology at its new Biolys® plant. This technology has been significantly improved in recent years to optimize its efficiency and its raw material and energy consumption levels. The plant will use wheat procured from the Rostov region, which the joint venture will process for the Biolys® production.