Oleochem Analytics — Mainstream Pine Products announced on Jan. 26 plans for an estimated $90m crude tall oil (CTO) biorefinery at the Charleston International Manufacturing Center (CIMC) in South Carolina.
The biorefinery will have a capacity to process 110,000 tons of CTO for use in a wide range of industrial applications.
The company anticipates breaking ground and starting construction later this year with operations starting in 2023.
“We conducted deep-dive market studies and reviewed pine chemical industry cycles,” said Rob Helwick, president and CEO of Mainstream Pine Products. “The increasing demand for renewable, non-food source materials led us to a nationwide search for the best location in which to expand our operations.
“The Goose Creek site was unsurpassed among many we considered,” Helwick said. “It affords us an ideal manufacturing location in an integrated industrial park with reliable infrastructure and intermodal access for efficient delivery of source materials and shipping of refined products.”
With access to interstate highways, deep water shipping and rail facilities, Mainstream’s 10-acre facility will feature NEXPINUS™ technology provided by Neste Engineering Solutions Oy. The associated project management and engineering will be provided by Pegasus TSI, Inc. and supported by Neste Engineering Solutions.
Mainstream has also established a long-term raw material supply chain and has engaged Citigroup Global Markets to serve as the underwriter for its tax-exempt project financing.
CTO is a renewable, non-food resource and a byproduct of pine trees used in paper manufacturing. It is a component of many chemicals including renewable diesel processing products, lubricants, adhesives, inks, paints, coatings, and tire and rubber additives.
