Versalis (San Donato Milanese, Italy; www.versalis.eni.com) has won the bidding process ordered by the Court of Alessandria for Mossi & Ghisolfi’s Group’s “green” activities. The transfer of the related business units will be formally agreed in the coming weeks, in compliance with legal procedures and deadlines. The operation includes assets and resources related to development activities, industrialization, licensing of technologies and bio-chemical processes based on the use of renewable resources, especially biomass, of the four companies Biochemtex, Beta Renewables, Ipb (Italian Bio Products) and Ipb energia. The innovative aspect of these processes is the Proesa technology, which is used to convert biomass into second-generation sugars and the subsequent production of biofuels or, potentially, other biochemical intermediates. The industrial plant at Crescentino (Vercelli) produces bio-ethanol, as well as green electricity thanks to the enhancement of lignin, which is a by-product. This know-how reinforces Versalis’ competitive position in the bio-based chemical industry, creating synergies with ongoing research projects, and will allow the development of an integrated technological platform of chemicals from biomass, in line with the strategy undertaken in recent years.
Versalis acquires four bio-based chemicals companies in Italy
| By Mary Bailey