DuPont Tate & Lyle Expanding PDO Plant

DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts, a joint venture between DuPont and agricultural processor Tate & Lyle, is expanding its biobased 1,3-propanediol (PDO) plant in Loudon, Tenn., by 35%. The plant started up in November 2006 with 100 million lb of annual capacity. The partnership uses a fermentation process to convert corn into PDO, which is used to make polytrimethylene terephthalate polymers and as an ingredient in personal care products. The construction will employ 130 workers and is expected to be completed by the second quarter of 2011. “We had record sales last year and are already anticipating the need for additional capacity after just three years of operation,” says Steve Mirshak, president of DuPont Tate & Lyle BioProducts.