"Metafrax Group" will become one of the world's first producers of "green" propylene glycol from bio feedstock
"Metadynea" LLC, a part of "Metafrax Group", has signed a license agreement and a contract for the basic engineering of a production complex of low-tonnage chemical products with Air Liquide Engineering and Construction. The document was approved by Igor Spassky, General Director of "Metadynea" LLC, and Eugene Chernov, Director of the representative office of Air Liquide Engineering and Construction in Russia. The contract signing ceremony took place on December 8, 2021 in Sochi at the RFF 2021, the Forum of Russia and CIS Countries on Production Technologies for the Mineral Fertilizers.
The contract foresees the basic engineering of a production complex for the low-tonnage chemical products - BIO-propylene glycol (BIO-MPG) and glycerin at the site of the "Metadynea" company in the city of Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Moscow region. The complex will be designed using a unique technology and a proprietary copper hydrogenation catalyst for the synthesis of BIO-MPG from glycerin, which was developed and patented by the BASF SE chemical company. In addition to Air Liquide, the "Metafrax" Engineering and Technology Center will take part in the development of documentation.
The engineering of the complex is planned to be completed in 2022, and "Metadynea" is intended to launch the production at the end of 2024. As a result of the project implementation, a unique production of "green" BIO-MPG of pharmaceutical grade (USP/EP) will appear in Russia. The total project investments of "Metafrax Group" may amount to more than 5 billion rubles, which will create up to 100 new jobs at the enterprise in Orekhovo-Zuyevo. In the future, the volume of product fabrication in the group of companies may reach 30 thousand tons per year.
The key product of the project – BIO-MPG or propylene glycol - is used in many branches of modern industry. MPG is part of pharmaceutical products, emulsifiers and stabilizers in the cosmetic and food fields. The product is also used in technical areas – in chemistry, the production of antifreeze products, coolants, heat transfer media, various types of anti-icing fluids in the aviation industry, etc.
The "Metadynea" project presumes the fabrication of a product entirely from biodegradable raw materials and renewable sources of plant origin. As of today, there are only two operating plants in the world that are using BASF SE technology. There are no such production facilities in Russia and almost 100% of the product is imported from abroad. The "Metadynea" project will be able to cover the needs of Russian buyers almost completely.
The BIO-MPG synthesis process used in the project will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 60% compared to the classical propylene oxide production process. With this project, "Metafrax Group" continues its import substitution program by implementing modern technologies for the production of chemicals that are critical to the Russian economy and it also begins a new stage in the implementation of its long-term strategy in the production of environmentally friendly chemical products with a reduced carbon footprint.
- Considering the extensive cooperation experience between "Metafrax" and Air Liquide Engineering & Construction, we are counting on the successful implementation of the "Metadynea" project. Air Liquide Engineering & Construction’s solution for the production of BIO-propylene glycol enables reduction of the carbon footprint by 60% compared to the petrochemical method of product fabrication, - noted Eugene Chernov, Director of the representative office of Air Liquide Engineering and Construction in Russia.
- The signing of the document for the basic engineering of the BIO-MPG production complex is an important event for "Metadynea" and for "Metafrax Group" in general. This is the real result of a major strategic effort for the search and selection of projects for the further development of our enterprise. We have identified low-tonnage and medium-tonnage chemistry as a significant direction for ourselves.At the same time, we expect that the experience of low-tonnage chemical plant operation of colleagues from the "Metadynea" site in Krems, Austria, where the production of this segment of chemical products has already been well-adjusted, will help us, - stated Igor Spassky, General Director of "Metadynea" LLC.