Primient, established in 2022 when Tate & Lyle sold a controlling stake in its Primary Products business to KPS Capital Partners (with the $350M sale completing just this May), has formed a strategic partnership with Synonym, a biomanufacturing infrastructure developer, to boost bioproduct innovation and commercialization.
The partnership leverages Primient’s experience in renewable, plant-based ingredients, and Synonym’s biomanufacturing platforms and aims to accelerate the development of new, functional, and affordable biomaterials in the USA.
“The partnership breaks new ground for how companies of all sizes can model, prove out, de-risk, and scale up functional, biobased products using precision fermentation which are better for people and planet,” states Primient on its social channels. “It is a match made to fast-track bioproduct launches and fuel the U.S. bioeconomy.”
iPROOF
The companies’ inaugural project, called iPROOF (Pilot Research Operations Optimization Facility) is partially funded through a US Department of Commerce and Economic Development Administration Phase 2 Tech Hub Grant Award.
The project will be based at Primient’s Decatur, IL facility, and will focus on upgrading fermentation assets and expanding processing capacity. This joint facility will offer full support for companies ready to bring precision fermentation products from concept to commercial scale.
Primient has over 100 years of experience in the agri-business sector, excelling in food and industrial ingredients and fermentation process development, while Synonym provides biomanufacturing infrastructure and digital tools to help companies scale up new compounds.
Helping companies break the biobased barrier
This spring, at the Illinois plant, Primient announced an investment of over $700 million to boost sustainable ingredient production across its operational network in the US. CEO Jim Stutelberg stated at the time, “The scale of investments —particularly in the Decatur operations—is unmatched in our industry and clearly signals our ambition to be the partner of choice now and for the future.”
“We’re one of the originals in this space,” states Stutelberg on the latest news. “We understand the potential of biobased products and solutions and have the proven experience to back it up at scale. Our partnership with Synonym will make a material difference for companies trying to break the biobased barrier by providing a scalable, data-led proving ground to grow with support. We are excited to be a part of this project and look forward to the positive difference we can make together.”
For more information visit www.synonym.bio/iproof.
