Tuesday, February 9, 2010

OPX Bio Sees Progress On Acrylics Effort

Boulder-based OPX Biotechnologies, a developer of biochemical and biofuels technology, claims today that it is making faster-than-planned progress in developing a commercial process for producing bioacrylic. The firm is looking to create acrylics--used in paints, adhesives, detergents, diapers, and other industrial products--using renewable, rather than petroleum sources. According to the firm, it is 85 percent towards a cost of $0.50 per pound, the cost of producing acrylic in standard petroleum processes. The firm said it hopes to achieve cost parity by the end of the year, and is in the midst of a pilot scale process demonstration effort this year. The firm said it expects a first commercial plant using its process in 2013, with a demonstration facility in 2011. OPX is backed by more than $22M in funding from Mohr Davidow Ventures, Braemar Energy Ventures, Altira Group, and X/Seed Capital.