Summary: Zhucheng Dongxiao's high-end erythritol intelligent upgrading project and Techno's sucralose production line expansion project were completed.

On 25 April, the report on the inspection and acceptance of the completed environmental protection facilities of Zhucheng Dongxiao Biotechnology Co., Ltd. (Zhucheng Dongxiao)'s 30,000 t/a high-end erythritol intelligent upgrading project. Zhucheng Dongxiao's erythritol capacity now increases to 90,000 t/a.

Located in Zhucheng City (county-level), Weifang City, Shandong Province, Zhucheng Dongxiao has two production parks. Park 1 produces glucose, maltose, maltodextrin, sorbitol, maltitol and non-dairy creamer and Park 2 produces erythritol and amino acids.

At the end of 2021, Zhucheng Dongxiao announced the environmental impact (EI) reports of two projects each with a capacity of 30,000 t/a of erythritol were approved,

• the 30,000 t/a high-end erythritol project, which completed construction in Jan. 2023 and passed the environmental protection inspection and acceptance in March 2023.
• this intelligent upgrading project, which is built based on the amino acids technology upgrading project, aiming to realise the alternate production of erythritol and amino acids.

Overview of 30,000 t/a high-end erythritol intelligent upgrading project:

• Construction nature: Technological upgrading
• Location: Zhucheng Dongxiao's Park 2, Xinxing Industrial Park, Zhucheng City, Weifang City, Shandong Province
• Total investment: USD15.21 million (RMB105 million), of which USD56,593 (RMB390,800) for environmental protection
• Additional floor area: 6,500 m²
• Construction content: Based on the facilities built in the amino acids technology upgrading project, such as fermentation workshop, extraction and refining workshop, ageing and packaging workshop, air compressor room and refrigeration system room, 168 sets of new production equipment including decolourisation tank, crystalliser, vibrating fluidised bed, plate closed filter, screw air compressor were purchased and installed.
• Production capacity: 30,000 t/a of high-end erythritol and 50,000 t/a of 98% lysine are produced alternately.
• Consumption of main raw material: 61,500 tonnes of 45% glucose (food-grade) produced by Zhucheng Dongxiao will be delivered through pipelines.
• Production process: The erythritol is produced from glucose after microbial fermentation, purification, crystallisation, refining, drying and packaging.
• Labour quota: 37 current employees and 55 new employees, totalling 92 people
• Working system: Three 8h shifts per 24h workday, totalling 330 working days a year
• Progress: The construction started from Jan. 2022 to March 2023. The pollutant discharge permit was issued on 22 Feb., 2023. The on-site environmental inspection and acceptance were from 8 to 9 April, 2023.

On 15 May, the monitoring report on the inspection and acceptance of the completed environmental protection facilities of Techno (Fujian) Food Ingredients Co., Ltd. (Techno)'s sucralose production line expansion project was made public.

Overview of Techno's project:

• Construction nature: Expansion and retrofitting
• Location: In the Factory No.3 of Techno, Northern Industrial New Town, Yong'an City, Fujian Province
• Total investment: USD43.44 million (RMB300 million), of which USD8.69 million (RMB60 million) for environmental protection, accounting for 20%
• Production capacity: 2,000 t/a of sucralose
• Main raw materials: White granulated sugar, acetic anhydride, thionyl chloride, N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF), ethyl acetate, etc.
• Additional labour quota: 190 employees
• Working system: Three 8h shifts per 24h workday, totalling 330 working days a year
• Progress:
• Commencement of construction: July 2020
• Commissioning: Nov. 2022
• On-site environmental protection monitoring: 31 March–1 April, 2023
• Scope of acceptance: The 2,000 t/a sucralose production line, environmental protection facilities and supporting facilities

 

Techno produces 4,000 t/a of sucralose, 300 t/a of amino acid surfactants, 50 t/a of L-Tyrosine and γ-Alanine (alternate production) and other products.