Edmonton-based industrial biotechnology company TerraVerdae BioWorks says a new strategic partnership with an Ontario firm will help it find customers and markets for a wider range of products.
TerraVerdae uses microbiological sources and waste-derived methanol to manufacture a range of biodegradable products that are marketed as sustainable alternatives to synthetic plastics. The products include tiny beads, 3-D printing filaments and performance films and coatings.
PolyFerm Canada, of Kingston, Ont., uses renewable feedstocks, such as sugars and vegetable oils, to produce biodegradable elastomers — rubber-like substances — that are alternatives to petrochemical-based materials.
Marketed under the name VersaMer, PolyFerm’s products have applications for adhesives and sealants, plastic additives, inks and toners, paintings and coatings, and medical devices.
The firms have signed a partnership deal that will see TerraVerdae start manufacturing PolyFerm’s products with an aim to increase production to commercial levels.