Godavari Biorefineries Limited (GBL) has inaugurated a new specialty biochemical plant at its Sakarwadi manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, India. The plant is dedicated to producing biobased chemicals aimed at supporting global green and net-zero ambitions across various markets.
GBL, part of the Somaiya Group, emphasizes the use of Renewable Resources and Green Chemistry in the production of Specialty Chemicals. Samir Somaiya, Chairman of Somaiya Group and GBL, highlighted their commitment to developing sustainable agricultural value chains with farmers, which serve as crucial feedstocks for their biobased chemicals.
This multi-purpose plant marks a significant stride for GBL in collaborating with industry leaders to increase the availability of biobased chemical blocks across diverse markets. It is designed to produce biochemicals such as biobutanol, biobased ethers, and esters, with plans for further capacity expansion and the introduction of new biobased chemicals in the near future.
Sangeeta Srivastava, CEO of Godavari Biorefineries Ltd, underscored their collaborative approach with customers, focusing on research and development to scale up new biobased chemical building blocks from pilot to (semi-)commercial stages. This journey aligns with their commitment towards achieving net-zero emissions, inviting new partnerships and innovations along the way.
Founded as a flagship company of the Somaiya group, GBL brings over eight decades of expertise in the sugar industry and more than six decades in biobased chemicals. Their collaboration with farmers in sugarcane and biomass crops underscores their dedication to creating sustainable value chains.
The inauguration ceremony featured Padma Vibhushan Prof. M. M. Sharma, a renowned figure in chemical engineering, who emphasized the pivotal role of research and development in shaping the future of the chemical industry. He commended GBL for its forward-thinking approach in establishing a plant that represents the future of specialty chemicals manufacturing.
