The Central MN Ethanol Co-op in Little Falls, Minn., has been purchased by Green Biologics Inc., which plans to convert the 21-million-gallon-per-year plant to produce renewable normal butanol, also known as n-butanol, and acetone.

The plant will continue to produce ethanol for the time being, with n-butanol and acetone production beginning in 2016. Its current management and employees will remain.

Green Biologics is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Green Biologics Limited, a UK-based industrial biotechnology and renewable chemicals company.

“We are extremely pleased with the successful closing and look forward to the leadership role that Green Biologics will play in bringing renewable chemicals to commercial reality,” Dana Persson, CEO of Central MN Ethanol Co-op, says in a written statement.

The acquisition was made through Central MN Renewables LLC, an affiliate of Green Biologics.

“This is a great opportunity to help Minnesota maintain its leadership position in renewables, and kick start a new renewable chemicals industry in the state,” Joel Stone, president of Green Biologics Inc. and Central MN Renewables, says in a statement. “We’re pleased with the local and state support from Minnesota, and we’re particularly enthusiastic about the incredibly positive energy from our new team of employees and managers at CMR. We’re also grateful to our corn growers and we look forward to producing clean, renewable chemicals from Minnesota corn.”

N-butanol is used in the production of high-value derivatives such as butyl acrylates, butyl glycol ethers, butyl acetate, amino resins and plasticizers.

Acetone is used in the production of several high-value products, particularly as a solvent in paints, coatings, adhesives, ink, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, electronics and laboratory chemicals.

Green Biologics Ltd., based in Abingdon, England, has a process that converts a wide range of sustainable feedstocks into green chemicals.

The ethanol plant, established in 1995, purchases about 7.5 million bushels of corn annually. It generates income from ethanol and ethanol co-products, including dried distillers grains, wet distillers grain, corn oil and syrup.

The Central MN Ethanol Co-op in Little Falls, Minn., has been purchased by Green Biologics Inc., which plans to convert the 21-million-gallon-per-year plant to produce renewable normal butanol, also known as n-butanol, and acetone.

The plant will continue to produce ethanol for the time being, with n-butanol and acetone production beginning in 2016. Its current management and employees will remain.

Green Biologics is a wholly owned U.S. subsidiary of Green Biologics Limited, a UK-based industrial biotechnology and renewable chemicals company.

“We are extremely pleased with the successful closing and look forward to the leadership role that Green Biologics will play in bringing renewable chemicals to commercial reality,” Dana Persson, CEO of Central MN Ethanol Co-op, says in a written statement.

The acquisition was made through Central MN Renewables LLC, an affiliate of Green Biologics.

“This is a great opportunity to help Minnesota maintain its leadership position in renewables, and kick start a new renewable chemicals industry in the state,” Joel Stone, president of Green Biologics Inc. and Central MN Renewables, says in a statement. “We’re pleased with the local and state support from Minnesota, and we’re particularly enthusiastic about the incredibly positive energy from our new team of employees and managers at CMR. We’re also grateful to our corn growers and we look forward to producing clean, renewable chemicals from Minnesota corn.”

N-butanol is used in the production of high-value derivatives such as butyl acrylates, butyl glycol ethers, butyl acetate, amino resins and plasticizers.

Acetone is used in the production of several high-value products, particularly as a solvent in paints, coatings, adhesives, ink, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, electronics and laboratory chemicals.

Green Biologics Ltd., based in Abingdon, England, has a process that converts a wide range of sustainable feedstocks into green chemicals.

The ethanol plant, established in 1995, purchases about 7.5 million bushels of corn annually. It generates income from ethanol and ethanol co-products, including dried distillers grains, wet distillers grain, corn oil and syrup.