The first Matrìca green chemistry plant, a joint venture between Versalis and Novamont, was opened in Italy in 2014. The plant converts vegetable oils into base products for the production of bio-products. Two more plants are being built at the Matrìca complex, which will produce extensor oils for the tyre industry and other high-value products. The three plants represent an investment of €180 million and will have a total capacity of approximately 70 thousand tons per year. Matrìca's products integrate agriculture and industry, focusing on renewability, sustainability, and biodegradability.
The first of the Matrìca green chemistry plants, the 50/50 joint venture between petrochemical company Versalis (Eni) and Italian research group Novamont was opened on June 16, 2014 in Italy.
First conceived in 2011 with the objective of converting the petrochemical plant at Porto Torres into an innovative, integrated green chemistry complex, the project celebrated the start-up of production with high added value using raw materials from vegetable renewable sources.
The plant is designed to convert vegetable oils into monomers and intermediates, the base products for downstream production of more complex bio-products.
In the coming months another two plants being built at the new Matrìca complex will come on-stream.
At these two plants, monomers and intermediates will be transformed into extensor oils for the tyre industry and into a raft of innovative products with high added value, such as bases for bio-lubricants, plasticizers for polymers and products for cosmetic formulations.
Representing a global investment of about €180 million (US$254.17 million), the three plants will produce a total capacity of bio-products of approximately 70 thousand tons per year.
Matrìca says its products are the fruit of integrating agriculture and industry, combining renewability, sustainability and biodegradability.
They provide for the formulation and production of bio-plastics, bio-lubricants, products for household care and personal and health care, plant protection, additives for the rubber and plastics industry, and food fragrances.