Sustainea, a company focused on sustainable chemistry, announced plans to locate its first U.S. operations in Indiana, investing $400 million to establish its first Bio-MEG (monoethylene glycol) industrial plant in Lafayette. The facility will be co-located with Primient, leveraging the company’s local supply of corn dextrose to produce a renewable, plant-based alternative to petroleum-based MEG.
“Indiana is a global agbiosciences leader, and we are excited to welcome Sustainea to our thriving ecosystem of growers, manufacturers and innovators,” said Gov. Holcomb. “Today’s news not only marks a significant win for the growth of this future-focused sector in Indiana and globally, but it represents growing ties between Indiana and Brazil and creates new opportunities for our two regions to work together for the benefit of our economies and our people.”
Sustainea is a joint venture between Brazil-based Braskem and Japan-based Sojitz created with the ambition to be the global leader in Bio-MEG, which can be used as a drop-in product, delivering high quality and functionality while significantly reducing the carbon footprint. The new facility in Lafayette will produce Bio-MEG from Primient’s dextrose – a carbohydrate derived from corn, providing a renewable chemical that is a key component in the manufacturing of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). PET has numerous applications across various sectors, including textiles (apparel, footwear) and packaging (beverage bottles, food packaging).
The company plans to break ground on its new Indiana operation following the finalization of engineering and final investment decision and expects to begin production in 2028. Sustainea plans to create up to 191 new, high-wage jobs in the coming years to support its growth.
“This partnership marks a significant step forward in building one of the largest sustainability ventures globally,” said Gustavo Sergi, CEO of Sustainea. “Primient has proven to be a strategic partner and long-term ally, with notable operational synergies and shared values. The high energy efficiency and low-carbon dextrose produced at the Lafayette plant will uniquely position Sustainea’s products for both sustainability and competitiveness. This announcement greatly serves our customers who will benefit from decarbonizing an ever-growing PET market.”
Today’s news comes on the heels of Gov. Holcomb’s international economic development trip to Brazil in April focused on advancing innovation, trade and investment in the agbiosciences sector. In Indiana, Sustainea joins a robust agbiosciences ecosystem, which contributes $58.1 annually to the state’s economy and fuels $4.6 billion in annual agricultural exports.
“The decision to locate the plant in Lafayette followed a comprehensive evaluation, considering everything from the carbon footprint to the sustainability of the entire value chain,” said Éverton Van-Dal, Chief Business Officer of Sustainea. “We evaluated sustainable corn production in the region, market access and the availability of local talent for Sustainea's first industrial facility. The significant support from state and local government incentives was also a key factor in the decision.”
“We chose a co-location partnership with Sustainea due to our aligned vision and mission, and because Sustainea’s Bio-MEG has a very strong value proposition in today’s marketplace,” added Jim Stutelberg, CEO of Primient. “The selection of Lafayette is a validation of Primient’s industry-leading low carbon footprint, enabled by our investments in co-generation capabilities to transition production entirely away from the use of coal. Our collaboration with Sustainea is a great example of Primient truly living our vision of building a better future through plant-based solutions. By integrating Primient and Sustainea’s strengths, we are driving biobased innovation and filling the void for renewable, plant-based solutions.”
Based on the company’s investment plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has shown its interest and confidence in the project by committing up to $6.9 million in incentive-based tax credits for Sustainea, as well as up to $100,000 in training grants. These incentives are performance-based, enabling the company to claim state benefits once the investments are made. Additionally, the city of Lafayette and Tippecanoe County are offering further incentives to support the project.
“We are very excited to welcome Sustainea to Lafayette” said Tony Roswarski, Mayor of Lafayette. “They will bring $400 million of new investments into our community and create a significant number of new local jobs in this emerging agbioscience sector. They will also be a strong partner for Primient, enabling them to grow their local operation. Like others before them, we couldn’t be happier that their competitive site selection process led them to conclude that Lafayette is the best place in the U.S. for them to implement their state-of-the-art technology. The benefits this project will bring to our economy and environment align with our city’s long-term vision for growth and innovation for decades to come."
“The news that Sustainea is getting prepared to break ground in Lafayette as their first U.S. operation is exciting news for our Indiana row crop farmers,” said Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “Indiana corn farmers produce over 1 billion bushels of corn each year. Sustainea’s renewable and sustainable products will open a new market for Indiana producers, and we are grateful they chose our state to expand into the U.S.”