MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 APRIL 2014 NEWSLETTER Paul Pereira Over the past month tremendous attention has been paid to Meredian and our Fields of Gold. Many newspapers and reporters have approached Greg Calhoun about this majestic looking beautiful crop and its purpose. Apart from its blooming beauty this Canola crop serves a very distinct purpose in the vertical integration of our supply chain. Meredian is the only company worldwide that has begun to successfully demonstrate the seamless integration into or input feedstock. The Canola seeds are harvested and then crushed for its oil content, which is then transferred into the large fermentation tanks for Meredian’s microorganisms to feed on and produce the PHA, which is a biopolymer replacement for petro plastic. A very exciting time in the journey and history of Meredian as we move to harvest of these fields of gold. 1 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM When asked to write an article about what it was like to run the Danimer Production facility I thought what better way to illustrate that than give you the view from the production operator’s perspective. Nothing is more rewarding for me as a manager to see their hard work and dedication turn raw materials into a high quality, functional finished product that our customers have confidence in. We have a total of four operators on staff. They typically work a five-day workweek with 2 men per shift and 12 hours per shift for each 24-hour day. They are primarily responsible for running two reactive extrusion lines, which are capable of producing approximately 40000 lbs. each of finished resin per day. Pictured above are our operators from left to right: Darren Holt, Brian Dodson, Philip Moore and Greg McCullough Additional responsibilities include staging, blending, and feeding raw materials, performing daily standard operating procedures, carrying out quality control checks, as well as all shipping, receiving, cleaning, and daily maintenance required for operation. Our production team prides itself on running a lean manufacturing plant and I am particularly proud of our operators for their hard work and dedication in making it happen. At the end of the day our goal is to make a high quality, functional, low cost product for our customers; a product that Danimer and our shareholders can have confidence that our operators can successfully deliver. 2 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 Don Phillips break apart with one of us preparing the tank for loading and the other one handling the product to be processed. As the product is being introduced into the processing tank, paperwork and a unique batch identifier is created. This product is concentrated, so we dilute to a standard solids concentration in the vessel, which will be used to calculate our lysis treatment amounts and project our “day-two” process times. The first portion of the lysis treatment is added as the vessel heats up to our enzyme treatment temperature; we must also balance the pH for optimal enzyme activity. Once pH and temperature have stabilized, enzyme treatment begins. While the enzymes are incubating, we have some time to clean up our work areas and prepare materials and equipment for subsequent processing steps. We may also use this Pilot production is spearheaded by Lead Operator, David Mazzei, and Process Development Engineer, Mark Kasilus. Internally, we lovingly refer to them as team DaviMar, a play on the DaniMer company name. DaviMar champions the motto “we’ll be here” in reference to the near around-the-clock schedule intermediate scale PHA production requires. They are currently focusing on the downstream processing (DSP) of the larger scale runs produced by Tate & Lyle while Don Paul’s team is installing our own larger scale (5,000 gallon) fermenter in the pilot area that will expand our pilot production capabilities by 5 fold. Here is a day (actually a couple of days) in the life of team DaviMar: Planning and Scheduling We begin DSP of a batch by first discussing data and observations from previous loads to determine supply needs and evaluate time requirements. In short, our DSP consists of lysis (breaking open of the cells), separation, dewatering, and drying. Processing days will range from 10 to 24 hours in length depending upon the point within the production process and the amount of product in a batch. Based on recent throughput increase and sequencing improvements, we are currently set at a 10 hour “day-one”, with a return visit by one of the staff for an additional hour, followed by a 12-18 hour “day-two” depending on the efficiency of processing. PHA wet cake formed via pressure filtration. time to continue investigating and evaluating items related to the 5,000 gallon fermenter coming on-line. After a set incubation period, we sample, document information, and make the next lysis addition. We will use the data collected for modifying process parameters and determining the final lysis addition time, which will run overnight. “Day-One” of Downstream Processing Day one of DSP is dedicated to lysis of our cells to liberate our PHA material for purification. We begin by ensuring all utilities are on-line; this includes steam generation, clean steam generation, the chilled water loop, and distillation. After this is accomplished, we 3 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 David Mazzei & Mark Kasilus aka “DaviMar MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 Throughout the day, we continue to monitor process water distillation, perform manual blow downs on the steam systems, and evaluate process input needs to ensure we experience no loss of production due to insufficient supplies. We must also continue researching process improvements and finalize reports related to previous runs, presenting data in a form that allows constructive discussions on improvements that can be made. We utilize any downtime to evaluate and improve upon the overall quality of the material produced, as well as determining ways to reduce “day-two” processing times. “Day-Two” of Downstream Processing “Day-two” consists of executing the remaining three process steps: separation, dewatering, and drying. Streamlining “day-two’s” activities is a focus on “day-one”, with multiple information gathering performed during operation so that communication with vendors and improvements can be made to the rates at which the material can be processed. Each step requires set-up and teardown as well as clean-in-place (CIP) activities for all equipment used. Separation is the most time intensive section of the process, typically requiring 12-14 hours to complete; however, the product collected from separation is much more concentrated and nearly impurity free. The high concentration of PHA and high purity level allows us to move to our dewatering step where we form a wet cake via filtration equipment and wash out any remaining impurities (see Figure 1 below). We then place our wet cake in a desiccating dryer to remove all moisture from our PHA. It may take several days to fully dry our product before we can weigh it into Mylar bags and seal them up for storage. In the meantime, we will begin processing our next load. 4 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM Imagine that you developed a unique technology that is in high demand to fill an unmet need in the fastestgrowing segment of an industry that is expanding globally. For most companies, this will never be more than a dream. For our teammates and investors at Meredian Holdings Group this dream is starting to come true. This dream is coming true because of the incredible commitment and dedication of the Meredian Team who developed an idea that was only a proof-ofconcept into a commercially feasible manufacturing process and a product portfolio that is mere weeks away from the start of commercial scale production. The benefits from this technology (biopolymers that replace plastics) to our investors, our community, and our team are embodied in the value chain that begins with agricultural crops and ends with a useful biopolymer article in the hands of consumers. We refer to this process as “agrofacturing”. Through the process of agrofacturing (converting agricultural crops into valuable articles) Meredian Holdings Group provides a large portfolio of unique and valuable products for our strategic customer-partners. Along the journey from idea to large-scale agrofacturing, Meredian Holdings Group has created dozens of jobs that require highly skilled individuals who earn above average wages. High wage earners in turn, generate value in our community because of the economic impact of their investments and purchases. Individuals in our community can look forward to the opportunity to find interesting, rewarding work without having to move away from family and friends. For the Meredian Team, our investors, and our community, the future looks very promising. Our journey has just started, and we have not yet reached our cruising altitude. However, we are well on our way, and we have had a positive boost this past year as additional investment has enabled us to reach the final stages of plant construction and startup. We have celebrated another profitable year in our DaniMer business and look forward to the same result in our Meredian business. The next stages of our journey are bright with opportunity and we look forward with great enthusiasm as we continue our adventure to realize the potential represented by the business of Meredian Holdings Group. 5 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 Daniel Carraway MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 Dr. Isao Noda Poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(hydroxyalkanoate) (PHA) are both aliphatic polyesters which can be made from 100% renewable resources. Although there are certain similarities between the two, because of the polyester nature, these two bioplastics are also very different in many ways. It is useful to make a brief comparison between the two. PHA is a semicrystalline polymer with the melt temperature ranging from almost 180 oC (PHB homopolymer) to much lower temperature between 120 and 150 oC for medium-chain-length (mcl) branched Nodax™ class PHAs offered by Meredian Bioplastics. PHA hardens by crystallization, which traditionally has been a somewhat slow process. Meredian’s proprietary additives can accelerate the crystallization rate comparable to that of polypropylene. Because of the presence of crystals scattering light, PHA is typically opaque or translucent. Meredian’s mcl-branched PHAs are ductile and tough plastics, resembling polypropylene or polyethylene. Depending on the branch content, PHA can take a very broad span of mechanical properties ranging from relatively hard resin suited for fiber spinning, tough plastics for molded articles, soft and drapable film materials, as well as almost elastomeric soft composition. PLA is a clear hard and brittle material with the glass transition temperature (Tg) found about 55 to 60 oC. The material hardens quickly as the temperature is lowered below Tg. This property is helpful in molding processes. The physical property resembles that of clear polystyrene. However, it softens at a temperature much lower than that of polystyrene, which limits certain end-use applications. The technology introduced by Danimer Scientific greatly improved the thermal stability of PLA, but optical clarity may be compromised. PLA can also be crystallized to have higher thermal stability if properly annealed well above the Tg. 6 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM As PHA is produced by bacteria as an energy storage medium, it can also be eaten by bacteria as energy source. Thus, PHA is in a true sense biodegradable. Unlike many other chemically synthesized aliphatic polyesters, such as for example BASF’s Ecoflex™, PHA is biodegradable with or without oxygen. This anaerobic biodegradability is very unique to PHA class of bioplastics. PLA by itself, on the other hand, is not biodegradable. However, PLA can be hydrolyzed gradually in the presence of moisture to oligomeric form, which in turn can be biodegraded. Thus, even though PLA is not biodegradable, it is regarded as compostable. undergoes rapid hydrolysis. PHA also undergoes some level of thermal degradation above 150 oC, and the rate of degradation dramatically increases above 180 oC even without any trace moisture. Some property differences between PLA and PHA can be surprising. For example, the barrier property of PLA against moisture, oxygen, and CO2 is not that great. PHA, on the other hand, exhibits unusually high barrier property against oxygen, CO2 as well as various odors. Soft and heat sealable films made of Meredian’s Nodax™ class PHA with high barrier property may provide intriguing opportunity of applications. The obvious difference between PLA and PHA also may provide an interesting opportunity to combine the two bioplastics to obtain new composite materials with novel properties previously not achievable. Different degradation mechanisms can be judiciously combined to control the degradation rate of products. Different solidification rate and temperature can be combined to assist the production process and end-use range. In short, PLA and PHA are not competing at all but actually truly complementary sisters of the bioplastics family. The moisture-induced spontaneous degradation of PHA by hydrolysis can become a double edged sword, as it may also affect the stability of not only the end products but also the resin itself. Proper removal of moisture prior to processing and isolation from moisture for prolonged storage will be usually required for PLA. Interestingly PHA is surprisingly robust against room temperature spontaneous hydrolysis. At an elevated temperature, say above 100 oC, PHA 7 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 PLA is chemically synthesized by a conventional polymerization reaction of the monomers, either lactic acid or more commonly lactide derived from lactic acid. Lactic acid, which can take either L form or D form depending on the chirality, is produced by fermentation of sugar or starch, and subsequent inversion if necessary, as the building block of PLA. Thus, PLA is classified as a biobased plastic. In contrast, PHA is biosynthesized directly as polymer material by the fermentation of lipids or saccharides by microorganisms. PHA is harvested from bacteria, which accumulate this class of polyesters as energy storage medium in a manner similar to fats and oils in higher organisms. Thus, PHA is not only bio-based but also biosynthesized polymer. The IPO preparation. Internal controls and Sarbanes Oxley. The Main Facility ramp up It’s Raining PHA. Henkel update Scan to learn more about Meredian Explore our website at www.meredianinc.com filled with insightful reources 8 140 INDUSTRIAL BOULEVARD BAINBRIDGE, GEORGIA 39817 WWW.MEREDIANINC.COM MEREDIAN, INC. NEWSLETTER APRIL 2014 1. 2. 3. 4.
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