Kemira Oyj (Helsinki, Finland) and International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF; New York) announced an update to the previously communicated plans regarding the future location of their Alpha Bio joint venture manufacturing plant for biobased materials at a commercial scale. Project engineering and permitting activities will now transition to Hanko. Following a detailed evaluation, the location of the previously planned manufacturing plant will be changed from IFF Kotka site to another IFF manufacturing plant in Hanko, both in Southern Finland. The IFF Hanko site specializes in industrial enzymes for the home and personal care, and food and beverage sectors.
The joint venture, originally announced in 2025, represents an estimated total investment of approximately EUR 130 million. Both companies will continue to hold a 50% stake, and commercial production is now expected to begin in 2029. The original estimate for the commercial production start was late 2027.
The joint venture will continue to leverage IFF’s proprietary Designed Enzymatic Biomaterial™ (DEB) technology platform, which uses plant‑based sugars to produce high‑performance biobased materials for a wide range of industrial applications. Kemira retains global exclusivity for commercialization of DEB solutions in the Paper, Board, and Water Treatment markets.