Meredian Holdings Group Inc.

MHG Bio
Industry Bioplastics
Founded Bainbridge, Georgia, US (2007 (2007))
Headquarters Bainbridge, Georgia, U.S.
Key people
 Paul Pereira(CEO)
Dr.Isao Noda (CSO)
John Dowdy (CFO)
Michael Smith (COO)
Phil Van Trump (CTO)
Scott Tuten (CMO)
S.Blake Lindsey (CAO)
Website www.mhgbio.com

Meredian Holdings Group Inc., also known as MHG, is a biopolymer manufacturer based out of Bainbridge, Georgia. MHG is the holding company of Meredian Incorporated, DaniMer Scientific and AgroCRUSH.[1]

MHG owns the patent for Nodax™ medium-chain-length branched polyhydroxyalkanoates, mcl-PHA. The company uses PHA and other biopolymers to create a range of applications such as additives, aqueous coatings, extrusion coating, extrusion lamination, fibers, film resins, hot melt adhesives, injection molding, thermoforming and wax replacement polymers.[2] In addition, MHG offers research and development in the formulation of biopolymers. MHG also provides toll manufacturing and compounding services, allowing partners to use MHG’s facility to manufacture products.[3]

Background

DaniMer Scientific

DaniMer Scientific was formed in 2004 by S. Blake Lindsey to create biodegradable and sustainable solutions to the global dependency on traditional plastics, by using biopolymer materials such as polylactic acid (PLA). DaniMer Scientific specializes in customizing biopolymer formulations.

The company received the Sustainability Award from the Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) in 2007 for the Ecotainer coffee cup, which used a plastic biopolymer derived from corn for the inner lining.[4]

In 2006, the Small Business Innovation Research(SBIR) program awarded Danimer with a Phase 1 monetary grant of $80,000 for the "Creation of Cost Competitive Biodegradable Films from Renewable Resources for Agriculture". The following year the SBIR awarded the company with a Phase 2 monetary grant of $346,000 for the same title, stating that the project's objective was to use renewable materials to develop agricultural mulch films that could adequately degrade before the next growing season[5]

In 2010, DaniMer Scientific received a contract for $846,828 from the organization, Research Partnership to Secure Energy for America (RPSEA) to develop an environmentally friendly fracturing treatment for hydrocarbon production, now known as SqueezeFrac.[6]

September 2011 Danimer Scientific and minority business enterprise, Sijo Global Partners, formed a strategic affiliation where Sijo would offer Danimer’s bioplastic products to market leaders and brand owners.[7]

In January 2013 DaniMer and Henkel formed a partnership to further develop bio-based hot melt adhesives for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) container packaging that are made with 50% renewable content or higher.[8]

Meredian Inc.

Originally formed in 2004, Meredian Inc. manufacturers PHA.[9][10]

Meredian purchased Procter & Gamble’s intellectual property on PHA technology in 2007.[10][11] In 2013, Dr. Isao Noda joined Meredian Inc. after spending thirty years with Procter & Gamble.

In 2012 the company unveiled a 190,000 sq. ft facility in Bainbridge, GA. The pilot plant that is currently operating at the site produces 400 pounds/week, with an estimation of 3,000 pounds/week once the plant is fully functioning.[12][13]

In 2014 the company received a Food and Substance Contact Notification approval from the United States Food and Drug Association (FDA). The sole-verification guarantees that the biopolymers are safe to use for food contact and are classified as non-hazardous waste after disposal.[14]

AgroCrush

AgroCRUSH is a canola cold-press crushing operation that uses locally grown, non-GMO canola as the feedstock for PHA production.[15]

MHG formed a partnership with farmers in the tri-state area to utilize locally grown Canola. MHG's agricultural partners are able to grow Canola as a winter/spring rotation crop that does not compete with human or animal food source.[16]

See also: double-cropping

By growing locally, farmers can save about $1/ bushel of additional costs to transport loads north. During the harvest of May 2013, 43 bushels were produced per acre. MHG intends to work with farmers in the area to plant 14,000 acres of canola fall of 2015.[12]

Merger into Meredian Holdings Group, Inc.

In February 2014, DaniMer Scientific and Meridian Inc. merged into MHG.[2][17]

MHG

MHG's PHA has received several certifications for biodegradability including: anaerobic and aerobic digestion in soil, freshwater, marine, industrial and home composting.[18][19][20][21] The company also dominates the global biopolymer coatings market share due to its wide range of bio-based products and FDA approval [22]

MHG's PHA

Background

The patented version of MHG's mcl-PHA is known as Nodax™, and it is the primary product developed for commercial manufacturing.[23] MHG's Nodax™ PHA is a class of bioplastics produced from bacterial microorganisms that store PHA polyesters for energy in their cell walls. These microbes feed upon cold-pressed Canola oil that is manufactured through MHG's Agrofacturing process.[11]

Nodax™ PHA differs from other classes of PHA as it is UV resistant, cost-competitive with petro-plastic, and only starts to biodegrade once integrated into the waste stream. In addition MHG's PHA can be custom formulated or used to create hybridized biopolymers. Nodax has a chemical structure which resembles linear low-density polyethylene.[11]

Main article: Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Production

Agrofacturing

MHG’s trademarked Agrofacturing process vertically integrates into the supply chain by harvesting locally grown canola.[24][25] The seed is harvested and then crushed in a cold-press, non-solvent process at AgroCRUSH.

Canola seed attributes make it an appealing feedstock as the seeds contain roughly 42% oil by weight and the byproducts from the cold-pressing process are used for livestock feed and fertilizer.[26]

Microorganism & Fermentation

After the canola seed is filtered into high-quality canola oil through the cold-pressing process, it is transferred to MHG’s proprietary bio-reactors.[15] There, the canola oil is fed to naturally regenerating, soil borne bacteria who produce PHA through biosynthesis.[27]

MHG produces quantities ranging from half a liter to 10 liters in the lab, to multiple tanks with the capacity range of 20,000 liters to 45,000 and up to 130,000 liters in the manufacturing plant.

Non-Solvent Water Extraction

To extract PHA from the cell walls of the cultivated microorganisms, MHG uses a patented non-solvent, water-based extraction process which separates the PHA from the other biomass. It is then filtered, lysed and centrifuged to isolate the final mcl-PHA product. By not using toxic chemicals, the water extraction process produces a clean, dried white powder.[10]

Reactive Extrusion

The reactive extrusion process mixes and compounds the bioplastic materials in a proprietary, patented procedure that creates a customized biopolymer resin pellet.[11][24]

Executive Team

Affiliations

Certifications

References

  1. ↑ "Savannah's USCIS EB-5 Regional Center and MHG at China's Largest Trade Show for Investment & Trade". Savannah CEO. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 Iamon, Carolyn. "Meredian Inc. could merge". The Post Searchlight.
  3. ↑ "Plastics" (PDF). Time Inc News Group.
  4. ↑ "Blog: Coffee Cup Developed by Several Major Corporations Wins Sustainability Award". Sustainable is Good. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  5. ↑ "SBIR source Firms". SBIR. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "RPSEA". DaniMer Scientific. Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "SijoGP to distribute DaniMer bioplastic". Plastic News. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  8. ↑ De Guzman, Doris. "Bio-based adhesives are hot!". Green Chemicals Blog. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Meredian, Inc. Announces Position As the Sole Recipient of FDA Approval for Food Substance Contact". Biopolymers Summit. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  10. 1 2 3 Procter & Gamble. "Meredian Inc. Announces Acquisition of PHA Technology from Procter & Gamble". Retrieved 16 October 2014.
  11. 1 2 3 4 Laird, Karen. "Green Matter: Invention driven innovation beats serendipity, says PHA expert". Plastics Today.
  12. 1 2 De Guzman, Doris. "Meredian prepares for potential IPO". Green Chemicals Blog. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  13. ↑ Smock, Doug. "Meredian Christens World's Largest PHA Bioplastic Plant". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  14. ↑ Jessica Lyons Hardcastle (August 24, 2015). "Bioplastic Firm MHG Fires Up First Commercial Scale Fermenter". Environmental Leader. Environmental Leader.
  15. 1 2 Toole, Terry. "Canola crops both beautiful and good for farmers and ecosystem". Miller Country Liberal. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  16. ↑ Farmer, Shelby. "Institute encourages canola farming in SW Georgia". The Post Searchlight. Retrieved 20 October 2014.A portion of the seed from each is harvest is set aside for replanting.
  17. ↑ "Meredian Inc. and DaniMer Scientific Merge Under Meredian Holdings Group Inc.". Yahoo Finance. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  18. 1 2 "Biodegradable Certification" (PDF). Vincotte Ok Compost. Vincotte.
  19. 1 2 "Biodegradable Certification" (PDF). Vincotte Ok Compost. Vincotte.
  20. 1 2 "Biodegradable Certification" (PDF). Vincotte Ok Compost. Vincotte.
  21. 1 2 "Biodegradable Certification" (PDF). Vincotte Ok Compost. Vincotte.
  22. ↑ https://www.gminsights.com/industry-analysis/biopolymer-market
  23. ↑ Laird, Karen. "Green Matter: Invention driven innovation beats serendipity, says PHA expert". Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  24. 1 2 http://www.plasticstoday.com/articles/green-matter-invention-driven-innovation-beats-serendipity-says-pha-expert
  25. ↑ "AGROFACTURE - Trademark Details". Justia Trademarks. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  26. 1 2 Welitzkin, Paul. "Investors eye US-made plastic alternative". China Daily USA. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  27. ↑ Williams, Betsy. "Georgia Canola Fields of Gold". Farm Flavor. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  28. ↑ http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mhg-appoints-ceo-company-143000493.html
  29. ↑ "Meredian Announces Key Changes to its Executive Team". Business Wire. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  30. 1 2 3 Iamon, Carolyn. "Pereira explains MHG progress". The Post Searchlight. The Post Searchlight.
  31. ↑ "Meredian and BASF Discuss Future of Biodegradable Plastics". SBC Magazine. Biofuels Digest.
  32. ↑ "OK biodegradable SOIL OK biodegradable WATER and Conformity Marks" (PDF). OK Compost. Retrieved 6 November 2014.
  33. ↑ "Vincotte OK Compost" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  34. 1 2 "OK Compost Vincotte" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 9 September 2015.
  35. 1 2 3 4 Cusimano, Ignazio. "Anaerobic biodigestion: the resin DaniMer 12291 obtains the certification SSCCP". Daily E. Retrieved 20 October 2014.
  36. ↑ "OK Compost Vincotte" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  37. ↑ "OK Compost Home Vincotte" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  38. ↑ "OK Soil Vincotte" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  39. ↑ "OK Water Vincotte" (PDF). DaniMer. Retrieved 7 November 2014.
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