Michelin ResiCare adding production line for new bio-based molecule

Nesle, France – Michelin ResiCare has begun installing the first industrial production line for the production of a new bio-based aromatic monomer as part of its “DragonFly project” at Ajinomoto's site in Nesle.

Construction began in May, with commissioning scheduled for the beginning of the second quarter of 2027, Michelin reported 6 Oct.

The facility will be used to validate the fermentation-based production technology under industrial operating conditions.

DragonFly is designed to produce a bio-based aromatic monomer from bio-based feedstocks with the produced molecule intended for use in resins developed by Michelin ResiCare.

The fermentation process uses a microorganism strain developed with Alderys, part of the Givaudan Group, said Michelin.

Michelin ResiCare said work to date indicates that the process could reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with production of the molecule by up to 96% compared with its fossil-based equivalent.

The resulting bio-based resins are intended for applications including construction and furniture, composites, electronics, automotive and transportation, aerospace and space.

The Nesle site was selected partly because it provides existing industrial infrastructure, said Michelin.

Furthermore, Ajinomoto - a Japanese multinational food and biotechnology corporation - can contribute its experience in industrial fermentation and the production of high-value molecules.

DragonFly is Michelin ResiCare's second project aimed at developing bio-based molecules, following Cerisea, which is focused on establishing a European value chain for bio-based 5-HMF. (ERJ report)

Together, the projects are intended to provide two strategic monomers for Michelin ResiCare's next-generation resins.