Cargill has bolstered its biobased polyol product offerings by purchasing Arkansas-based BioBased Technologies’ vegetable-based polyol product line, Agrol, and other assets. Cargill’s BiOH product line produces bio-based polyols in various flexible foam markets, including bedding, furniture, and automotive seats. BioBased Technologies provides natural polyols to the foam sector and other industrial markets.
“Combining assets and expertise of BioBased Technologies and Cargill will allow us to bring new innovations to our customers, while also expanding our offerings to serve new customers and other markets,” said Eric Kuckhoff, general manager for Cargill Industrial Specialties in North America.
The acquisition pairs BioBased Technologies’ processing model with Cargill’s global manufacturing capabilities and leverages the sustainable chemistry expertise of both organizations. Going forward, Cargill will be able to offer customers products that incorporate higher levels of natural polyols which reduces dependence on petroleum polyols, without sacrificing performance. The acquisition also will enable Cargill to expand into applications beyond the foam market, such as elastomers, sealants, coatings, binders, and adhesives enabling increased sustainability efforts across those industries.
“When you combine Cargill’s size and resources with BioBased Technologies’ expertise, we are going to make substantial advances in the renewable chemistry sector in the years and decades ahead,” said Amy Sorrell, former CEO of BioBased Technologies, now commercial manager for Cargill Industrial Specialties. “When you have both BiOH and Agrol at your fingertips, there are tremendous opportunities in sustainable polyurethane applications for our customers and the markets we serve.”
For more information, visit www.cargill.com or www.biobased.net.