Elcimaï is assisting Biosynthis with the development of its production facility.

Green Industry

While the French government is currently promoting its proposed green industry bill, some companies are already fully committed to decarbonizing their industrial production.

Founded in 2001, BIOSYNTHIS specializes in green chemistry and the production of bio-based ingredients, primarily for the cosmetics market, which is undergoing a profound transformation. For several years now, consumers have become aware of the lack of naturalness in cosmetic formulas and prefer to turn to greener, more environmentally responsible ingredients. From its inception, BIOSYNTHIS has focused on replacing various non-biodegradable silicones in cosmetic formulations, such as lotions, sunscreens, makeup, and hair care products. These products are at risk of regulatory bans. The BIOSYNTHIS teams have, in fact, developed green solvents derived from organic coconut oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil, which are easily biodegradable and offer a genuine green alternative to polluting silicone and petrochemical solvents.

BIOSYNTHIS has also just received the 2022 Félix Trombe Grand Prize from the SFC (French Chemical Society), awarded to the best company in France in sustainable chemistry.

To produce its patented formulas, BIOSYNTHIS established itself in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in 2016, on a former Unilever production site. Located in the town of Dissay (86), near Poitiers-Futuroscope.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT ASSIGNMENT FOR ELCIMAÏ

To support the growth of its business with the world’s leading cosmetics brands, in 2019, BIOSYNTHIS acquired a 5,000 m² industrial brownfield site spanning 3 hectares and commissioned the Elcimaï Group to serve as project manager, with several objectives :

– to contribute to the company’s growth by increasing production capacity,

– to bring all production tools and support functions together on a single site,

– to bring all or part of capacity-related subcontracting in-house,

– integrate locally produced raw materials into the processes,

– integrate new technologies such as green hydrogen and on-site solar power.

“Following a feasibility study launched three years ago, a first 3,500 m² building has been constructed and is already operational,” explains Roland Galli, Project Manager at Elcimaï Ingénierie. “BIOSYNTHIS chose Elcimaï for its expertise in the cosmetics sector, but also for its know-how in integrating a process into an existing building and in flow management, as well as for its skills in industrial risk management.”

Until now, BIOSYNTHIS shipped its products to Germany or Portugal to be processed using “gray hydrogen,” then returned to Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Its core mission required it to eliminate storage in 1-kg cylinders as well as round-trip transportation, and to produce “green hydrogen” on-site.

Thanks to government support under the France Relance plan, which aims to accelerate ecological transformations, a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell electrolyzer, coupled with a hydrogenation unit, has been integrated, powered by photovoltaic panels or under an EDF Green Electricity contract. Hydrogen is now produced on demand, using solar energy and water from the process. The oxygen produced by electrolysis is released into the atmosphere, equivalent to the emissions of a 10-hectare forest.

“Mindful of its carbon footprint, for which it plans to conduct an annual assessment, BIOSYNTHIS was particularly committed to implementing solutions that enable the on-site, self-sufficient production of green hydrogen,” adds Christopher Riffault, Business Development Manager at Elcimaï Ingénierie. To achieve this, the company relied on our technical and administrative expertise in the field of sustainable energy and CSR initiatives. Thanks to this green electrolyzer, BIOSYNTHIS can claim to be “100 % green” and thus meet the high standards set by Thierry Bernoud, its founder and President.”

Building on its international success, BIOSYNTHIS is also currently collaborating on the development of new substitutes for petroleum and palm oil, as well as on the production of a bio-based and biodegradable fuel for Formula 1. The company is already planning to build a new 30,000 m² facility by 2025 dedicated to the manufacture of “palm-free” derivatives. By prioritizing local HVE agriculture, based on its new registered Eco-RSPP concept : Eco-Responsible Substitution of Palm & Petrol.

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