Hyosung TNC opens Vietnam bio-BDO plant with expansion planned
The company plans a US$1 billion investment to expand annual capacity in phases, depending on market demand.
Hyosung TNC said on October 19 that production of bio-based 1,4-butanediol, known as bio-BDO, had started at its Vietnam facility. Initial output capacity is 50,000 metric tonnes per year, linking sugarcane-based materials with the company's spandex production.
The company intends to lift annual capacity to 200,000 MT through successive expansions aligned with market demand. The project carries a planned investment of US$1 billion.
Fermentation turns sugars obtained from sugarcane into bio-BDO, substituting for the fossil-based inputs used in conventional production. Hyosung TNC said the material has the same chemical composition as conventional BDO, allowing renewable inputs without changing the finished fibre's stretch, recovery or quality.
Its Dong Nai operations receive the bio-BDO and transform it into PTMG, an intermediate for regen BIO spandex, or elastane. The company said linking these production steps in southern Vietnam is designed to improve efficiency and supply reliability while reducing transport requirements.
Hyosung TNC also intends to supply bio-based intermediates beyond the textile sector. Planned applications include thermoplastic polyurethane for automotive interiors, alongside polybutylene adipate terephthalate, which is a resin for biodegradable plastics.
