Less than a year after acquiring a unique fermentation-based bio-acetone and bio-butanol plant in Little Falls, Minnesota, International Processing Plants has completed a lease.
The Princeton Junction-based firm, repurposing industrial manufacturing sites, will lease the site to Nuol Green Chemistry, a pioneering biochemical company focused on replacing petrochemical products with renewable and sustainable alternatives.
IPP President Ronald Gale was thrilled to make the announcement.
“This marks another significant milestone in IPP’s mission to drive the transition toward sustainable manufacturing using assets we have versus assets that need to be built new,” he said.
“Nuol Green Chemistry’s leadership and technical teams bring many decades of proven expertise in renewable feedstock fermentation and biohydrolysis, aligning perfectly with our commitment to repurposing industrial assets such as this site for a greener future.”
The deal demonstrates how repurposing industrial infrastructure can accelerate the transition to sustainable manufacturing. By leveraging existing assets, the collaboration reduces the need for greenfield development, minimizing environmental impact while bringing next-generation biochemicals to market.
The 40-million-gallon-per-year precision fermentation plant will be a key production location for Nuol Green Chemistry’s advanced bio-based chemicals, including isobutanol and acetone. Strategically located in Minnesota’s bio-focused economy with access to major highways and a rail-adjacent site, the plant offers robust infrastructure for bio-based industrial production.
The 27-acre property features commercial and pilot scale fermentation and distillation systems, utilities including wastewater, and comprehensive product testing laboratories. The plant’s capabilities include:
- Four 285,000-gallon fermenters optimized for microbial fermentation.
- Milling, saccharification, and ultrafiltration systems for precision biochemical processing.
- Multistage distillation and evaporation systems for high-purity bio-acetone and bio-butanol production.
- Large-scale storage capacity for raw materials and finished products.
