Diester Industrie and Oleon join forces for the refining of glycerine
Diester Industrie, a leading player in the European biodiesel market, and Oleon, a major oleochemical company in Europe recently entering the biodiesel market, join forces to build a new glycerine refining unit of 30.000 tons at the Compiègne site of Diester Industrie.
Glycerine is a typical oleochemical high added value product (the European market size being more than 400.000 tons/year) and is widely used in its refined form in cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical applications. Glycerine is also an important by-product of biodiesel production. This by-product (10% of the output) is not pure enough and needs further purification in a glycerine refining unit before it can be used in these applications.
The new supply coming from the biodiesel industry has overtaken the supply coming from the oleochemical industry in 2005. By this the availability of glycerine has doubled in about 3 years time.
The 30.000 tons capacity will represent an outlet for around 10% of Diester Industrie’s production of crude glycerine at the horizon of 2008/2009. Diester Industrie will therefore keep on selling crude glycerine to his traditional customers and actively develop new outlets.