Wide-Load Corridor May Get Funding.

Photo by Zach Neal.

From Paul Morden, Sarnia Observer.

Wednesday's federal budget includes funding that could be tapped to help pay for an oversized load corridor in Sarnia.

Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu said the new budget has $31 million designated for trade corridors.

“I did see the minister for infrastructure right after the budget presentation and confirmed with him that it is the right pot,” she said.

“It looks like there is money there.”

Earlier this year, Sarnia city council formally endorsed the business case for creating the dedicated oversized load corridor, at an estimated cost of $11.4 million.

The work would involve permanently raising utility lines, widening and improving roads, and making other improvements along the corridor route to make it easier and less expensive to move large industrial equipment between Sarnia metal fabrication shops, industrial sites and Sarnia Harbour.

A recent business case study said the corridor would pay for itself through new jobs and additional economic activity, by helping to make bids by local metal fabricators more competitive.

It's hoped local, provincial and federal governments will each pay an equal share of the cost of the work to create the corridor.

Link to the rest here.

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BioAmber Opens Up Asian Markets.

Photo/effects by |Zach Neal.

From the Sarnia Observer.

Bio-succinic acid that’s made in Sarnia is expected to be shipped to China and South Korea in 2017 to help open new markets there.

The building-block chemical – used in plastics, lubricants, paint, cosmetics, food additives and other products – is made from corn syrup by Montreal-based BioAmber at a $141-million Sarnia plant completed in 2015.

It was announced this week that product from that plant is to be sold to a Korean company that BioAmber is planning to partner with in Asia.

The two companies announced plans to establish a joint venture in China to produce up to 36,000 metric tons of bio-succinic acid annually to sell in Asia.

BioAmber's partner in the joint venture, CJ CheilJedang (CJCJ) is also set to purchase succinic acid from Sarnia to develop markets in China and South Korea in the first half of 2017, according to a news release.

Link to the rest here.

Additional coverage.

BioAmber website.

Wikipedia.

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Comet Biorefining Hot for Sarnia-Lambton.

Photo by Riin Tamm, (Wiki.)

From Paul Morden and the Sarnia Observer.


There isn't a better place in the world than Sarnia-Lambton for Comet Biorefining's first commercial plant to extract cellulosic sugars from corn stalks and leaves, and wheat stalks, says the company's founder.

Andrew Richard, founder of the London-based company, spoke Tuesday during a demonstration day held by a new farm co-op established to supply corn stover and wheat straw to Comet's proposed new Sarnia manufacturing plant.

Farmland in Lambton and surrounding areas is “some of the most productive acres you'll find in North America,” Richard said.

And it's near Sarnia where so much of the infrastructure a new industry requires can be found, and where Comet already has industrial customers for its sugar, he said.

“It's a phenomenal place to start from.”

Comet Biorefining plans to have a manufacturing plant built and operating on the TransAlta site in Sarnia by 2018.

Richard said Comet is also likely to move its offices from London to Sarnia, “as we get ready to roll out this first facility.”


Link to the rest of the story here.