A new report by research firm MarketsandMarkets predicts that the renewable chemicals market will grow from an estimated $57.5 billion in 2012 to $83.4 billion by 2018, with a CAGR of 7.7 percent from 2013 to 2018.

At its Capital Markets Day in Amsterdam on June 19, CSM presented its new company name, Corbion, and its new growth strategy for the period 2013 to 2016.

Myriant Corp., a global renewable chemicals company headquartered in Quincy, MA, announced the successful start-up at its flagship bio-succinic acid plant located in Lake Providence, LA.

BioAmber Inc. and IMCD Group announced a new distribution agreement in which IMCD will distribute BioAmber’s biobased succinic acid (Bio-SA^TM) in the Benelux, France, Iberia, Germany, Poland, Southeast Europe, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom and Ireland.

BASF plans to begin production of 1,4-butanediol based on renewable feedstock (renewable BDO) using the patented process of Genomatica, San Diego, CA.

Arizona Chemical, Jacksonville, FL, has broken ground on its newest Science & Technology Center in Savannah, GA.

Purac, a subsidiary of CSM with headquarters in the Netherlands, has agreed to acquire BIRD Engineering B.V.

OPX Biotechnologies Inc. (OPXBIO), Boulder, CO, has appointed David Hogsett Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Technology Officer.