BioBTX announces the start of construction on its first-of-a-kind circular aromatics plant

BioBTX has taken a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) on the construction of its first commercial-scale plant based on its in-house developed ICCP technology
The plant is the world’s first dedicated greenfield facility converting plastic waste directly into renewable aromatics, producing approximately 10,000 tonnes of renewable aromatic oil per year, along with 8,000 tonnes of sustainable by-products
The FID marks the transition from development towards commercial execution of the PETRA Project

BioBTX today announces that it has taken a positive Final Investment Decision (FID) for its PETRA project: the world’s first commercial-scale plant converting plastic waste directly into renewable aromatics. PETRA is the first commercial-scale application of BioBTX’ proprietary ICCP (Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process) technology. The plant will produce approximately 10,000 tonnes of renewable aromatic oil peryear, consisting of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX), along with 8,000 tonnes of sustainable by-products. Reaching this milestone concludes a 14-year journey from BioBTX’ initial idea in 2012, through lab and pilot scale, to commercial execution and will accelerate the commercialization of renewable aromatics worldwide.

Aromatics are key building blocks for, among others, pharmaceuticals, coatings, plastics, and performance materials. BioBTX offers a circular alternative to conventional fossil-derived aromatics, with identical performance. This is made possible by the ICCP technology, which enables the direct production of drop-in chemical building blocks, achieving a 70–80% lifecycle GHG reduction in the first plant and paving the way toward even greater, carbon-negative savings in the future. By incorporating renewable aromatics into their products, customers can increase recycled content and reduce their scope 3 emissions.

With this key milestone, BioBTX is the first company in the world to realize a fully renewable aromatics plant, an important step on the path to defossilising the chemical industry. With permits approved and engineering and financing agreements in place, the project now moves into execution. The main equipment suppliers, contractors and partners have been selected, and manufacturing of the process equipment modules has started. On-site construction starts in the beginning of 2027 and start-up of the plant is expected mid-2028.

Beyond commercial output, the plant will demonstrate the viability of commercial-scale production using
the ICCP technology, paving the way towards larger-scale facilities and the broader adoption of circular and biobased aromatics. While this first plant focuses on mixed plastic waste, the ICCP technology is feedstock-flexible, with the potential to expand to other sources, such as biomass, in the future.

The plant will strengthen the green chemistry cluster at the Chemical Park in Delfzijl, developed by Groningen Seaports and the Province of Groningen, and will create jobs for approximately 35 people, phased in over the coming year.

The project’s financing is supported by BioBTX’s shareholders amongst others Invest-NL, Infinity Recycling, Covestro, NOM and Carduso Capital, alongside debt funding provided by Colesco Capital, Fonds Economische Agenda Startkapitaal (funded by the Economic Agenda Nij Begun) and the Province of Groningen, as well as a DEI+ grant awarded by RVO. BioBTX would like to thank its shareholders, partners and public funders for their continued commitment and confidence in the PETRA project. Their long-term support has been key in progressing the technology from lab scale to commercial execution.

“Reaching this key milestone in the development of BioBTX marks an important step in our journey towards our mission of making circular chemistry possible. I am very proud of the full BioBTX team and shareholders whose dedication and commitment has made this achievement possible. We are going to build the world’s first fully sustainable aromatic plant. A great accomplishment!” says Ton Vries, Co-founder and CEO of BioBTX.

About BioBTX

BioBTX is a leading circular chemistry technology developer based in Groningen, the Netherlands. Founded in 2012, BioBTX develops a technology that replaces fossil resources with plastic waste and biomass for the production of drop-in chemicals and renewable aromatics (BTX). Having successfully demonstrated its proprietary ICCP technology at its pilot plant at Zernike Campus in Groningen, BioBTX is now realising the world’s first commercial-scale non-fossil aromatics plant at the Chemical Park Delfzijl. Beyond this first plant, BioBTX aims to roll out and license its technology worldwide together with its partners. BioBTX’s mission is to make circular chemistry possible and to accelerate the transition towards a defossilised, circular chemical industry www.biobtx.com.

About the ICCP Technology

The ICCP (Integrated Catalytic Cracking Process) technology, developed in-house by BioBTX, converts plastic waste and biomass into renewable aromatics. The process consists of two integrated steps: the feedstock, plastic waste and biomass, is first thermally cracked in the absence of oxygen, after which the resulting gases are catalytically upgraded into BTX. Separating these two stages allows precise control of reaction conditions, longer catalyst lifetimes and the ability to process mixed and contaminated waste streams that conventional recycling cannot handle. The resulting BTX – benzene, toluene and xylenes – are drop-in chemical building blocks, chemically identical to their fossil-derived counterparts, and can be used directly in existing value chains for products such as pharmaceuticals, coatings, adhesives and performance materials.