The Netherlands-based Avantium, a technology company specializing in advanced high-throughput R&D, recently celebrated the opening of its YXY pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, and has begun production at the plant.

The pilot plant will produce building blocks for green materials and fuels using the company's patented YXY technology, which converts biomass into furanics. The plant also will produce building blocks and plastics developed by Avantium in partnership with the Netherlands-based Teijin Aramid BV, Brussels-based Solvay S.A., and The Coca-Cola Co., Atlanta.

In June, the company secured 30 million euros to finance advancement of its YXY technology and construction and operation of the pilot plant (See " Avantium Raises Funds To Further YXY Development," www. TextileWorld.com, June 14, 2011).

"The start-up of our pilot plant is an important milestone in the development of our YXY technology," said Tom van Aken, CEO, Avantium. "We have completed the construction of the pilot plant in record time and in parallel we have built a manufacturing organization to operate the pilot plant 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. It is a great illustration of the strong momentum we are in to further develop and commercialize our YXY technology."

December 20, 2011