Business
Strategic Partnership
Strategic Partnership.
About this update from Tooru Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n Viridas PLC\n17 April 2008\n\n\nViridas PLC and INEOS Enterprises join forces in major Jatropha development\n\nViridas PLC (Viridas) has today announced that it has entered into an exclusive\nstrategic partnership with INEOS Enterprises to develop significant growth in\nthe sustainable output of Jatropha, a perennial non-food oilseed used in\nalternative fuels production.\n\n\nViridas is pioneering the development of owned and managed Jatropha projects in\nBrazil and specifically the use of Jatropha Oil as a key raw material for\nbiodiesel production. Jatropha Oil is rapidly becoming the leading replacement\nfor conventional fuel oils used in industrial and transportation applications.\n\n\nINEOS Enterprises will bring to the partnership a significant outlet for\nJatropha Oil through its ambitious strategy to become a leading European\nbiodiesel supplier.\n\n\nJatropha Oil is a non-food feedstock for biodiesel production that can be grown\non marginal land and needs only limited supplies of water, fertiliser and\npesticides. Jatropha, which is crushed for oil extraction, will be planted and\nharvested using adapted agricultural technologies and systems. This will allow\nidle land to be replanted with trees and the pruning and harvesting processes to\nuse highly efficient farming practices.\n\n\nStanley Wootliff, Chairman of Viridas, comments, 'We are very excited by the\nprospects for Jatropha in applications for alternative fuels such as biodiesel.\nHaving a partner like INEOS Enterprises enables us to accelerate significantly\nour development programme to establish Jatropha as a truly sustainable non-food\ncrop.'\n\n\nDr Harryn Deans, CEO of INEOS Enterprises, comments, 'This is another exciting\ndevelopment in our strategy to become a major provider of biodiesel across\nEurope. We continue to explore opportunities to develop sustainable feedstocks\nfor biodiesel production, working in partnership with growers, and this\npartnership is a further demonstration of our continued commitment to this\nrapidly emerging sector.'\n\n\nINEOS Enterprises is pressing ahead with its ambitious programme of investments\nin new world-scale biodiesel facilities globally, including the expansion of its\nexisting operations at Baleycourt, France.\n\n\nViridas is currently progressing its own significant investment programme,\nincluding the ac...