New site in Slovakia is first facility worldwide to manufacture industrial-scale rhamnolipid biosurfactants.

Evonik has officially inaugurated its new sustainable biosurfactant plant together with key customers in Slovakia. The new facility is based at Evonik Fermas, the company’s site in Slovenská ？up？a, Slovakia. The triple-digit million-euro facility is the first worldwide to manufacture industrial-scale quantities of rhamnolipid biosurfactants.

These high-quality, sustainable biosurfactants are already transforming the cleaning, beauty and personal care industries and have potential in many other applications, including coatings.

“We go beyond to create entirely new solutions and drive the sustainable transformation across multiple industries. Our leadership, based on systems thinking and a shared vision with our customers, has made this scalable action possible,” said Christian Kullmann, CEO of Evonik.

Evonik has been leading the development of industrial-scale biosurfactants with its IP-protected, fermentation-based process for rhamnolipid production. Rhamnolipids are made from renewable corn feedstocks using a biotechnological process. This yields a high-performing, non-toxic, biodegradable biosurfactant. Rhamnolipids are increasingly in demand because they provide a sustainable alternative to surfactants based on fossil sources or tropical oils.