Green chemistry, naturality and innovation

Green chemistry, also known as "renewable chemistry", is a major strategic development focus for Avril, as part of its Avril 2023 plan. The aim is to develop specialties, enhance the value of oilseeds and provide solutions for the low-carbon transition.

OLEOCHEMISTRY AND PROTEOCHEMISTRY, TWO LOW CARBON ALTERNATIVES

Renewable chemistry meets the growing demand from consumers and manufacturers for bio-sourced, renewable and biodegradable products.

Oleochemistry, or the transformation of oils

Oleochemistry is the chemical transformation of natural fats and oils such as rapeseed, sunflower, palm, soya, coconut and tallow. These raw materials are split up into their basic components which, after conversion or purification, are recombined with each other, or with other molecules. Oleon is the leading producer of green chemistry within the Avril group, with production facilities and sales offices worldwide, in all major economic regions

Marie Bellenger

Global strategic account manager, Oleon

"We offer ingredients that meet specific needs, which are technically interesting and have a high level of sustainability. Beyond the product approach, we want to provide all the information that formulators need on the ingredient's functions, its impact on the environment and on health."

Proteochemistry or protein valorization

Rapeseed or sunflower oils are obtained through crushing, a process in which the seeds are ground and pressed to make oil and meal. This meal will then be used to make plant-based resin through a process called proteochemistry, or protein chemistry. The plant-based resin developed by Evertree is one outlet for proteochemistry.

These processes make it possible to obtain more easily biodegradable products, with equivalent performances to those obtained by fossil energies.

OLEOCHEMISTRY, FROM FOOD TO INDUSTRIAL LUBRICANT

Products and ingredients resulting from oleochemistry are used in multiple everyday products, some examples:

In the food sector, emulsifiers and additives of vegetable origin improve the functional and sensory properties of foods and their ingredients. Oleon has a wide portfolio of plant-based food emulsifiers and ingredients. Lecico complete that list with lecithin and phospholipids, widely used in the food industry. All these products are used in the production of margarine, bread, cookies and pastries, confectionery and baby food.
Chemical Catalyst of vegetable origin are found in the formulation of inks, paints, cosmetics, lubricants or phytosanitary products.
Green polyols are used in the composition of polyurethane foams found in mattresses, car seats, and insulation and sealing materials.
Monopropylene glycol is a molecule with multiple properties, essential in many products, such as antifreeze liquids and detergents, but also fiberglass composite materials such as wind turbine blades.
Fatty acid esters bring their emollient and emulsifying properties to cosmetic products: this is notably the case within Oleon.

Subsidiaries involved in this activity:

MoussaNaciri

Managing Director, Avril Specialities

“The demand for application solutions from plant-based chemistry is growing rapidly. Our objective, as the European leader, is to have the best possible understanding of our customers' expectations. We work closely with them to offer solutions that perfectly meet their needs, from a technical point of view as well as in terms of traceability and sustainability.”

PROTEIN CHEMISTRY, A SUSTAINABLE SOURCE OF INNOVATION

By developing biobased materials, plant protein chemistry, or proteochemistry, makes it possible to replace ingredients of fossil origin. This is what Evertree, a joint venture created in 2016 with the SPI investment fund, managed by Bpifrance, and the startup Biopolymer Technologies, which values plant proteins to create and develop adhesive solutions, is working on. This entity develops, produces and markets biosourced adhesive solutions to replace petro-based resins.

Nicolas Masson

CEO of Evertree

“Biosourced, produced locally and with low emissions: resin obtained from plant chemistry is a response to the challenges of the circular economy and health!”

In 2020, Evertree developed a 100% biosourced adhesive solution and signed a contract with French manufacturer “Panneaux de Corrèze” to create the world’s first biobased wood composite panel. The resins are made from sunflower and rapeseed in the Gironde and Aube regions of France. These vegetable resins from proteochemistry offer an efficient, healthy and eco-responsible alternative.

Subsidiary involved in this activity:

Avril is investing fully in this area to bring about progress in science and to find new applications, such as the P.I.V.E.R.T. project (Picardie Innovations Végétales, Enseignement et Recherches Technologiques), near Compiègne, the first European research and innovation center in plant chemistry.