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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Origin Materials Plans Ascension Parish, Louisiana, BioMass Plant

02/17/2022
Origin Materials, a carbon-negative materials company, plans to build a biomass manufacturing facility in Ascension Parish, Louisiana. The $750 million project is expected to create 200 new jobs.

The plant will be located on a 150-acre LED Certified Site and utilize sustainable wood residue, sourced partly from Louisiana’s timber mills and managed forests, to produce plant-based polyethylene terephthalate (PET) used in packaging, textiles, apparel and other applications. Hydrothermal carbon, which can be used in fuel pellets, also will be produced at the site. Construction is set to begin mid-2023 with operations targeted for mid-2025.

“The demand for ‘net zero’-enabling materials is extremely strong, and we believe this plant will be instrumental in addressing demand for our products in the United States and internationally,” Origin Materials Co-Founder and Co-CEO John Bissell said. “We are grateful for the partnership of Louisiana Economic Development, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and Ascension Parish for the support they have provided in the site selection process. The local talent is world-class across refining, forestry and agronomy, feedstock logistics and chemicals. The site sits along the Mississippi River with easy access to barge and rail and plentiful local wood residue feedstock. The proposed incentive package for building in the area is compelling and the local industrial cluster can provide access to hydrogen, ethylene, water treatment and more.”

To secure the project, the State of Louisiana is offering Origin Materials a competitive incentive package that includes the services of LED FastStart, ranked the No. 1 statewide workforce development program in the nation for the past 12 years. Additionally, the company would be eligible for a $6 million performance-based award to be paid out over six years, to reimburse site infrastructure costs. The company is also expected to utilize the state’s Quality Jobs and Industrial Tax Exemption programs.

“I welcome Origin Materials’ plans for a new facility in Louisiana,” Governor John Bel Edwards said. “Their unique process of developing PET products from renewable wood fibers is yet another example of how the global shift toward sustainability can be a catalyst for economic investment and job creation in our state. The company’s carbon-negative mission aligns with our Climate Action Plan’s approach to limiting the severity of climate change while maintaining economic competitiveness in a low-carbon future.”

Made with renewable feedstocks, Origin’s patented technology platform is designed to reduce the carbon emitted during the production of widely used products ranging from food and beverage containers to parts for the automotive industry.

“This project points to a future of transformational changes in the manufacturing of chemicals and plastics,” Baton Rouge Area Chamber President and CEO Adam Knapp said. “Origin Materials’ decision to locate its largest plant-based plastics operation here speaks to our region’s continued advantages for workforce and supply chain, even as technologies change for the future. AEDC and LED have been excellent partners in their work to support the company’s decision to locate in the Capital Region."

This new facility will join the company’s network of locations, including its West Sacramento-based pilot facility and its Ontario, Canada-based production site, which is currently under construction.

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