Novasep, a leading supplier of services and technologies to the life science industries,  announces that its Shanghai-based Asia Pacific subsidiary has secured an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract with Tay Ninh Chemical Industry (Tanichem), a joint stock company between Vietnam National Chemical Group (Vinachem) and Tay Ninh Sugar.  Novasep’s share of the contract is in the amount of EUR 7.5 million. The contract is to construct the first sorbitol production plant in Vietnam. Sorbitol, commonly known as a sweetener, is widely used as an excipient stabilizer or moistening agent in drugs, food and cosmetics.
 
Novasep Asia spearheaded the deal, signed between the Novasep-MIE consortium and Tanichem. Novasep will be responsible for the engineering and procurement of process equipment together with some field services. Novasep-MIE will be responsible for constructing and erecting the plant, as well as procuring utility equipment. The sorbitol plant will be located at Tan Hoi Industrial Park, Tan Chau district, Tay Ninh province in Vietnam.
 
This project is one of the first to emerge from Vietnam’s national development planning for pharmaceutical chemistry. Vietnam currently imports all sorbitol for its domestic needs. With this plant, Tanichem will produce sorbitol with an efficient and robust process that provides a competitive alternative to current imports. This phase I project consisting of a 20,000 ton per year capacity will make Vietnam self-sufficient.
 
“We are very proud of the confidence Tanichem has placed in Novasep. This first EPC contract is a major win for Novasep in Asia. It demonstrates one of our key objectives to be a major player in the region,” said Nadege Laborde, president of the Industrial Biotech Business Unit at Novasep. “Over the last ten years, one third of the business unit staff has been located at our Shanghai, Asia Pacific subsidiary, where Novasep has developed first-rate laboratories, engineering, procurement and project management capabilities. This long-term presence puts Novasep in an ideal position to offer our world-leading processing expertise and innovations in a large range of purification technologies all over the Asia-Pacific region.
 
“Combined with Novasep’s worldwide capabilities, we have greater leverage to make our first class competitive offering available globally, from single process units to complete plants,” she added.