Sustainable chemicals firm BioAmber has opened a facility in Sarnia, located in Southwestern Ontario, Canada.

The plant located in the heart of the Sarnia-Lambton chemistry cluster uses renewable chemicals from sugar instead of petroleum to produce succinic acid.

The Sarnia plant is scheduled to commence full commercial operation during the third quarter of this year, and produce 30,000t of bio-succinic acid per year.

Biobased succinic acid will be produced from glucose sourced from agricultural suppliers in southern Ontario.

The facility was built jointly by BioAmber and Mitsui & Co, with around $141.5m in construction costs.

The project created approximately 300 construction jobs and 60 full-time jobs.

Export Development Canada, the Farm Credit Corporation and Comerica Bank provided financing for the project, which is part of the increasing bio industrial array in Sarnia Lambton.

BioAmber CEO JF Huc said: "We believe our disruptive biotechnology is going to profitably deliver benefits for the environment, our customers, our shareholders, and the Sarnia Lambton community."

Ontario minister of economic development, employment and infrastructure, and member of Provincial Parliament Scarborough-Centre Brad Duguid said: "The opening of the BioAmber Sarnia facility is key to the development of Sarnia's very unique bio-industrial complex, delivering good jobs, significant exports, and diverse markets for Ontario farmers with the full support of the Government of Ontario.

"The production and development of sustainable chemicals by BioAmber, working from within the existing chemistry cluster in Sarnia, is an economic and environmental win for the community and the province."