CelluComp To Open First U.S. Commercial-Scale Plant In Minnesota
CelluComp, a leader in fibre-based packaging materials, is set to launch its first commercial-scale facility in Renville, Minnesota, this May. The 15,000-square-foot plant will begin producing Curran, a micro-fibrillated cellulose product made from sugar beet pulp—an eco-friendly alternative to plastics and PFAS chemicals in packaging.
Partnering with Southern Minnesota Beet Sugar Cooperative, CelluComp will start production using 7,000 tonnes of sugar beet pulp to manufacture 800 tonnes of Curran, with plans to scale up to 24,000 tonnes next year. The new facility benefits from strong local and state support, including backing from Minnesota legislators, city leaders, the University of Minnesota and the Department of Employment and Economic Development.
CEO Christian Kemp-Griffin highlighted Minnesota’s business-friendly environment, agricultural resources and commitment to bio-industry innovation as key factors in the company’s expansion. Mayor David Van Hove, Jr. of Renville, welcomed the investment, emphasizing the economic and environmental benefits.
Beyond sustainable packaging, the facility will repurpose manufacturing by-products into animal feed, fertilizer, and biogas energy, helping to divert 80,000 tonnes of sugar beet waste annually and advancing a circular economy.
