Corn growers would benefit from patent

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office recently published a patent application from the Iowa Corn Promotion Board for a production method using corn in the industrial manufacturing of a raw material called monoethylene glycol.

Most MEG currently goes into making polyethylene terephthalate, a plastic used for beverage bottles, polyester textiles, and films, but MEG can also be used as anti-freeze, coolants, aircraft deicers and industrial solvents. A large proportion of the current bio-MEG goes into making the biorenewable bottles for Coca-Cola, Heinz and PepsiCo, and a patent creates stability for the corn industry.

Publication of a patent doesn’t guarantee it will be granted, but it’s an important step.

Chris Weydert, a farmer from Algona, is the Iowa Corn Promotion Board Director and Vice Chair of Iowa Corn’s Research and Business Development Committee.

“Patenting this research will lead to advances in the production processes for corn based bio-MEG eliminating the need for the petroleum ethylene derivatives currently used and creating demand for Iowa corn,” Weydert said. “This one switch to a more renewable material will reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil and improve the environmental footprint for hundreds of consumer products.”

The ICPB works to develop and defend markets, fund research and provide education about corn and corn products.

“Any kind of corn can be used (for MEG), but it will most likely be field corn that is used in this process,” ICPB spokesperson Lisa Cassady said.

The traditional way bio-MEG is made is through a conversion of sugar cane ethanol, which is usually sourced from Brazil, to ethylene, but the majority of MEG still comes from oil. ICPB’s new process can eliminate this added costs of bio-MEG by going from corn sugar to MEG in one step.

“Depending on the yield of MEG conversion from corn, it would take greater than 1.2 billion bushels of corn to saturate the entire 2016 projected demand of MEG,” explained Weydert. “Any MEG made from corn would not only be bio renewable, but also a direct replacement for what plastic manufacturers are already using.”

Improved manufacturing processes for bio-based materials will continue to expand the renewable products market. According to Transparency Market Research, a global market intelligence company providing business information reports, the global MEG market stood at $27 billion in 2014 and is anticipated to reach $40 billion in 2023.

Investment of checkoff dollars in research and business development allows for a direct return on Iowa corn farmer investments. Consequently, the Promotion Board’s research programs have continued to grow. ICPB research programs aim to find new and innovative uses of corn, such as plastics and industrial chemicals.

The board is developing and licensing intellectual property to partner with companies; this strategy will increase the commercialization of new products related to corn and create new opportunities for corn farmers.

Mark Heckman of West Liberty is the president of the board.

“The Corn Board has been working on the MEG research project since 2013,” Heckman said. “We are excited to have the bio-based MEG production patent application made known to the public. We are hopeful that the patent will be granted in the near future.”

Contact Jason W. Brooks at
641-792-3121 ext. 6532
or jbrooks@newtondailynews.com