DRT Announces Increase in the Capital of its Joint-venture with the Indian Crown Chemicals

A global leader in the development of rosin and turpentine extracted from pine resin, DRT has announced an increase in capital of its joint-venture with the Indian company Crown Chemicals to the level of 50 %. Specialized in the manufacture of synthetic piperonal, Crown Chemicals and DRT have provided for several years a sustainable alternative to piperonal and hope now to double their production capacity in 2014. DRT reaffirms thus its position as a major global player in the development of responsible chemistry.

Piperonal production, leading to large-scale deforestation

Natural piperonal is obtained from Sassafras oil which is extracted from the roots of the Sassafras tree, a species of deciduous trees in the family Lauraceae. The massive commercial felling of Sassafras forests, and the absence of any significant replanting programs have forced authorities to protect the species, which is now in danger of extinction. Currently a high proportion of the Sassafras oil available in the world market is being sourced illegally from countries like Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia.

DRT, leading the sustainable chemistry industry

It is estimated that around 5 million trees are cut down each year to meet the worldwide demand for piperonal, and the equivalent of one football field of forest area is destroyed to yield 100 kgs of this substance. Soon this resource will be completely wiped out. These alarming figures drove Crown Chemicals to focus its efforts on developing a synthetic route to manufacture piperonal. Today, with this increase in capital, the joint-venture hopes to double its production capacity. Crown Chemicals is a subsidiary of Anthea Aromatics, DRTs Indian partner, specialized in the production of ingredients for flavorings and fragrances.

About DRT

DRT is specialized in the development of rosin and turpentine extracted from pine resin.