BoI approves BBGI Firmbox Bio

Narit Terdsteerasakdi, secretary-general to the Board of Investment (BOI)
Narit Terdsteerasakdi, secretary-general to the Board of Investment (BOI)


BoI approved to promote the investment project of BBGI Firmbox Bio Company Limited, a joint venture between BBGI and Fermbox Bio from India.

The project manufactures enzymes for industry, developing from lab scale to commercial-scale. The project is the first large-scale in the ASEAN region which helps to upgrade the country’s BCG upstream industry.

Narit Terdsteerasakdi, secretary-general to the Board of Investment (BOI) reveal that the BOI has approv investment promotion for BBGI Firmbox Bio Company Limit, which is a joint venture between BBGI Public Company Limit), the subsidiary in Bangchak Group, a leader in high value biological products business.

The Firmbox Bio Company- based in India- is an expert in synthetic biology (Synbio)

which expands production capacity to commercial production (Lab-to-launch). The company establishes a biotechnology factory that uses precision fermentation technology to produce Cellulosic Enzymes for industrial use.

Expanding the scale from the laboratory and pilot plant to the commercial is consider as the first large-scale advanced biotechnology factory in the ASEAN region.

With an initial production capacity of 200,000 liters. Consisting of two large 100,000 liter fermentation tanks, which are more than two times the size of India.

Investment scale of 400 million baht

The company aims to increase the total production capacity

to one million liters in the next phase, with an initial investment of 440 million baht. Factory is located in Chachoengsao province, and most of the raw materials will be use from within the country.

Cellulosic Enzyme is an enzyme that helps digest and convert cellulose in biomass waste such as wood chips. rice straw.Cassava pulp and bagasse into glucose which can be extend to produce a variety of biological products such as bioplastics. Biochemicals, bio proteins, biofuel jet fuel (SAF), etc.

The company also has plans to expand production to other synthetic biology products (Synbio) for use in the food and health supplement industry. Cosmeceuticals and energy in the next phase.

In addition. The company has conduct a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to create cooperation on biotechnology and genetic engineering research institutes at Chulalongkorn University. MoU is conducted with a purpose to scale up technology production on biological processes from the laboratory and pilot plant to the commercial scale. “The project is the first investment in ASEAN. It enhances Thailand’s potential in biodiversity including the readiness of raw materials infrastructure and personnel. This project will help upgrade the upstream industry in biotechnology. The research development will assist to scale up the research to the industrial level.

It also plays an important role in driving the economic model. Bio-circular -green ( BCG) economy which Thailand aims to be a bio-hub of the ASEAN region,” Mr. Narit said.

Related News : Investment applications up 31% in Q1