SunOpta Signs Joint Development Agreement With Royal Nedalco.TORONTO -- SunOpta Inc. (SunOpta or the Company) (NASDAQ NASDAQ in full National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations U.S. market for over-the-counter securities. Established in 1971 by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), NASDAQ is an automated quotation system that reports on :STKL) (TSX TSX Toronto Stock Exchange (TSE before April, 2002) TSX Transfer from Stack Pointer to Index TSX True Space Extension :SOY) today announced that the company has signed a Joint Development Agreement with Royal Nedalco, based in the Netherlands, one of the largest ethanol suppliers in Europe. Under this agreement, SunOpta will license Nedalco's patented pentose pentose /pen·tose/ (pen´tos) a monosaccharide containing five carbon atoms in a molecule. pen·tose n. fermenting yeast for the production of cellulosic ethanol in North America and will work with Nedalco to include SunOpta's technology and systems for cellulosic ethanol production into their planned new grain ethanol facilities in Europe. Nedalco, a subsidiary company of the Dutch sugar producer Cosun, has been producing ethanol in Europe for over 100 years and is a world leader in ethanol fermentation technology. A consortium including Nedalco, Delft University of Technology Delft University of Technology, (Technische Universiteit Delft in Dutch) in Delft, the Netherlands, is the largest and most comprehensive technical university in the Netherlands, with over 13,000 students and 2,100 scientists (including 200 professors). and BIRD Engineering, all located in the Netherlands, have developed a patented and novel pentose fermenting yeast that is capable of high conversions of pentose sugars into cellulosic ethanol. Nedalco is adding ethanol capacity in the Netherlands and the U.K. including a 200 million litre grain ethanol plant that will produce road fuel. Nedalco plans to use their pentose fermenting yeast in this new facility. A significant challenge in producing cellulosic ethanol is the ability to ferment ferment /fer·ment/ (fer-ment´) to undergo fermentation; used for the decomposition of carbohydrates. fer·ment n. 1. both hexose hexose /hex·ose/ (hek´sos) a monosaccharide containing six carbon atoms in a molecule. hex·ose n. sugars (glucose) and pentose sugars (xylose Xylose A pentose sugar, referred to in the early literature as l -xylose. It is present in many woody materials. ), since pentose sugars can represent up to half of the available fermentable fermentable, adj the ability to undergo a chemical reaction in the presence of an enzyme that results in the creation of either acid or alcohol; in the oral cavity, the ability to create acid in plaque. sugars in cellulosic biomass. The baker's yeast that is used in starch ethanol plants cannot ferment xylose or other pentose sugars, but this new yeast is robust and can ferment both hexose and pentose sugars at high ethanol yields. SunOpta intends to study the capability to produce fuel grade cellulosic ethanol using by-product by·prod·uct or by-prod·uct n. 1. Something produced in the making of something else. 2. A secondary result; a side effect. by-product Noun 1. streams high in hexose and pentose sugars from its U.S. fiber operations incorporating this new yeast. Murray Burke, Vice President and General Manager of SunOpta's BioProcess bi·o·proc·ess n. 1. A technique that produces a biological material, such as a genetically engineered microbial strain, for commercial use. 2. Group, commented that, "We are extremely pleased to be working with Nedalco and we are very impressed with their technical excellence and with their pentose fermenting yeast technology. We look forward to working with Nedalco to incorporate their technology and expertise with ours for the production of cellulosic ethanol in North America and Europe." About SunOpta Inc. SunOpta Inc. is an operator of high-growth ethical businesses, focusing on integrated business models in the natural and organic food markets. The Company has three business units: the SunOpta Food Group, which specializes in sourcing, processing and distribution of natural and organic food products integrated from seed through packaged products; the Opta Minerals Group, a producer, distributor, and recycler of environmentally friendly industrial materials; and the SunOpta BioProcess Group which is a world leader in biomass conversion technology for producing biofuels and other value added Value Added The enhancement a company gives its product or service before offering the product to customers. Notes: This can either increase the products price or value. products from biomass. Each of these business units has proprietary products and services that give it a solid competitive advantage in its sector. Forward-Looking Statements Certain statements included in this press release may constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PSLRA) implemented several significant substantive changes affecting certain cases brought under the federal securities laws, including changes related to pleading, discovery, liability, class representation and awards fees and of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to references to business strategies, competitive strengths, goals, capital expenditure plans, business and operational growth plans and references to the future growth of the business. These forward looking statements are based on certain assumptions and analyses made by the Company in light of its experience and its interpretation of current conditions, historical trends and expected future developments as well as other factors that the Company believes are appropriate in the circumstance. However, whether actual results and developments will agree with expectations and predications of the Company is subject to many risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to; general economic, business or market risk conditions; competitive actions by other companies; changes in laws or regulations or policies of local governments, provinces and states as well as the governments of United States and Canada, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Consequently all forward-looking statements made herein are qualified by these cautionary statements and there can be no assurance that the actual results or developments anticipated by the Company will be realized. |
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