AMSilk Announces Successful Partnership Negotiation with Ajinomoto for Industrial Fermentation

Neuried, Germany, 16 October 2024: AMSilk GmbH (“AMSilk/the Company”), a frontrunner in advanced biomaterials made from spider silk-based proteins, today announces that the Company and Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE), a company with over 50 years of experience in industrial fermentation, and the affiliate of the globally established Ajinomoto group, have expressed mutual interest to step into a long-term partnership to biomanufacture silk proteins at Ajinomoto Foods Europe’s manufacturing facility in Nesle, France.

AMSilk is forming a strategic collaboration with Ajinomoto, leveraging Ajinomoto’s extensive industrial expertise in precision fermentation and its strategically located site in France. The facility, in the vicinity of AMSilk’s key customers in the premium textile and consumer goods industries, is backwardly integrated with local raw materials and renewable energy, aligning perfectly with AMSilk’s commitment to sustainable business practices.

This partnership marks a significant step for AMSilk as it rapidly progresses towards becoming a commercial supplier of spider silk-based proteins. By harnessing Ajinomotos’s global fabrication capabilities and state-of-the-art facilities, AMSilk is well-positioned to achieve its commercial milestones and further its mission of delivering high-performance biotech materials on a large scale.

Hiroshi Kaneko, President Ajinomoto Foods Europe: “We are thrilled to partner with AMSilk and are committed to accelerating the market development of their innovative products by supporting their large-scale biomanufacturing efforts. Together, we aspire to create a substantial economic and social impact while driving global innovation forward.”

Ulrich Scherbel, Chief Executive Officer at AMSilk comments: “As a global player with longstanding expertise, Ajinomoto is an ideal production partner for us. Their premier fermentation capabilities in France enable us to meet the demands of our European customers by providing nearshored, high-quality materials.”

AMSilk provides disruptive material solutions to enable the world’s leading brands to address their carbon footprint. Its protein formulations do not contain any substances of animal origin or fossil-based raw materials and leave no microplastics behind. At the end of their life, they are verifiably biodegradable or recyclable. Being biofabricated, these materials can be tailored at a molecular level to specific markets or product requirements.

Contact
AMSilk GmbH
Isabel Rosenberger
Senior Manager Marketing & Communications
Tel. +49 (0) 151 6106 3269
E-Mail: isabel.rosenberger@amsilk.com

Optimum Strategic Communications
Nick Bastin, Vici Rabbetts, Katie Flint, Joshua Evans
Tel: +44 (2)03 922 1906
E-mail: amsilk@optimumcomms.com

About AMSilk

AMSilk is a frontrunner in advanced biomaterials made from spider silk-based proteins. Using a patented technology platform, protected by a best-in-class patent portfolio, we are pushing boundaries in the field of bio-based materials. At AMSilk, we turn man-made proteins into formulations, including fibers and yarns, hydrogels and silk powder. The high-performance qualities of our material enable a wide range of applications in the textile, homecare, biomedical, and automobile industries and bring breakthrough benefits for products and customers.

AMSilk’s materials go beyond earlier bio replacements; they can be tailored to specific market or product requirements, are biodegradable according to international standards and have a significantly lower CO2 greenhouse gas emission and less land and water use compared to many other protein fibers. The Company has already collaborated with industry-leading global companies and plans to continue partnering with enterprises worldwide to pursue the vision of enabling true change through intelligent biotech materials.

For more information, please visit www.amsilk.com

About Ajinomoto Foods Europe (AFE)

AFE is a leading player in two key sectors: the biomanufacturing of food ingredients for FMCG companies, and the production and distribution of frozen foods for consumers.

The company is renowned for its production of amino acids and specialty ingredients, utilizing advanced fermentation processes to address the food industry and beyond. Based in Nesle, France, AFE operates a strategically positioned facility that utilizes local sugar feedstocks and maintains a minimal CO2 footprint.

Since 2022, the company has established itself as a CDMO partner in precision fermentation. Equipped with bioreactors exceeding 100m³ scale, combined with its industrial expertise and comprehensive downstream processing skills, the company excels in every aspect of industrial biomanufacturing. This includes scale-up, process optimization, and large-scale production. By harnessing cutting-edge technologies and producing precision-fermented bioproducts for third-party clients, the company effectively serves a broad spectrum of applications in industrial biotechnologies, including food, personal care, crop protection, nutraceuticals, biomaterials, and bio-based fine chemicals…

For more information, please visit: https://www.ajinomoto-fermentationservices.eu/