- Business
- Godavari Biorefineries Ltd. manufactures bio-based chemicals, ethanol, sugar and power from sugarcane and related feedstocks at integrated facilities in Sameerwadi, Karnataka, and Sakarwadi, Maharashtra; its core products include fuel ethanol, pharma-grade ethanol, extra neutral alcohol, rectified spirits, ethyl acetate, bio-ethyl acetate, MPO (largest global producer), natural 1,3-butylene glycol (one of two worldwide producers), crotonaldehyde, acetaldehyde, bio-acetic acid, butanol, EVE (India's first bio-based facility), paraldehyde and power generated from spent wash; the company also retails branded sugar, jaggery, salt and turmeric under Jivana. Founded in 1956 and headquartered in Mumbai, India, Godavari Biorefineries operates as an integrated biorefinery with over 80 years of sugar industry experience and nearly 60 years in bio-based chemicals, serving industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, flavours and fragrances, personal care, cosmetics, paints, coatings, fuel and agrochemicals; its products reach customers in over 20 countries including the United States, Europe, Japan, China and the United Arab Emirates through offices in the Netherlands and USA. In October 2024, the company raised Rs 555 crore through an initial public offering to fund capacity expansions; in December 2024, it announced a Rs 130 crore investment in a new 200 KLPD corn/grain-based distillery for dual-feedstock ethanol production, set for commissioning in Q4 FY2026, and secured an exclusive license with Catalyxx Inc. for ethanol-to-biobutanol technology to produce up to 30,000 metric tons annually of biobutanol and higher alcohols including hexanol, octanol and decanol; it holds environmental clearances to expand sugar crushing to 25,000 TCD, distillery capacity to 1,000 KLPD, add 2G ethanol from bagasse with government funding support, and introduce speciality chemicals like cellulose derivatives.