The opening of a local manufacturing facility in Loudon took on a decidedly Big Orange feel last Friday, as the new operation's dedication featured two speakers with strong University of Tennessee connections.
Chad Holliday, CEO of DuPont Corp. and a 1970 alumnus of the UT College of Engineering, addressed the crowd of more than 200, highlighting the plant's unique technology which converts corn into a product DuPont calls BioPDO. Holliday, who earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from UT, noted that the plant represented a significant step toward a sustainable economy, using renewable products to create everything from fabrics to skin care products. The facility is operated jointly by DuPont and the British firm Tate and Lyle.
In addition, Bruce Bursten, the dean of UT's College of Arts and Sciences, was on hand to present the American Chemical Society's "Heroes of Chemistry" award to the team of scientists who developed the unique process used by DuPont Tate and Lyle to convert the corn to the BioPDO chemical. Bursten is the president-elect of the ACS, the world's largest scientific organization.
Also speaking at the event were U.S. Secretary of Energy Samuel Bodman, Rep. Jimmy Duncan and Tennessee Commissioner of Economic and Community Development Matt Kisber.
