GLACONCHEMIE obtains biogenic glycerine and glycerine derivatives for the pharmaceutical industry, the cosmetics, food and chemical industries from sustainable raw materials. Our know-how of Green Chemistry helps us to use valuable raw materials more efficiently, reduce costs and lower the impact on humans, nature and the environment. This is accomplished by the usage of renewable, biogenic raw materials and the employment of an extremely carefully controlled process with a minimized input of chemicals which results in the complete utilization of all raw material components. Therefore, we produce not just high-purity glycerine of pharmaceutical quality (GLYCAMED®) but also marketable fatty acids and methanol as well as salts for the fertilizer industry. According to the latest international standards we control and certify the quality of our products, and engage in research and development to maximize our added value.

Vegetable oils are esters of the trivalent alcohol glycerine and of three, often variable fatty acids. By catalytically replacing glycerine with methanol (transesterification), biodiesel can be produced. The glycerine methanol mixture accumulating as a by-product is taken out of the process and refined by GLACONCHEMIE.
Not only glycerine is obtained in this process, the utilized excess methanol and the released synthesized. GLACONCHEMIE recycles and refines the by-products methanol and fatty acids and returns them ecologically and economically worthwhile back into, for example, the biodiesel production: The fatty acids are esterified to biodiesel or used as secondary fuel in block
heating and power plants. The refined methanol is again used for substituting glycerine in the biodiesel production.

The synthesis of glycerine from the byproducts of the biodiesel production happens through catalyzing with the aid of sulphuric acid and potassium hydroxide.
During this process potassium sulphate develops, which can be removed from the process and without further refinement or purification can be used in agriculture:
as straight fertilizer or as component in mixed and complete fertilizers, required by chloridesensitive plants such as potatoes and certain fruits and vegetables.

Potassium sulphate is also used for synthesizing alum and as an important basic material in the glass, colorant and chemical industry.