RYAM and GranBio Sign MOU to Explore Cellulosic SAF Project at Jesup Facility

By: Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. via Business Wire

July 31, 2025 at 08:00 AM EDT

Rayonier Advanced Materials Inc. (NYSE: RYAM) (the “Company” or “RYAM”), the global leader in cellulose specialty products, announced today the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with GranBio LLC, a pioneer in biochemicals and biofuels, to jointly explore the development of a small-scale commercial cellulosic Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility co-located at RYAM’s Jesup, Georgia site.

Under the agreement, GranBio will lead the proposed project to deploy its proprietary AVAP® technology to convert lignocellulosic biomass into second-generation ethanol, which will be upgraded into SAF for sale to an offtaker. The new facility would leverage RYAM’s infrastructure at the Jesup plant, including feedstock, utilities, and logistics. The project will be partially financed through GranBio’s $100 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.

In addition to advancing its strategic goal of maximizing value from existing assets, should the project proceed, RYAM would receive a license to GranBio’s latest-generation Celer2L™ yeast and AVAP® technologies for ethanol and sugar production at its own facility, in partnership with GranBio - a meaningful step in diversifying into high-growth biofuel and biochemical markets.

“This MoU aligns with our strategy to unlock new value from our core assets and expand into renewable markets where our infrastructure and technical capabilities create a competitive advantage,” said De Lyle Bloomquist, President and CEO of RYAM. “GranBio brings world-class technology to this partnership, and together we’re exploring practical, scalable solutions to help decarbonize global aviation fuel markets.”

“I am very pleased to strengthen our collaboration with RYAM and work toward our joint goal of developing clean energy solutions, while improving the communities in which we work,” said Luiz Oliveira, CEO of GranBio. “At Jesup, we will leverage our complementary capabilities in the development of a cost-effective, scalable solution for the production of Sustainable Aviation Fuels.”

This first-of-its-kind project marks a major milestone in GranBio’s strategic goal of systematically scaling up SAF production, with strong potential for replication.

The due diligence is expected to conclude later this year, at which point both parties will determine next steps. The MoU underscores both companies’ commitment to sustainability, innovation, and the development of next-generation biomaterials and fuels.

About RYAM

RYAM is a global leader of cellulose-based technologies, including cellulose specialties, a natural polymer commonly used in the production of filters, food, pharmaceuticals and other industrial applications. RYAM’s specialized assets, capable of creating the world’s leading cellulose specialties products, are also used to produce commodity fluff pulp, biofuels, bioelectricity and other biomaterials such as bioethanol and tall oils. The Company also manufactures products for the paper and packaging markets. With manufacturing operations in the U.S., Canada and France, RYAM generated $1.6 billion of revenue in 2024. More information is available at www.RYAM.com.

About GranBio

GranBio is a pioneer in biofuels and biochemicals. Its proven technology uses a wide range of biomass - including forest, agricultural, construction, and sugarcane residues - to help decarbonize hard-to-abate sectors and revitalize rural economies. The company operates a plant in Brazil and a pilot plant in the U.S., including a state-of-the-art R&D center. The company plans to build 1-billion-gallon SAF capacity over the next decade to meet growing global demand. Founded in 2011, GranBio has over 400 granted and pending patents in the bioeconomy field, reflecting its commitment to innovation and sustainability. For more information, please visit www.granbio.com

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this document regarding anticipated financial, business, legal, or other outcomes, including business and market conditions, outlook, and other similar statements relating to Rayonier Advanced Materials’ or future or expected events, developments, or financial or operational performance or results, are "forward-looking statements" made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other federal securities laws. These forward-looking statements are identified by the use of words such as "may," "will," "should," "expect," "estimate," "believe," "intend," "anticipate," and other similar language. However, the absence of these or similar words or expressions does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. While we believe these forward-looking statements are reasonable when made, forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or events, and undue reliance should not be placed on these statements. Although we believe the expectations reflected in any forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that these expectations will be attained. It is possible that actual results may differ materially from those indicated by these forward-looking statements due to a variety of risks and uncertainties.

Other important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those expressed in forward-looking statements that may have been made in this document are described or will be described in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including our Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Rayonier Advanced Materials assumes no obligation to update these statements except as is required by law.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250730449122/en/

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RYAM and GranBio Sign MOU to Explore Cellulosic SAF Project at Jesup Facility

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