Emerson announced a memorandum of understanding with Origin Materials Inc. to provide advanced digital automation technologies and consulting services for Origin's first world-scale manufacturing facility, Origin 2. Emerson has already supplied automation for Origin's first commercial facility, currently under construction in Sarnia, Ontario. Emerson's expertise and advanced automation solutions will enable Origin Materials, based in West Sacramento, California, to fully automate its pioneering production process at Origin 2. The plant, to be constructed in Geismar, Louisiana, is expected to convert about 1 million dry metric tons of wood residues each year into carbon-negative materials for applications that include polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic and carbon black. Origin's platform technology turns the carbon found in sustainable wood residues into useful carbon-negative materials for a wide range of end products, including clothing, textiles, plastics, packaging, car parts, tires, carpeting, and toys, representing a more than $1-trillion total addressable market.

The Origin 2 plant, expected to be operational in 2025, will use Emerson's Plantweb digital ecosystem, which includes intelligent sensors and control valves, production optimization systems, advanced data analytics software, modeling and simulation technology, distributed control systems and secure networking.