Godavari Biorefineries Limited was originally incorporated as Godavari Investment and Finance Corporation Limited in Mumbai, Maharashtra as a public limited company under the Indian Companies Act, 1913, pursuant to a certificate of incorporation dated January 12, 1956, issued by the Registrar of Companies, Bombay. Subsequently, the name of the company was changed to Godavari Biorefineries Limited and a fresh certificate of incorporation consequent upon change of name was issued to the company by the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra at Mumbai on November 10, 2006. The sugar, power, chemical and distillery business of The Godavari Sugar Mills Limited (the Business), was demerged into the company on April 21, 2009, with effect from April 1, 2008.

The company is one of the manufacturers of ethanol based chemicals in India and it is an integrated bio-refinery in India. As on March 31, 2024, it was also the largest manufacturer of MPO worldwide in terms of installed capacity, one of only two manufacturers of natural 1,3 butylene glycol and the only company in India to manufacture bio ethyl acetate. Its diversified product portfolio comprises of bio-based chemicals, sugar, different grades of ethanol and power. These products find application in a range of industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, flavours & fragrances, power, fuel, personalcare and cosmetics. 

It utilises sugarcane as a feedstock to manufacture a wide range of products, including sugar, ethanol, bio-based chemicals and power and were among the first few companies in India to utilise sugarcane juice and syrup for the production of ethanol (source: Frost & Sullivan Report). It continuously strives to improve the valorisation of sugarcane through development of down-stream products and increase the diversion of sugarcane towards value added products. For instance, it has been successful in manufacturing a wide range of bio-based chemicals such as ethyl acetate, bio-ethyl acetate, MPO, 1,3 butylene glycol, crotonaldehyde, acetaldehyde, bio-acetic acid, butanol, EVE, and paraldehyde. It is also in the process of exploring the utilisation of grains to manufacture grain-based ethanol.

Business area of the company

The company is one of the manufacturers of ethanol based chemicals in India. Its diversified product portfolio comprises of bio-based chemicals, sugar, different grades of ethanol and power. These products find application in a range of industries such as food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, flavours & fragrances, power, fuel, personal care and cosmetics. Godavari Biorefineries and its subsidiaries are principally engaged in the manufacturing of sugar, distillery, bio-based chemicals, power generation and other bio products.

Awards, accreditations or recognitions

• 2011: The company received the ‘Best Cane Development Award’ from The South Indian Sugarcane & Sugar Technologists’ Association.
• 2013: The company received the ‘Golden award for best distillery for the season 2013-2014’ from The South Indian Sugarcane & Sugar Technologists’ Association.
• 2014: The company received the ‘Certificate of Merit for the outstanding export performance in chemical panel’ Award from CHEMEXCIL.
• 2015: The company received the ‘District Exporter Award, Bagalkot’ from the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
• 2015: The company received the ‘Water Resource Management in Chemical Industry’ Award from the Indian Chemical Council.
• 2016: The company received the ‘FICCI Efficiency in Water Usage-Chemicals’ Award from FICCI.
• 2016: The company received the First Prize in the ‘Best Safe Industrial Boiler’ category for adopting best safe practices in the year 2015 from the Karnataka State Safety Institute, Government of Karnataka in 2016.
• 2016: The company received the ‘Best Overall Performance Private Sugar Mill Award from Bhartiya Sugar.
• 2018: The company received the runner up award for ‘Outstanding Renewable Energy Generation-Bio-Energy’ from the Indian Federation of Green Energy.
• 2019: The company received the ‘State Export Excellence’ Award 2016-17 from the Department of Commerce and Industries.
• 2019: The company received the certificate of participation ‘ENVOSAFE EHS Excellence Award 2019’ from the DY. Director, industrial safety and health.
• 2019: The company received the ‘Outstanding Renewable Energy Generation-Biofuel’ from the Indian Federation of Green Energy.
• 2019: The company received the ‘Best District Exporter Award, Bagalkot’ from the Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
• 2021: The company received the ‘Efficiency in Boiler Maintenance-Best Combined Heat and Power Plant Boiler’ Award from the Department of Factories, Boilers, Industrial Safety and Health, Bengaluru.
• 2021: The company received the certificate that it is compliant with the requirements of ‘Bonsucro standards: Bonsucro Mass Balance Chain of Custody Standard V 5.1’ from the SCS Global Services.
• 2021: The company received the management system certificate that it conforms to the environment management system standard ‘American Chemistry Council Technical Specification RC 14001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015’ issued by the ANSI National Accreditation Board.
• 2021: The company received the ‘Silver award for best distillery for the season 2019-20’ from the South Indian Sugarcane & Sugar Technologists’ Association.
• 2021: The company received the ‘Outstanding Renewable Energy Generation Projects-Biofuel’ from the Indian Federation of Green Energy.
• 2021: The company received the ‘Excellence in Manufacturing in Chemicals’ award at the India@75: Chemical and Petrochemical Industry Awards 2021 from the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
• 2021: The company received the ‘Silver medal -Ecovadis Sustainability Rating’ from Ecovadis.
• 2022: The company received the ‘Platinum Award for Best Sugarcane Development for the season 2021-2022’ from the South Indian Sugarcane & Sugar Technologists’ Association.
• 2023: The company received the FICCI Chemicals and Petrochemicals Awards 2023 for ‘Excellence in Corporate Environment Responsibility in Chemicals’.
• 2023: The company received the ‘Best Technical Efficiency Award (Private Sugar Factory)’ for season 2022-23 from S. Nijalingappa Sugar Institute, Belagavi.
• 2024: The company received the ‘4th India Green Energy Award’ in the category of ‘Bioenergy - Outstanding Chemical Process Based Project - Ethanol’ from the Indian Federation of Green Energy.
• 2024: The company received the ‘Quality Excellence Award–2023-24 (Domestic)’ from one of its customers.

History and milestones

• 1940: Commencement of business in the manufacture and sale of sugar by the Godavari Sugar Mills.
• 1962: Commencement of production and sale of denatured and rectified spirit. 
• 1962: Commenced the production of chemicals namely acetic acid. 
• 1973: Commencement of manufacture of sugar at Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 1985: Commencement of manufacture of alcohol from molasses at Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility. 
• 1993: Consent to set up an ethyl acetate plant at the Sakarwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2003: Amalgamation of Somaiya Organo-Chemicals Limited with The Godavari Sugar Mills Limited, with an appointed date of April 1, 2001.
• 2004: Consent to manufacture of crotonaldehyde. 
• 2005: Receipt of ISO 9001:2000 certification for the Sakarwadi Manufacturing Facility for the manufacturing, and marketing of ethyl alcohol, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, ethyl acetate and sorbic acid. 
• 2008: Received environmental clearance for expansion of the distillery unit at the Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility with capacity to manufacture 200 KLPD of rectified spirits and 150 KLPD of fuel ethanol. 
• 2009: Incorporation of foreign wholly owned Subsidiary, Cayuga Investments B.V. in Netherlands and two step-down Subsidiaries, Godavari Biorefineries B.V. in Netherlands and Godavari Biorefineries Inc., in United States of America. 
• 2010: The sugar, power, chemical and distillery business of The Godavari Sugar Mills Limited, a member of the Somaiya group, was demerged into the Company on April 21, 2009 with an appointed date of April 1, 2008.
• 2011: Consent from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board for manufacturing 200 KLPD rectified spirits and 140 KLPD of extra neutral alcohol at the Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2014: Launch of brand ‘Jivana’ in the retail market and introduced Jivana sugar and salt.
• 2015: Investment by Mandala Capital AG Limited in the Company.
• 2016: Commencement of manufacturing and sale of chemicals such as MPO and 1, 3 butylene glycol at Sakarwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2017: Receipt of ISO 9001:2008 certification for the Manufacturing Facilities for marketing, manufacturing and supply of acetaldehyde, ethyl alcohol, ethyl acetate, crotonaldehyde, MPO, 1,3 BG and paraldehyde.
• 2019: Receipt of RC 14001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certification for the Sakarwadi Manufacturing Facility for the manufacturing and sales of alcohol base chemicals and specialty chemicals.
• 2021: Receipt of environmental clearance for expansion of distillery capacity from 320 KLPD to 400 KLPD at the Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2022: Receipt of environmental clearance for expansion of ethanol capacity from 400 KLPD to 600 KLPD using sugarcane syrup and for the expansion of sugarcane crushing capacity from 15,000 TCD to 20,000 TCD at the Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2022: Receipt of environmental clearance for expansion of distillery capacity from 400 KLPD to 600 KLPD at the Sameerwadi Manufacturing Facility and for manufacturing a wider range of speciality chemicals including 1,3 BG, cellulose, EVE, lignosulphonate and bio-composite.
• 2023: Receipt of consent to operate from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board in relation to manufacture of certain additional bio-based chemicals at the Sakarwadi Manufacturing Facility.
• 2024: Receipt of environmental clearance for expansion of distillery capacity from 600 KLPD to 1,000 KLPD using sugarcane syrup or 400 KLPD to 600 KLPD using B heavy molasses or 320 KLPD to 400 KLPD using C heavy molasses and 200 KLPD grain based/ sugarbeet as raw material to produce ethanol and to enhance captive power plant from 14 MW to 22 MW and expansion of sugarcane crushing capacity from 20,000 TCD to 25,000 TCD.