Rivertop Renewables Biobased Products to Reduce Harmful Impacts of Winter Snow & Ice Removal on Montana Roads

MISSOULA, MT--(Marketwire - Dec 5, 2011) - Rivertop Renewables (www.rivertop.com), a Montana-based renewable chemicals company, today announced it has been awarded a contract from the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) to supply 110,000 gallons of bio-based corrosion inhibitor for use with liquid deicers on the state's snowy and icy roads this winter. Rivertop's "Headwaters" inhibitor will be mixed with MDT's salt brine deicers to prevent the corrosion of bridges and vehicles. Derived from renewable corn sugar, Headwaters is a completely biodegradable, cost-effective inhibitor that consistently performs at high levels.

"Our Headwaters product provides the state a highly effective, affordable and environmentally safe corrosion inhibitor that not only helps keep the roads clear, but reduces the impact on infrastructure and the environment," said Jere Kolstad, President of Rivertop. "Essentially MDT will put sugar and salt on our roads to keep winter drivers safe and our state's economy flowing, while protecting infrastructure investments and our environment."

Road maintenance departments across the country are increasing the use of liquid deicers rather than traditional road salts due to their effectiveness and ease of application. Furthermore, salt brines can be cost-effectively enhanced to limit their corrosive effects. The roads maintenance industry historically has used phosphate-based inhibitors; however these have been phased-out of use in favor of alternatives that are environmentally benign, like Headwaters.

Rivertop's Headwaters is derived from sodium gluconate and is formulated to maintain a higher level of consistency and reliability as compared to other biobased inhibitors.

Broadening the local economic impact of the contract, Rivertop will work with two other Montana-based companies to supply MDT with bio-based inhibitors. Rivertop will team with a local chemical company and a local trucking company to formulate and deliver the inhibitor from Missoula to the MDT's supply depots throughout the state.

To lead Rivertop's development of corrosion inhibitors, the company recently added industry expert Dr. Dave Wilkening as Product Manager of Corrosion Sciences. Wilkening received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Montana State University in 1984 and brings to Rivertop a breadth of experience in the chemical industry. After working for Dow Chemical, he served as Director of Quality and Product Development for Redmond Minerals where he established himself as an authority in the application of environmentally-friendly corrosion inhibitors.

Rivertop's team of scientists has developed a breakthrough technology to produce renewable chemicals in a scalable and cost-effective manner. In addition to corrosion inhibitors, Rivertop is also developing glucaric acid products as effective and cost-competitive replacements for phosphates in the multi-billion-dollar global detergent market and as building blocks for advanced biodegradable polymers.

About Rivertop Renewables
Based in Missoula, Montana, Rivertop Renewables is innovating a new category of science -- Progressive Chemistry. Merging proven science with renewable resources, Rivertop Renewables is creating an abundant and economical supply of sustainable, biodegradable and non-toxic chemicals and bioproducts derived from renewable plant sugars. More information is available at www.rivertop.com.