As hemp has rapidly been re-introduced to consumer markets across a variety of industries throughout the world, humans have been reminded of the many benefits of this remarkable plant. Hemp serves as a more usable, sustainable alternative to common practices found in a variety of industries, yet a new use for the plant is proving incredibly valuable to consumers and entrepreneurs.

Hemp biomass is generally comprised of non-flower parts like seeds, stalk, and leaves and has an average price of around $14 USD/lb. As seen in the chart below, there are many uses for unspent biomass based on the part of the plant used.

The birth of this industry has created an exciting economic boom in a brand-new market, one that entrepreneurs and engineers alike are flooding to. While hemp has been proving its usefulness to humans for many centuries, advancements in the cultivating, extracting, and infused product industries have created an exciting opportunity for modern companies operating in these spaces.

One of the biggest obstacles facing the mainstream adoption of these new remedies is the lack of research and regulations in the industry. As legalization of CBD products spurns the emergence of new players, some companies have marketed various CBD products for the treatment of diseases without first obtaining proper drug approvals. This has created a serious roadblock in bringing these products to the mainstream and inspiring trust amongst users.

As cultivators and brands do their part to refine growing practices and bring exciting new products to consumers, the extractX team is excited to be positioned as a strategic partner in the extraction process. Our business model helps you overcome many of the obstacles facing executives in the CBD product industry.

If you’re a hemp or cannabis cultivator, processor, or formulator creating CBD products in the United States, and want to partner with a team of experts experienced in building extraction labs to meet local AHJ requirements, we want to talk to you today! Please contact us to learn about becoming an extractX partner.

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CBD distillate is extracted from hemp plants. Hemp biomass (cultivated hemp plants) is ground down and run through an extraction process to pull oil from the plant that contains desirable compounds. This distilled oil can then be used in a variety of CBD products, or it can be further refined to isolate compounds to treat specific ailments and conditions.

The extraction process is highly technical and requires lots of time and funding to source the right equipment, construct the lab, get certified from local AHJs (Authority Having Jurisdictions), hire and train staff, and develop standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Not surprisingly, higher-quality CBD distillate creates higher-quality products. In recent years, companies in the extraction industry have refined new technologies, processes, and business models to ensure that the quality of distillate found across the industry continues to improve. The extraction process and technology in the lab are both equally as important as the quality of the hemp biomass when it comes to creating high-quality CBD distillate.

Since the FDA removed hemp from the definition of marijuana as a Schedule I substance in 2018, new drugs and supplements are flooding the market to help treat people suffering from a variety of illnesses and ailments.

Increased popularity and awareness of the health benefits of CBD oil is changing the way people look at this once taboo plant, and an exciting new industry has begun to bloom. “The global cannabidiol [CBD] market size is expected to reach USD $13.4 billion by 2028. The market is expected to expand at a CAGR [Compound Annual Growth Rate] of 21.2% from 2021 to 2028.” This industry growth is fueled in part by innovation in CBD products and distillate extraction.

Read more about how we’re helping our partners capitalize on this growing market in our discussion paper: How Aviette BioProcessing Leverages extractX Technology to Take Advantage of the Booming US CBD Market.

There are thousands of specialized products that have been made using CBD distillate, most falling into one of the following categories:

• Beverages: CBD beverages of all types and flavors are emerging, and are believed to be one of fastest growing market segments of CBD distillate products
• Edibles: edibles come in many different forms, including gummies, chocolates, baked goods, and more
• Pills, Capsules, Oils, & Tinctures: CBD pills, capsules, oils, and tinctures make it easy to take precise amounts of CBD to meet the users’ needs
• Vapes: CBD vapes can be a preferred way to consume CBD for relaxation, and a tool to quit smoking or vaping nicotine
• Topicals: CBD Topicals are typically used to help reduce pain and inflammation, and for management of skin disorders

Introducing the extractX mobile extraction lab solution – a turkney extraction lab delivered within 4 months, requiring no lab CapEx. If you are processing more than 75,000 lbs of biomass per year and are interested in a turnkey extraction lab, we want to talk to you today! Please contact us to explore becoming an extractX partner.

As pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and recreational products flood global markets, it’s never been more important to understand what THC and CBD distillates are, and how they are used. THC and CBD distillates are oils extracted from cannabis or hemp plants that contain compounds that have shown remarkable health benefits to consumers. As these consumer-friendly products are becoming legal and federally regulated, the demand for THC and CBD distillate has never been higher.

THC distillate can be used (sometimes only after further processing) mainly in vaporizers, edibles, or topicals. These types of products serve as an alternative for people who want to experience the THC high without having to smoke cannabis. While the health effects of vaping cannabis products are sometimes questioned, there’s no doubt that the use of edibles is a great alternative for those who want to dabble with the high without smoking. Topicals also provide the opportunity for people to absorb high concentrations of THC through their skin.

CBD distillate is used similarly to THC distillate, but the benefits of CBD distillates may be more far-reaching. CBD distillate can be used in edibles, vapes, pharmaceuticals, topicals, and cosmetics to treat all kinds of ailments and health problems.

CBD has shown promise for treating pain (ex. chronic pain from an old injury), anxiety and depression, acne, and even cancer-related symptoms (learn more here). With CBD products becoming more mainstream, the data is stacking up in favor of the benefits of CBD distillate.

Extracting THC or CBD distillate from cannabis or hemp biomass is an extremely technical process. Building an extraction lab that not only meets your product quality standards, but also the safety standards of your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), takes a lot of time and capital expenditure. extractX mobile labs help partners overcome these obstacles by assuming the responsibility for the technology and equipment within the lab.

Instead of partners having to focus on developing the technology and expertise to extract their own high-quality distillate, they can now outsource this area of production to a trusted partner and remain focused on cultivating the best cannabis or hemp or formulating and producing the best consumer products.

Our experience in creating mobile extraction solutions to the highest quality standards means our labs are delivered to your facility ready to be certified by your local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). Authorities around the world are constantly impressed by the quality of the distillate produced in extractX mobile labs.

Take a look inside one of our mobile extraction labs:

Demand for CBD and THC distillate products continues to rise as countries around the world legalize hemp and cannabis for medical and recreational use. This booming industry is attracting brilliant entrepreneurs and engineers looking to capitalize on this unique opportunity. Edibles, topicals, and vapes all offer alternatives to smoking for people who want to experience the benefits of the compounds found in hemp and cannabis, which is driving the need for high quality distillate, and better extraction solutions.

Build-your-own labs can take up to 2 years from project launch to completion. We’ve seen companies purchase the wrong equipment, struggle to get certifications and create their SOPs, and spend time searching for experts to help them complete the project.

Project costs on build-your-own extraction labs can reach as high as $3,275,000 for a 1500 sq.ft lab, and as high as $7.5 million for a 2000 sq.ft lab. These costs are associated with building a clean room that meets C1D1/C1D2 standards, and sourcing and installing the right equipment for your chosen extraction process.

Completing the lab build is just one hurdle. You’ll then need to source the right staff, train them on your SOPs, and manage them on an ongoing basis.

These mobile units can be used as a primary extraction lab, or to supplement existing lab facilities. Because they are self-contained, it’s relatively easy to scale production up or down as dictated by business needs, with managed staff working 1-3 shifts per day, 6 days a week. New labs can be added to support further remediation or separation processes, or to pursue new markets.

Self-contained labs are equipped with operational permits to meet local Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) requirements, have fully documented Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to meet regulatory compliance, and fit easily into existing operations. Recent changes in the regulatory environment allow these labs to operate under the producer’s existing license. There is no need to apply – and wait for – a separate license for these units.

The cannabis and hemp industry is a rapidly evolving landscape where you have to stay ahead of technological advancements in order to remain competitive. Engaging with an extraction-as-a-service partner means no commitment to a specific piece of equipment. Technology maintenance and process upgrades remain the responsibility of the mobile lab company.

Finding people with the right experience and skills in this competitive talent market is a challenge. Extraction-as-a-service removes this hurdle, since the partner company hires, trains, and oversees the technicians needed for ongoing lab operations. Instead of spending time sourcing and developing talent, you can remain focused on your product.

Current thinking has most licensed producers (LPs) evaluating ethanol and supercritical CO2 extraction processes as the best options for their extraction labs. Each has its advantages and obstacles, and some LPs choose to employ both methods. Below is an at-a-glance summary of the pros and cons of each, and why we’ve chosen to use ethanol for our mobile extraction labs.

Have a question, comment, or topic that you’d like to see covered in one of our blog posts? Engage in the comments section or reach out directly and our team of experts will get back to you as soon as possible! 

While the demand for THC and CBD distillate products for recreational and medical use keeps growing, major producers of hemp, cannabis, and distillate products need to be conscious of the environmental impacts of creating their products. By taking advantage of cutting-edge technologies, companies can position themselves to not only be environmentally focused, but to also capitalize on opportunities to cut costs while creating the highest quality distillate.

Ethanol and supercritical CO2 extraction processes are the current leading methods for extracting THC and CBD distillate from cannabis and hemp biomass. It takes 6-10 CO2 extractors to deliver the same output as one ethanol extractor, which results in lower operating costs and a smaller footprint for the ethanol extraction lab. Ethanol extraction labs also offer flexibility and scalability in production that isn’t matched by alternative methods.

As the demand for CBD and THC distillate products keeps increasing, the supercritical CO2 extraction method is becoming less appealing to producers. The benefits of smaller lab sizes, lower operating costs, and better scalability and flexibility make ethanol extraction labs the clear choice, especially for mid-sized producers who would rather not suffer the headache of trying to build their own large-scale extraction facility. (Read more about the pros and cons of building your own extraction lab, and some alternatives).

Ethanol extraction is optimal because the ethanol can be recovered and reused, reducing the financial input required to perform the extraction process. In comparison, CO2 extractors exhaust used gasses into the atmosphere, meaning that new solvent is required for each batch. While CO2 capturing and recycling has been explored as an option for mitigating cost and environmental impact, the gas becomes saturated after multiple runs, and there is always a risk of forward contamination. These obstacles, combined with the larger footprint and staffing requirements of CO2 extraction labs, are why ethanol is becoming the method of choice for producers of CBD and THC distillate products.

While CBD and THC distillate products have been proven incredibly valuable for treating all kinds of ailments and illnesses, increased demand for these products has put pressures on producers to find better ways of extracting THC and CBD oils from cannabis and hemp biomass. It’s crucial for us to focus on the environmental impacts of the industry as production continues to increase. Thankfully, ethanol extraction methods greatly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by using a solvent recovery method.

Our commitment at extractX to creating mobile THC and CBD extraction labs that support a sustainable extraction process is what drew the attention of the Government of Canada’s Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) Program. Their funding and support have already been instrumental in pursuing our vision of bringing clean technology to the extraction industry. (Read more about our partnership with the Government of Canada).

If you want to save time, money, and headaches while building an ethanol extraction lab, reach out to extractX today to learn about our full range of mobile lab solutions. Labs process up to 500,000 pounds of biomass per lab, per year, and support processes from distillation to remediation and separation.

Have a question, comment, or topic that you’d like to see covered in one of our blog posts? Engage in the comments section or reach out directly and our team of experts will get back to you as soon as possible!

With demand for THC and CBD distillate products skyrocketing around the world, it’s never been a better time to be a cannabis cultivator or producer of edibles, topicals, or beverages.

As cannabis cultivators continue to refine their growing techniques to produce better biomass, and THC and CBD product companies continue to push their brands forward, it seems like the process of extracting distillate from biomass is one of the biggest hurdles facing those trying to capitalize on this rapidly expanding market.

Since CBD and THC extraction is a complex process resulting in a product that will be ingested or used topically by humans, governments have implemented a ton of regulatory requirements you’ll have to meet to produce your own CBD or THC distillate.

If you are going to build your own extraction lab, you’re going to face a lot of challenges along the way. Here are just a few: 

• The build can take 12-24 months to complete
• Start-up costs for a typical 2,000 sq. ft. lab can run as high as $7.5M
• The time it takes to conduct technical research into which process and equipment
• Developing and refining SOPs requires expert consultants which can be costly
• You’ll have to hire and train staff to operate the lab
• Extraction equipment and technology is rapidly evolving, meaning your lab could already be outdated by the time construction is completed

One option for those who don’t want to build their own extraction lab is toll-processing: the practice of outsourcing your extraction to a large-scale, 3rd party facility that performs extraction services for a fee. While this option solves problems for those that don’t want to build their own lab, it also brings obstacles. First there’s the timing, costs, and concerns related to transporting your biomass to the toll-processor.

View our webinar with MJBizDaily, How to tackle extraction and stay competitive, for a more in-depth examination of your options when it comes to building a THC or CBD extraction lab.

You can also download our discussion paper, Proprietary construction or a self-contained extraction lab: what’s right for your company? to learn more about the pros and cons of working with an extraction-as-a-service partner.

If you want to save time, money, and headaches while building an ethanol extraction lab, reach out to extractX today to learn about our full range of mobile lab solutions. Our mission is to build the best mobile THC and CBD extraction labs in the world, keeping you hyper-focused on cultivating or procuring the best biomass, and/or developing and marketing the best CBD and THC distillate products. extractX labs process up to 500,000 pounds of biomass per lab, per year.

Have a question, comment, or topic that you’d like to see covered in one of our blog posts? Engage in the comments section or reach out directly and our team of experts will get back to you as soon as possible!