Biospan Advances Infrastructure Maintenance with Bio-Based Technology

Written by:

Steve Marcinuk

Date:

22 Apr 2025

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“We’re supporting more sustainable infrastructure by using regenerative materials, such as soybeans and other agricultural oils that we can grow here in our backyard,” says Lindsey Hermes, COO of BioSpan Technologies, a chemical manufacturer focused on sustainable solutions for infrastructure maintenance.

In an industry dominated by traditional petroleum-based products, BioSpan is pioneering a different approach—one that leverages bio-based components to extend the life of asphalt and concrete while reducing environmental impact. This family-owned business, founded in 1983, has been advancing how we maintain our infrastructure for over three decades.

A Family Legacy of Innovation

For Hermes, sustainability isn’t just a business strategy—it’s in her DNA. “My story with BioSpan actually begins at the dinner table and in the lab, because BioSpan is a family business,” she explains. “Some people had a scooter growing up, and I had a forklift.”

Hermes watched her father formulate the company’s patented technology in the lab during her childhood. Summer vacations meant working on the filling line, and by high school, she had “graduated” to the air-conditioned lab, where her interest in chemistry flourished.

“The sustainability aspect developed organically around the dinner table. Every dinner was a board meeting or a business meeting,” Hermes recalls. Her mother, who joined the company about five years after its founding, came from a farming family with a “waste not, want not” philosophy that deeply influenced BioSpan’s approach.

This background shaped Hermes’ passion for sustainability: “I’ve really been focused on observing what’s in a waste stream that’s difficult to dispose of and what’s readily available that we can better utilize—and do that at scale to create impactful solutions.”

Bio-Based Solutions for Infrastructure Challenges

BioSpan manufactures a comprehensive range of products designed to extend the life of infrastructure investments. Their portfolio includes pavement preservation solutions, specialty cleaners, maintenance products, and dust control applications.

What sets BioSpan apart is their use of bio-based components. As Hermes explains, “The answer to all of our problems is not necessarily in a bag of cold mix. The answer is actually living in fields.”

This approach was discovered through what Hermes describes as “a happy accident” when her father spilled a compound on the lab floor that removed a stubborn adhesive. That compound happened to be mostly organic, leading to the development of BioSpan’s pioneering technologies.

Among their flagship products is RePlāy, which Hermes calls “Botox for asphalt.” Unlike traditional surface sealants, RePlāy penetrates an inch and a quarter into the asphalt matrix, pushing out water and preventing deterioration. For concrete, their OptiC Seal product penetrates four inches, protecting embedded rebar from corrosion.

The Sustainability Impact

BioSpan’s approach to sustainability is multifaceted, beginning with their raw materials. “We’re using regenerative materials, such as soybeans and other agricultural oils that we can grow here in our backyard,” Hermes explains. The company incorporates recycled content that diverts materials from the waste stream, and their patented technology includes natural, organic nano polymers.

The environmental benefits extend beyond ingredients to application methods. BioSpan’s products typically require no heat to apply, fewer personnel, and integrate with existing materials. “We have carbon-negative solutions in our entire portfolio because of that regenerative input,” Hermes notes.

One standout example is Activate, a cold mix RAP (recycled asphalt pavement) additive. When mixed with ground-up asphalt millings from deteriorated surfaces, Activate creates a new paving surface in just 20 minutes. “Not only are you reducing the need for additional energy, labor, and cost—you’ve already paid for this resource with the RAP millings. You’re just paying for Activate to reactivate it into the surface,” Hermes explains.

This approach significantly reduces the carbon footprint associated with infrastructure maintenance. Traditional methods often require new materials, energy-intensive heating, and more frequent replacement cycles. By extending the life of existing infrastructure, BioSpan’s solutions inherently reduce environmental impact.

The company has conducted life cycle analyses on their products and can provide environmental product disclosures (EPDs)—increasingly important as federal and state agencies move toward more sustainable procurement practices.

Real-World Applications and Partnerships

BioSpan works with a diverse range of partners, from property developers and management companies to logistics firms, public agencies, and contractors of all sizes.

One such partner is Bio Pave Services in California, founded by Dennis Helmer, who comes from a paving family. Helmer formed his company specifically to focus on selling and applying BioSpan solutions throughout California, Nevada, and Arizona—regions facing challenges from wildfires, drought, and flooding.

For property managers and developers, BioSpan’s products offer significant cost savings through preventive maintenance. “When you spend $1 on maintenance for an asset in good condition, you save six to $10 in the future,” Hermes points out. “If you have made an investment, why wouldn’t you lower your total cost of ownership by maintaining it in a way that’s cost-effective, healthy, and better for the environment?”

This value proposition resonates particularly with commercial property owners, for whom parking infrastructure represents a substantial investment. By extending the life of parking lots and reducing maintenance costs, BioSpan helps improve the economics of development projects.

Looking Ahead: New Products and Partner Program

Coming off a successful showing at World of Asphalt in March 2025, BioSpan is poised for growth. “We’re launching three new products in Q2 2025,” Hermes reveals. “They’re geared mostly towards residential homeowners, but this is an opportunity for our partners, and our new partners in particular, to really get on board with the partner program that we launched at World of Asphalt.”

The tiered partner program aims to make BioSpan’s products more accessible to small business owners who want to incorporate sustainable solutions into their offerings. “My objective is to get as many people applying our products as possible around the world, but especially here in our backyard and in our own country,” Hermes says.

Having recently returned to the U.S. to take the helm of the family business, Hermes brings fresh energy and ideas to BioSpan’s product development. “I’m a new owner. I moved back to the US last year to take the helm of the business,” she explains. “I’m looking out at my front lawn thinking, ‘Huh, have we got something for that?’ And actually, yes, we have something that uses even their waste content.”

This innovative spirit continues to drive BioSpan forward as they expand their reach and impact. “I’m a waste geek, and if I can put that in my house, and I’m willing to test my own house on it, it’s going to be all right for everybody else,” Hermes concludes with a laugh.

For an industry often associated with environmental challenges, BioSpan offers a compelling alternative—proving that infrastructure maintenance can be both economically and environmentally sustainable. By extending the life of roads, parking lots, and concrete structures with bio-based solutions, they’re building a more sustainable future from the ground up.