NatureWorks and BioAmber form joint venture to commercialise bio-based polymers

Bioplastics manufacturers NatureWorks and bio-based chemical company BioAmber have announced the creation of AmberWorks, a joint venture to bring new performance bio-based polymers made from maize starch to market.

With the formation of the joint venture, NatureWorks plans to commercialise a new family of Ingeo™ resin grades, designed for food service products.

"The new product range being developed by the joint venture enables NatureWorks to broaden its existing product portfolio, allowing for bio-based product solutions in applications that were previously difficult to address," said Marc Verbruggen, president and chief executive officer of NatureWorks.

"The properties of PLA and PBS are complementary and making Ingeo compounds using both materials will result in a broad and attractive property profile for a number of different applications."

Verbruggen believes the new polylactic acid (PLA) and polybutylene succinate (PBS) resin grades, developed and manufactured by AmberWorks and marketed through NatureWorks, will offer improved flexibility, toughness and heat resistance to Ingeo products.

The new resins are being targeted for use in biodegradable food service products such as injection moulded cutlery and thermoformed cups, lids and clamshell containers, and the two companies believe bio-based polymers like PBS could soon be cheaper than the traditional petroleum based material.

"The AmberWorks JV builds on BioAmber’s core business: the production of cost competitive, renewable chemicals that include succinic acid and 1,4-butanediol," said Jean-Francois Huc, president and chief executive officer of BioAmber.

"Our novel PBS compounding technology has enabled us to forward integrate into polymers and our partnership with NatureWorks, the global market leader in biopolymers, will strengthen and accelerate market access for our growing portfolio of renewable solutions."

Montreal-based BioAmber currently makes bio-succinic acid at an industrial fermenting plant in Pomacle, France, but the company is planning to expand its operation with the construction of a new plant in Ontario, Canada, under a partnership with Mitsui.

That plant, set to open in 2013, will make bio-succinic acid as well as 1,4 butanediol (BDO), which are the two building blocks used to manufacture bio-based PBS. The joint venture will use commercially available PBS until production begins.