Issue 01/2017

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News daily upated news at www.bioplasticsmagazine.com Avantium announced acquisition of Liquid Light In early January, Avantium (Amsterdam, The Netherlands), a leading chemical technology company and a forerunner in renewable chemistry, announced it had acquired Liquid Light Inc. (Monmouth Junction, New Jersey, USA), a company spun out from Princeton University in 2008 that has developed and patented low-energy electrochemistry technologies to convert CO 2 into major chemicals. Their patent portfolio includes filings on producing multiple chemical building blocks used in large existing markets, including oxalic acid, glycolic acid, ethylene glycol, propylene, isopropanol, methyl-methacrylate and acetic acid for the production of polymers, coatings and cosmetics. The development of electrochemistry has the potential to use CO 2 as a feedstock for the sustainable production of chemicals and materials, and is seen as a ’game-changer’ for the chemical industry. The technology behind the process is simple: Take CO 2 and mix it in a water-filled chamber with an electrode and a catalyst. The ensuing chemical reaction converts CO 2 into a new molecule, methanol, which can be used as a fuel, an industrial solvent or a starting material for the manufacture of other chemicals. By adjusting the design of their catalyst, Liquid Light can produce a range of commercially important multi-carbon chemicals. Additionally, by using ‘co-feedstocks’ along with CO 2 , a plant built with Liquid Light’s technology may produce multiple products simultaneously. Tom van Aken, Chief Executive Officer of Avantium, said: “The acquisition of Liquid Light is an important step in our strategy to create and commercialize breakthrough technologies in renewable chemistry. It will extend our capabilities beyond catalytic conversion of biomass. This acquisition will enable the development of a powerful technology platform on the basis of carbon dioxide feedstock, meaning it turns waste into valuable products such as chemicals and plastics.” The technology and patent portfolio of Liquid Light will be integrated into Avantium’s Renewable Chemistry business unit and its existing R&D program in electrochemistry. The combination of Liquid Light’s expertise in electrochemistry with Avantium’s expertise in catalysis and process engineering will be the basis of an unrivaled technology platform to develop novel production technologies for converting CO 2 to chemicals and materials. The integration of the Liquid Light assets into Avantium is complete and effective immediately. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed. KL/MT www.avantium.com Solegear acquires Lindar Bioplastic Division The Canada-based producer of plant-based plastics announced end of last year that it was acquiring 100 % of LINDAR Corporation’s bioplastic division for CAD$ 845,000, comprising 4,225,000 common shares of the Company at a deemed price of $0.20 per share. Lindar is a leading manufacturer of plastic thermoformed food packaging, trays and products for industrial OEM industries. Located in Baxter, Minnesota (USA), the company has been producing thermoformed packaging since 1993 and is a leader in packaging innovations, including single-serve and tamper evident food packaging. “Lindar was one of the early innovators to embrace the important role packaging design can play in ensuring food safety. By combining Lindar’s thermoformed packaging know-how with Solegear’s commitment to engineering plant-based materials with no BPAs or phthalates, this acquisition positions Solegear with the people, infrastructure, products and pricing to further scale our business at a faster rate.” For Lindar, the acquisition by Solegear will make it possible to create scale and engage more customers about what is possible with plant-based packaging. “Something that is much easier to achieve with Solegear than on our own,” said Tom Haglin, President of Lindar. “As Lindar’s bioplastic division becomes part of the Solegear family, Lindar will be able to capitalize on this business association by introducing new and expanded products with greater capabilities.” The purchased assets generated over CAD$1.3 million in revenue in 2015. Revenues generated from the purchased assets are expected to be accretive to Solegear during the current fiscal year. Issuance of the Shares to LINDAR is conditional upon execution of the Outsourcing Agreement, and completion of the Asset Purchase remains subject to TSX Venture Exchange approval. The Shares will be issued from treasury and subject to a 24 -month hold period from the signing date of the Outsourcing Agreement. MT www.solegear.ca 6 bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/17] Vol. 12
News Global biodegradable market to show strong growth through 2021 The bioplastics market continues to show healthy growth. Analysts from technology research company Technavio have now separately examined the biodegradable plastics market. According to their latest report, the global biodegradable polymers market can look forward to growth at a CAGR of 21.1 % over the next five years. The research study covers the present scenario and growth prospects of the global biodegradable polymers market for 2017- 2021. The study considers revenue generated from the sale of biodegradable polymers market across various geographies to determine the market size. By application, this market is segmented into food packaging, foam packaging, biodegradable bags, agriculture, and other segments. Biodegradable polymers find utility in these areas as they are great in reducing carbon footprint and providing enhanced sustainability on account of the entire process being cyclic. The global market was valued at USD 2,040.2 million in 2016 and is forecast to reach USD 5,324.4 million by 2021. Region wise, Western Europe is the market leader in the global biodegradable polymers market with a share of over 41 % (2016 figures). The high levels of consumer awareness and maturity in the region make way for easy adoption of new technologies and products, which is the main reason behind the segment’s dominance. The key products available in the Western European market are compostable biobased waste bags and loose-fill packaging materials. North America and ROW (Rest of World) follow Western Europe. Technavio analysts point to the following three factors that they say are contributing to the growth of biodegradable polymers: Eco-friendly packaging leading to enhanced customer appeal Consumers have shown a clear preference towards sustainable options for plastic bags and food packaging. The preference for sustainability in these product categories is pushing vendors to adopt greener technologies and strategies for branding and gaining a larger consumer base. Therefore, the increasing acceptance of sustainable packaging and green products among consumers is directly driving the biodegradable polymers market. Government emphasis on efficient plastic waste management Management of plastic waste is a top priority for most governments as mass consumption of products with short lifespans is increasing, leading to accumulation of an enormous amount of non-degradable waste. This waste takes up valuable real estate space and often ends up in landfills or dumping grounds that have grave environmental impacts. To curb this, governments across the globe are aiding in and pushing for the adoption of biodegradable polymers through various initiatives and reforms, thus bringing in a steady demand for these products. Emergence of biobased and renewable raw materials “The global biodegradable polymers market is driven by the emergence of renewable resources, biomass, and biobased raw materials such as starch and vegetable crop derivatives. In 2015, biobased plastics accounted for more than 80 % of the global biodegradable polymers market. The use of bioplastics in numerous applications such as packaging and retail goods has greatly aided market growth,” says Swapnil Tejveer Sharma, one of the lead analysts at Technavio for plastics, polymers, and elastomers research. KL/MT www.technavio.com Apologies We sincerely apologize for not mentioning the authors of the article on the “Fair Mouse” in the recent new issue of bioplastics MAGAZINE. MT The authors are Jacek Leciński, Andrea Siebert-Raths Daniela Jahn and Jessica Rutz Institute for Bioplastics and Biocomposites University of Applied Sciences and Arts Hannover, Germany You can read the article online on pp 24 at https://issuu.com/bioplastics/docs/bioplasticsmagazine_1606_ bioplastics MAGAZINE [01/17] Vol. 12 7
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