Press release - Purac to build new lactide plant in Thailand
18 December 2009. Back
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- A strong commitment to reduce CO2 by investing in bioplastics
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CSM announces that its subsidiary Purac will start with the
construction of a Lactide plant in Thailand to produce components
for bioplastics. This investment is driven by CSM's commitment to
play a leading role in the development of the market for lactic
acid based bioplastics (PLA). This market is highly attractive as
PLA contributes, with commercially viable products, to a
significantly lower carbon dioxide (CO) footprint than the traditional oil based
plastics. The investment decision is supported by the commitment of
our three commercial partners and an increasing number of partners
who have signed development agreements, as well as by governmental
and consumer drive for sustainable, green products. The investment
for this new plant will be EUR 45 million. The new plant will be
ready for start up in the second half of 2011 to meet our current
level of demand and to accelerate market development.
Gerard Hoetmer, CEO of CSM comments: "This investment will
take us to the next step in our bioplastics program, where our
proprietary technology gives us a considerable opportunity together
with our partners, to grow the PLA market. Even a 1% share of the
250 million ton plastics market represents a huge opportunity for
our products and our company."
The products are aimed for a broad segment of today's plastics
market and enables Purac's partners to produce bioplastic products
with a high heat resistance up to 180 degrees Celsius/266 degrees
Fahrenheit. Gerard Hoetmer continues: "We have made good
progress in co-developing commercial applications for this next
generation of PLA, such as in the packaging, foam and fiber
industries. This is supported by the drive to reduce CO2 emission
with commercially attractive products. Both from a market and
technology perspective, PLA will continue to gain attractiveness
compared to traditional oil-based plastics through further
investments in future generations of products."
The new plant will be located at the existing Purac site in
Thailand. The capacity of the Lactides plant will be 75,000 tons.
It is designed to produce both L-Lactides and D-Lactides, made out
of lactic acid sourced from the existing Purac plants.
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