ALPLA
In joint development partnership for PEF bottles / Commercial-scale plant planned for 2016
Austrian plastics packaging producer ALPLA Werke Alwin Lehner (Hard; www.alpla.com) has become the third company to collaborate in the development of PEF (polyethylenefuranoate) bottles with Dutch R&D company Avantium (Amsterdam; www.avantium.com), joining Coca-Cola (Atlanta, Georgia / USA; www.thecoca-colacompany.com) and Danone (Paris / France; www.danone.com). Food product company Danone announced a joint development agreement with Avantium in March 2012 – see Plasteurope.com from 27.03.2012, following Coca-Cola in late 2011. The partners are aiming to launch 100% bio-based PEF bottles on the market by 2016.
PEF is a bio-based and recyclable polyester based on Avantium’s proprietary "YXY" technology. The YXY platform catalytically converts plant-based carbohydrates into chemical building blocks such as furanics and levulinics. The current focus is on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) which can be polymerised with ethylene glycol to make PEF. Avantium says PEF has the potential to replace conventional, oil-based materials such as PET, offering superior properties such as a significantly higher barrier to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water, thus extending shelf life and reducing production costs.
Avantium supplies its development partners with PEF from a pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands. The technology company is currently planning a 50,000 t/y commercial-scale plant which is expected to be operational in 2016. Alpha will develop PEF bottles for personal and home care applications, such as cosmetics and detergents, and for food applications such as sauces, dressing, baby foods and edible oils. It will also work with Avantium to develop bottles for beer and other alcoholic drinks.
Tom van Aken, Avantium’s CEO, said: “With extensive and proven know-how in PET conversion, bottle design and bottle manufacturing, Alpha will be a major contributor to accelerate the commercial roll out and industrialization of PEF. Jointly we can make PEF available for packaging in innovative markets and traditional applications.”
PEF is a bio-based and recyclable polyester based on Avantium’s proprietary "YXY" technology. The YXY platform catalytically converts plant-based carbohydrates into chemical building blocks such as furanics and levulinics. The current focus is on 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) which can be polymerised with ethylene glycol to make PEF. Avantium says PEF has the potential to replace conventional, oil-based materials such as PET, offering superior properties such as a significantly higher barrier to oxygen, carbon dioxide and water, thus extending shelf life and reducing production costs.
Avantium supplies its development partners with PEF from a pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands. The technology company is currently planning a 50,000 t/y commercial-scale plant which is expected to be operational in 2016. Alpha will develop PEF bottles for personal and home care applications, such as cosmetics and detergents, and for food applications such as sauces, dressing, baby foods and edible oils. It will also work with Avantium to develop bottles for beer and other alcoholic drinks.
Tom van Aken, Avantium’s CEO, said: “With extensive and proven know-how in PET conversion, bottle design and bottle manufacturing, Alpha will be a major contributor to accelerate the commercial roll out and industrialization of PEF. Jointly we can make PEF available for packaging in innovative markets and traditional applications.”
11.06.2013 Plasteurope.com [225486-0]
Published on 11.06.2013
German version of this article...