German bio-based compounds company Biotec (Emmerich; www.biotec.de) has signed a joint development agreement with Japan’s Kaneka (Osaka; www.kaneka.co.jp) to create new bio-based products for various end-use applications. These include pharmaceutical capsules, extrusion coated paper and cardboard, as well as a variety of other flexible and rigid film and packaging solutions.

Biotec develops and manufactures bio-based, biodegradable and compostable compounds under the "Bioplast" name, while Kaneka is the producer of "Aonilex", a 100% bio-based PHBH polymer. The partners said they are aiming to maximise product development resources at both companies and push scale and efficiency through their respective supply chains.

John Persenda, chairman of Biotec’s advisory board, said the agreement broadens its new product developments and extends its reach across a wide range of applications. Kaneka’s president, Mamoru Kadokura, added: “Strong partnerships in the value chain are indispensable to manifest our new ‘Aonilex’ biopolymers in a broad range of innovative and sustainable applications.”