CSM (Amsterdam / The Netherlands; www.csm.nl) and Indorama Ventures (IVL, Bangkok / Thailand; www.indoramaventures.com) are discussing whether to set up a PLA line in Thailand together. The Dutch bakery products manufacturer reports that the proposed facility is to have an intial capacity of 10,000 t/y, with the option of successively raising output to 100,000 t/y. The project is to be realised by CSM subsidiary Purac (Gorinchem / The Netherlands; www.purac.com).

Purac already operates a 100,000 t/y plant for PLA feedstock lactide in Rayong / Thailand, with plans to add another 75,000 t/y facility this year – see Plasteurope.com of 23.12.2009. While the Dutch company is to contribute its knowhow of PLA, Indorama is to help in developing the compounds and marketing them on a global scale.