Dutch biopolymer specialist Avantium (Amsterdam; www.avantium.com) says it has begun building the world’s first commercial plant for the production of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) from plant-based sugars, in Delfzijl, the Netherlands.

FDCA is the primary precursor for PEF (polyethylenefuranoate), a replacement product for petroleum-based PET that can be used in drinks bottles, food packaging, and textiles and processed with existing recycling systems. Plant completion is scheduled for the end of 2023 at the latest, with commercial production of PEF set to start in 2024.

Swiss masterbatch and additives producer Sukano (Schindellegi; www.sukano.com) is lending its expertise to develop antiblock masterbatches for PEF-film applications. The lab trials conducted by the companies have resulted in two prototype masterbatches capable of providing antiblock performance of the surface of biaxially oriented PEF film.

Related: Green light for construction of Dutch FDCA plant

Both the masterbatches offer friction reduction without interfering with the performance of the stretched PEF films, says Avantium and adds, “The availability of antiblock masterbatches opens the possibility to further develop PEF and PEF-based films at (pre-)industrial scale equipment.”

In 2021, Avantium signed offtake agreements for more than 50% of the flagship plant capacity (around 2,500 t/y), with five partners (Refresco, Resilux, Terphane, Toyobo and “an undisclosed major global food and beverage brand owner”), the company told Plasteurope.com. Sukano is thus the sixth offtake partner for the 5,000 t/y plant.

Avantium’s 2020 financial results had side-tracked the company’s plans for the FDCA plant, the construction of which had originally been planned for 2021 (see Plasteurope.com of 31.03.2021).