Just a few hours after I posted the NatureWorks news on the expansion of its US PLA production, Total Corbion PLA, a 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion, announced yesterday its intention to build its second PLA plant with a capacity ramping up to 100,000 tons per annum. The new plant is planned to be located on a Total site in Grandpuits, France and to be operational in 2024.
This expansion is placing both NatureWorks and Total Corbion PLA in a race for the top PLA producer worldwide especially since Total Corbion just started its commercial-scale production plant in Thailand less than two years ago. Total Corbion PLA claims to be the first company launching a commercial-scale lactic acid-to-PLA plant in Europe.
Total Corbion PLA says the expansion would firmly positioned to cater for the rapidly growing demand for Luminy® PLA resins. The total investment in this project is expected to be approximately 200 million Euro and Corbion will continue to be the supplier of lactic acid.
Luminy® PLA resins are biobased and made from annually renewable resources, offering a reduced carbon footprint versus many traditional plastics. At the end of its useful life, PLA products can be mechanically or chemically recycled. The biodegradable and compostable functionalities of PLA make it the material of choice for a wide range of markets and applications including fresh fruit packaging, food service ware, durable consumer goods, toys and 3D printing.
If you want to get updated about the PLA market especially after reading these new capacity expansions, a good way to start is to attend the 6th PLA World Congress webinar which will be held on 7-8 October. Experts from all involved fields will share their knowledge and provide a comprehensive overview of today‘s opportunities and challenges and discuss the possibilities, limitations and future prospects of PLA for all kinds of applications. Just FYI, the Green Chemicals Blog is a media partner for this webinar.
We, at Tecnon OrbiChem, also reports the PLA market every month in our Biomaterials newsletter.
