NatureWorks, LLC and BioAmber Inc. Form Joint Venture to Commercialize New Bio-Based Polymers
February 16, 2012 at 08:01 am EST
Share
NatureWorks, LLC and BioAmber Inc. have announced the creation of AmberWorks, a joint venture to bring new performance bio-based polymer compositions to market. The joint venture builds on the natural synergy that exists between NatureWorks and BioAmber. Beyond its Ingeo PLA technology platform, NatureWorks brings to the joint venture a global commercial presence, established customer relationships, developed applications across a breadth of industries and deep experience in commercializing new-to-the-world polymers. BioAmber owns PLA/PBS compounding intellectual property and applies award-winning biotechnology and chemical processing to produce renewable chemicals. These renewable chemicals deliver high-performance, low-carbon-footprint building blocks that are cost competitive with their petrochemical equivalents. The joint venture combines the best of both companies into an entity tasked with developing a new family of bio-based compounded polymer solutions. With the formation of the joint venture, NatureWorks plans to commercialize a new family of compounded Ingeo resin grades, and is immediately offering samples of developmental grades aimed at thermoforming and injection-molding processes. This new family of developmental Ingeo compounded resins is designed for food service ware applications, expanding the Ingeo property range in terms of flexibility, toughness, heat resistance, and drop-in processability on existing manufacturing equipment. Based on market interest, further formulated solutions optimized for a number of different applications beyond food service will be assessed over the coming 12 to 24 months. Compounded PLA/PBS resin grades, developed and manufactured by AmberWorks, will be marketed exclusively through the NatureWorks global commercial organization as new and distinct solutions within the company's Ingeo portfolio of products.
BioAmber Inc. (BioAmber), formerly DNP Green Technology, Inc., is an industrial biotechnology company, which produces sustainable chemicals. The Company's technology platform combines industrial biotechnology and chemical catalysis to convert renewable feedstocks into sustainable chemicals that are replacements for petroleum-derived chemicals, which are used in a range of everyday products, including plastics, food additives and personal care products. Its geographical segments include Europe and North America. Its product pipeline includes the derivatives of bio-succinic acid, such as 1,4 Butanediol (1,4 BDO) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), and succinic acid-based polyesters, and C6 building block chemicals, such as adipic acid, caprolactam and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA). Its products are used in various applications, including polyurethanes, resins and coatings, de-icing and coolant solutions, fine chemicals, lubricants, carpets, engineering plastics and artificial leather products.