• Perstorp Capa™ grades 6500D and 6800D given food contact approval in US: Perstorp has acquired food contact use approval for its Capa™ for Bioplastics product grades 6500D and the new 6800D. Perstorp already has food contact approval in Europe. The new Capa 6800D grade further extends Perstorp’s Capa portfolio. It is a high molecular weight linear polyester derived from caprolactone monomer. Like Capa 6500D, the Capa 6800D variant does not compromise on performance; being just as durable, stable, and easy to process while offering biodegradability.

  • Avantium locates a new pilot biorefinery at Chemie Park Delfzijl in the Netherlands: Avantium, the Dutch forerunner in renewable chemistry, locates a new pilot biorefinery at Chemie Park Delfzijl, in the Netherlands. Avantium and chemical giant AkzoNobel have signed a contract for the pilot plant accommodation and the supply of various facilities and services. The pilot plant will validate the technical and economic feasibility of Avantium’s Zambezi process, which aims to convert woodchips and other second generation biomass into raw materials for the chemical industry. This is an essential step in scaling up the technology from lab to commercial operations.

  • Strong results in Italy for Genomatica’s GENO BDO bio-based process technology: Genomatica has strong results for its GENO BDO bio-based process technology regarding overall process performance and production volume to date for bio-based 1,4-butanediol (BDO). Novamont, Genomatica’s first GENO BDO licensee, has officially confirmed that its new industrial plant in Bottrighe, Italy has met all performance guarantees committed to by Genomatica. The guarantees include technical and economic parameters, such as efficiency of converting feedstock sugars to bio-based BDO product and product quality. The process runs as designed, as modeled, and as represented.

  • VAUDE launches footwear range containing bio-based PU from Reverdia: Reverdia’s Biosuccinium® has been used in the production of biobased materials for VAUDE’s new Skarvan range. As part of the completely redesigned Summer 2018 Shoe Collection, the German outdoor brand for the first time offers consumers a sustainable choice of trekking shoes. Toe caps and heel counters of the shoes are made from bio-based thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) Biosuccinium® from Reverdia. Polyols derived from it enable polyurethanes (PU) with a significant share of bio-based content and a reduced carbon footprint which can be used in the manufacture of sustainable products.

    New Skarvan trekking shoes launched by VAUDE (Photo by VAUDE)