Total Corbion PLA in Engineering Stage for new PLA Plant in Europe
The 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion has kicked off the front-end engineering design stage for its new 200-million lb/yr PLA plant in Grandpuits, France.
Netherlands-based Total Corbion PLA (U.S. office in New York City), the 50-50 joint bioplastic joint venture of Total and Corbion, have entered the engineering stage for a new PLA plant, the first of its kind in Europe, with startup planned within 2024. The new plant reportedly would make Total Corbion PLA the global market leader in PLA, firmly positions to meet the rapidly growing demand for its Luminy PLA resins.
Total Corbion PLA awarded the front-end engineering design contract to NextChem, a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. Maire Tecnimont's heritage in polymerization of traditional plastics combined with NextChem's portfolio of innovative solutions for green chemistry ensures the necessary know-how to manage this industrial initiative.
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.
Said Total Corbion PLA’s CEO Thomas Philipon, "Signing this contract with NextChem is an important milestone as it reinforces our commitment to the global bioplastic market as the first company to launch commercial-scale lactic acid to PLA capability in Europe. We are proud to enable our customers to propose sizeable solutions to the market and support the circular economy development.”
Said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Maire Tecnimont Group and NextChem, "This award is a confirmation that our Group is a trusted and valued technological and engineering partner for large-scale, innovative and complex projects. We are proud to work with a joint venture of our long-time client Total to increase the availability of sustainable plastics in Europe.”
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