CJ Biomaterials has announced the appointment of Allan (Hyuk Sung) Chung as the company’s new Chief Executive Officer. Chung will help direct the polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers producer as it enters its next growth phase, which will see further innovation and commercialisation of its sustainable PHACT PHA technology.
CJ Biomaterials
CJ Biomaterials appoints Allan (Hyuk Sung) Chung.
“I feel very fortunate to be leading CJ Biomaterials and believe they have built a strong foundation of innovation, product quality, and customer trust,” said Chung. “The world-class team of PHA and biopolymer experts the company has assembled is truly impressive, and I look forward to accelerating the growth of our PHACT-branded PHA technology as we expand its applications, achieve market-leading manufacturing economics, and bring sustainable, high-performance solutions to more markets around the world.”
Chung earned his master’s degree in chemical engineering from Seoul National University as well as an MBA from Duke University. He began his professional career at Samsung General Chemicals, building over 20 years of experience in business development across the battery, electronic materials, and petrochemical sectors at LG Chem and LG Energy Solution. Recently, Chung held the position of Vice President of the Business Development Group at LG Energy Solution.
US headquarters expansion
Supporting its growth vision, CJ Biomaterials will expand its US headquarters in Woburn, MA. The larger facility will feature improved application development capabilities, more space to grow the company’s sales, marketing, and technical teams, as well as new equipment for in-house testing of home compostable PHA-based solutions under controlled temperature settings. Additionally, functional collaboration opportunities with customers and value chain partners will now be possible to accelerate the adoption of sustainable packaging solutions.
“As CJ Biomaterials continues to grow and advance its technical capabilities, Chung’s leadership will be instrumental in scaling our impact as we help customers transition to high-performing, sustainable biomaterials,” said Seok Hwan Yoon, CEO of CJ BIO. “The Biomaterials business is a strategic component of CJ BIO’s GX (Green Transformation) strategy. Chung brings a unique combination of technical depth and strategic vision that will be essential in supporting our talented global team as they advance our Green Transformation objectives.”
The demand for CJ Biomaterials’ PHA biopolymers is increasing, and the solutions improve the sustainability profile of various consumer and industrial products by replacing petroleum-based plastics. Producing PHACT PHA starts when plant feedstocks capture and sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide in sugars through photosynthesis. Said sugars are then fermented by bacteria to produce PHA biopolymers that have a low carbon footprint while also being home and commercially compostable and biodegradable in marine and soil environments. CJ Biomaterials is working towards introducing new PHA grades and compounds tailored for applications in flexible and rigid food packaging, food serviceware, agriculture, and nonwovens.