Avantium N.V. has partnered with Amcor Rigid Packaging USA, LLC, to explore the renewable and circular polymer material specialist’s plant-based polymer PEF material, releaf. The pair will work to discover the material's capabilities when used in rigid containers for products like food, beverage, pharmaceuticals, medical, home, and personal care.
Avantium
Extraordinary meetings, extraordinary materials
Additionally, the responsible packaging solutions specialist has committed to a multi-year capacity reservation for PEF from a future industrial-scale facility. This is based on a technology license from Avantium. As a result, Amcor will gain preferred access to PEF volumes produced by Avantium's licensee network in the future.
Having already developed a proprietary process technology which produces furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), Avantium is now starting up its FDCA plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The new facility will allow the company to sell FDCA and polyethene furanoate (PEF), which uses FDCA, directly to its customers.
“This partnership between Amcor and Avantium represents a significant step forward in advancing responsible packaging solutions. It combines Amcor's expertise in innovative packaging with Avantium's renewable and circular polymer releaf,” said Terry Patcheak, Vice President of Research & Development and Program Management Excellence at Amcor. “This partnership enhances our efforts to offer customers innovative packaging that is better for products, people and the planet.”
Bineke Posthumus, Commercial Director of Avantium Renewable Polymers added, “This collaboration with Amcor underscores the increasing demand for releaf in sustainable packaging solutions and supports our strategy for licensing our FDCA technology. We are excited to work with Amcor to bring releaf to the market, providing consumers with high-performance, eco-friendly packaging solutions.”
About releaf
As a 100% plant-based, high-performance polymer, releaf can be recycled in existing polyethylene terephthalate (PET) recycling streams. The material is included in the Critical Guidance Protocol from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), which is considered one of the most universally accepted measures for assessing recyclability in plastic packaging. Releaf also boasts enhanced barrier properties, which allow for extended shelf life for food and beverages, a higher mechanical strength that reduces material usage, and lower processing temperatures that cuts energy consumption. Releaf also supports Amcor’s net-zero goals.