- Contract signed for a Front-End Engineering Design for a Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) plant to be implemented in Grandpuits, France
- This initiative is aimed at the production of compostable and biodegradable plastics
- Total Corbion PLA expects that the 100,000 ton/y plant will be operational in 2024 and will be the first PLA manufacturing plant in Europe
Milan, 23 April 2021 - Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. announces that its subsidiary NextChem has been awarded today a contract by Total Corbion PLA, a 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion, to carry out a Front-End Engineering Design for their 100,000 tons per annum Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) plant in Grandpuits, France.
The plant, due to be operational in 2024, will be the first of its kind in Europe. It would make Total Corbion PLA the global market leader in PLA, firmly positioned to cater for the rapidly growing demand for Luminy® PLA resins.
Maire Tecnimont Group’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.
Pierroberto Folgiero, Maire Tecnimont Group and NextChem Chief Executive Officer, commented: "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.”
Thomas Philipon, CEO of Total Corbion PLA, is pleased to launch this next stage in the process: "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.”
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.
Maire Tecnimont S.p.A.
Maire Tecnimont S.p.A., listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, heads an industrial group which leads the global natural resource conversion market (downstream oil & gas plant engineering, with technological and executive expertise). Its subsidiary NextChem operates in the field of green chemicals and technologies in support of the energy transition. The Maire Tecnimont Group operates in approx. 45 countries, though approx. 50 operative companies and about 9,100 people. For further information: www.mairetecnimont.it www.nextchem.com
Group Media Relations
Carlo Nicolais, Tommaso Verani
T +39 02 63137603
E mediarelations@mairetecnimont.it
Investor Relations
Riccardo Guglielmetti
T +39 02 63137823
E investor-relations@mairetecnimont.it
Communication Manager NextChem
Ilaria Catastini
T +39 06 93567718 – +39 327 0663447
E mediarelations@nextchem.it
About Total Corbion PLA
Total Corbion PLA is a global technology leader in Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) and lactide monomers. PLA is a biobased and biodegradable polymer made from annually renewable resources, offering a reduced carbon footprint versus many traditional plastics. The Luminy® PLA portfolio, which includes both high heat and standard PLA grades, is an innovative material that is used in a wide range of markets from packaging to consumer goods, fibers and automotive. Total Corbion PLA, headquartered in the Netherlands, operates a 75,000 tons per year PLA production facility in Rayong, Thailand. The company is a 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion. www.total-corbion.com
For more information on how to make the switch to biobased PLA please contact Total Corbion PLA.
Julia Lovett
Marketing Communications Manager
T +31 6 1171 6895
E julia.lovett@total-corbion.com
François de Bie
Senior Marketing Director
M +31 6 117 16895
E francois.debie@total-corbion.com
About Total
Total is a broad energy company that produces and markets fuels, natural gas and low-carbon electricity. Our 100,000 employees are committed to better energy that is more affordable, more reliable, cleaner and accessible to as many people as possible. Active in more than 130 countries, our ambition is to become the responsible energy major. www.total.com
About Corbion
Corbion is the global market leader in lactic acid and its derivatives, and a leading supplier of emulsifiers, functional enzyme blends, minerals, vitamins, and algae ingredients. We use our unique expertise in fermentation and other processes to deliver sustainable solutions for the preservation of food and food production, health, and our planet. For over 100 years, we have been uncompromising in our commitment to safety, quality, innovation and performance. Drawing on our deep application and product knowledge, we work side-by-side with customers to make our cutting-edge technologies work for them. Our solutions help differentiate products in markets such as food, home & personal care, animal nutrition, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and bioplastics. In 2020, Corbion generated annual sales of € 986.5 million and had a workforce of 2,267 FTE. Corbion is listed on Euronext Amsterdam. For more information: www.corbion.com