DAY 1
Chairman: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Jörg Müssig, Hochschule Bremen – University of Applied Sciences (DE)
Michael Carus, nova-Institut GmbH (DE) Update on Market Data and Forecast for Bio-Based Polymers
Bjarne Högström, PolymerFront AB (SE) New Applications for Bio-based Plastics – Examples from many Different Sectors
Bioplastics find use outside the initial application areas. Brand owners sometimes fight of being the greenest. This is good! Many years of bio plastic sales and application development has given me knowledge and perspective of the use of Bioplastics. I will share examples where Bio based materials make sense and also give the brand owner a sustainable marketing tool.
Dr. Lars Börger, Neste (Suisse) S.A. (FI/CH) New Developments of Traceable, Renewable Plastics for Bio-Based Drop-in Solutions
In absence of supportive legislative measures, innovation in bio-based materials is driven by brand value considerations mostly. Increasing circularity in value chains is the key in moving towards more sustainable solutions supporting sustainability targets of brand owners and other stakeholders. As an important element of that sustainable, traceable renewable feedstock is the key to fulfill the promise on sustainability, especially for drop-in bio-based material solutions that do not offer additional functionality. However, drop-in solutions allow value chain partners to act now and in basically all existing value chains. Neste is set-up to support that, while continuously improving on the sustainability in feedstock supply promise by actively shaping the supply chain – even beyond pure environmental impact categories.
DAY 2
Chairman: Prof. Dr. Ludo Diels, VITO (BE)
Dr. Anne Kutz, Covestro Deutschland AG (DE) Alternative Feedstocks in the Polymer Industry: Status and Perspective
Bert Clymans, Total Corbion PLA bv (NL), 75.000 Tonnes of PLA – Towards the New Plastics Economy and Beyond
Brendan Hill, Braskem Netherlands B.V. (NL) The Role of Drop-In Bioplastics in the Circular Economy
Jean-Luc Dubois, Arkema (FR) Review of Bio-based Routes to Polyamides
The presentation will review past and recent monomer development from several companies to produce polyamides, either from vegetable oils or from sugars. Arkema has been producing for more than 50 years the monomer for polyamide-11, and recently through acquisition has become a producer of monomers for polyamide 10,10. Through its continuous research program to find new routes to valuable monomers, Arkema is working on various chemistries using metathesis, oxidative cleavage or hydroformylation. Other companies have used fermentation technologies, or sugar oxidation for example to produce monomers such as diacids, diamines and amino-acids.