First Bioplastic Factory in Delfzijl Begins Production
After two decades of preparation, Dutch company Avantium has begun producing bioplastic at its factory in the port of Delfzijl, NOS reported.
The partially operational plant will produce bottles made of PEF, a plant-based bioplastic that can replace oil-based plastics and keep fruit juices fresher for longer. The bottles are expected on supermarket shelves early next year.
The factory converts industrial sugars derived from agricultural residues and wood chips into PEF, a bioplastic material supplied to companies including Albert Heijn, Dior, and Carlsberg.
Avantium plans to license the production concept to larger chemical plants once the factory consistently delivers the promised quality. “This is the first time a startup brings a new plastic to market. It used to be only large corporations,” Avantium CEO Tom van Aken told NOS.
The factory was officially opened by Queen Máxima in October last year, but construction errors delayed completion by three months, pushing Avantium into financial difficulties.
Banks, investors, and the government recently injected new capital, and extra shares were issued, lowering the stock’s value from 63 euros at its 2017 IPO to 9 euros. Van Aken expects the company to reach profitability by 2027. “It was incredibly intense and challenging to maintain confidence among all stakeholders,” he told NOS.
The facility, located next to Chemiepark Delfzijl, currently uses fructose syrup from French wheat but plans to expand to sources such as textile waste and wood chips.
According to Van Aken, PEF not only avoids fossil fuels but also degrades slightly better in the environment than traditional plastics. However, like all plastics, PEF bottles must still be recycled due to limited biomass availability.
