The two companies will develop sustainable materials solutions based on CJ Biomaterials’ PHACT™ PHA and NatureWorks’ Ingeo™ PLA technologies
Woburn, MA and Plymouth, MN – 15 November 2022 – CJ Biomaterials, Inc., a division of South Korea-based CJ CheilJedang and leading producer of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), and NatureWorks, an advanced materials company that is the world’s leading producer of polylactic acid (PLA), have signed a Master Collaboration Agreement (MCA) that calls for the two organizations to collaborate on the development of sustainable materials solutions based on CJ Biomaterials’ PHACT™ Biodegradable Polymers and NatureWorks’ Ingeo™ biopolymers. The two companies will develop high-performance biopolymer solutions that will replace fossil-fuel based plastics in applications ranging from compostable food packaging and food serviceware to personal care, films, and other end products.
The initial focus of this joint agreement will be to develop biobased solutions that create new performance attributes for compostable rigid and flexible food packaging and food serviceware. The new solutions developed will also aim to speed up biodegradation to introduce more “after-use” options consistent with a circular economy model. The focus on compostable food packaging and serviceware will create more solutions for keeping methane-generating food scraps out of landfills, which are the third largest source of methane emissions globally, according to World Bank. Using compostable food packaging and serviceware, we can divert more food scraps to composting where they become part of a nutrient-rich, soil amendment that improves soil health through increased biodiversity and sequestered carbon content.
CJ Biomaterials and NatureWorks plan to expand their relationship beyond cooperative product development for packaging to create new applications in the films and nonwoven markets. For these additional applications, the two companies will enter into strategic supply agreements to support development efforts.
“We are excited to build on our strong relationship with NatureWorks to tackle the challenge of plastic waste,” says Seung-Jin Lee, Head of Biomaterials business from CJ CheilJedang. “Plastic pollution is a major global concern, and to successfully address this problem, it is critical to introduce new solutions that will have a real impact by improving the biodegradability and compostability of plastic. Using its Ingeo PLA technology, NatureWorks has served as a leader in developing sustainable solutions for more than 30 years. By combining our PHACT amorphous PHA [aPHA] biopolymers with their Ingeo PLA biopolymers, we can deliver advanced solutions that improve the biodegradability and compostability of plastic in almost limitless applications.”
About CJ BIOMATERIALS
CJ Biomaterials, a business unit of CJ BIO, is a part of CJ CheilJedang, a global lifestyle company with a vision to inspire a new life filled with health, happiness and convenience. CJ Group has organized its business portfolio into four core sectors: Food & Food Service, Bio & Pharma, Entertainment & Media, and Retail & Logistics. CJ BIO is the world’s leading supplier of fermentation-based bioproducts for animal nutrition, human nutrition, and biomaterials at its thirteen manufacturing facilities worldwide. It is the mission of CJ Biomaterials to develop meaningful solutions to the global problem of plastic waste and other sustainability challenges at scale. CJ Biomaterials has been working toward bio-based chemicals and biopolymers as part of a long-term vision to expand into technologies that can help create a more sustainable future. CJ Biomaterials is the world leader in the manufacture of amorphous polyhydroxyalkanoates (aPHAs). As a standalone, it has strong biodegradability properties and can potentially lead to marine biodegradable, or home compostable products in a variety of applications. In conjunction with other biopolymers, CJ Biomaterials PHAs can improve mechanical properties, such as toughness, strength, and ductility.
As a socially responsible company, CJ Biomaterials strives toward practicing carbon-neutral manufacturing operations by utilizing renewable raw materials and developing value-added coproducts to minimize environmental waste. Learn more about our amorphous PHA technology at: https://www.cjbio.net.
About NatureWorks
NatureWorks is an advanced materials company offering a broad portfolio of renewably sourced polymers and chemicals. With performance and economics that compete with oil-based materials, naturally advanced Ingeo™ biomaterials are valued for their unique functional properties and used in products from coffee capsules and appliances to tea bags and 3D printing filament. NatureWorks is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest ASEAN leading integrated petrochemical and refining company, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, which provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world. Learn more at natureworksllc.com and follow NatureWorks on Twitter and LinkedIn.
Ingeo and the Ingeo logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of NatureWorks LLC in the USA and other countries.
Media Contact
Resource Advantage
Dan Green
dgreen@resourceadvantage.com
Company Contacts
NatureWorks
Andrea Ziadi
andrea.ziadi@natureworkspla.com
CJ Biomaterials
Heidi Lebel
cj.biomaterials@cj.net
