Plantic Technologies has constructed a new manufacturing plant in Germany for more than 8.3 million Euro.
Production sites for thermoforming as well as extrusion presses for processing starch-based materials are currently being installed in Jena.
This will allow the manufacturer to significantly expand its presence in the European bioplastics market.
According to Norbert-Rainer Schmidt, CEO Europe, the construction of this facility is an important step for Plantic as well as for its customers to advance the developments in the bioplastics market.
Jürgen Reinholz, Thuringian Minister of Economic Affairs, is pleased about the investment.
"Plantic brings an innovative and environmentally-friendly technology with a substantial growth potential," he says.
In adition, Pyramid Bioplastics, a partnership of Pyramid Technologies Ltd, Switzerland, and German Bioplastics GmbH, is establishing a production facility in Guben (Brandenburg) for the production of PLA (polylactic acid) with a capacity of 60,000 tons annually.
The facility is based on the technology developed by the Berlin company Uhde Inventa-Fischer GmbH.
A first production unit, for which the plant engineering is in progress, will commence operations in the second half of 2009.
"We want to make an important contribution to the development of the bioplastics market with the construction of the first PLA facility in Germany," says CEO Bernd Merzenich.
"In cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institut for applied Polymer Research in Golm, Pyramid Bioplastics also wants to continue its work on the development of new biopolymer applications."
Already in the spring of this year, BASF SE announced the construction of a new production facility in Ludwigshafen.
Starting in 2010, this facility will take up the production of the biodegradable material 'Ecoflex' with an annual capacity of 60,000 tons.
This step will increase the ‘Ecoflex’ production capacity from presently 14,000 to 74,000 tons per year.
Germany holds a leading position of the bioplastics industry worldwide. Technology and market developments are promoted with research projects, investment grants and legal measures.
The temporary exemption from the takeback obligations of compostable plastic packaging materials, in effect in Germany until the end of 2012 in accordance with the Packaging Ordinance, as well as the exemption from deposit obligations for certified disposable bottles made of biopolymers support the establishment of specific recycling paths and promote market introduction.
"Such incentives help to overcome substantial innovation obstacles, which creates a positive investment climate," says Harald Keab, Chairman of the Board of European Bioplastics, the politicians and authorities in charge.
"We would also welcome similar initiatives on a European level and in the other member states," he adds, "with respect to the multifarious chances of biodegradable and biobased materials."
"By 2011, the association expects the global production capacities of bioplastics to quadruple to approx. 1.5 million tons annually."
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