Last Thursday the European Parliament gave a “go” to the Com Agri Report prepared by MEP Petri Sarvamaa on the “European Forest Strategy – the way forward”. This plenary vote sent a positive signal for forest owners and managers and the 4 million workers involved in the forestry value chains.
Avoury®, the new brand launched by Melitta Single Portions, is working with SABIC’s TRUCIRCLE™ portfolio of solutions and services to create its pioneering new premium organic tea capsules, made from certified circular polypropylene (PP) that uses feedstock made from used plastic. The launch represented an innovative use of recycled, transparent plastic tea capsules in the industry, representing an exciting step towards a more sustainable future with products which are easier to recycle and that help to create a circular economy for plastics.
Royal DSM, a global science-based company in Nutrition, Health and Sustainable Living, acquired Erber Group for an enterprise value of €980 million. The transaction – which excludes two smaller units in the Erber Group – is expected to be earnings enhancing in the first year upon completion.
The European Commission announced last Thursday, during the International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy which was held in Rome, the first closing at €82m of the European Circular Bioeconomy Fund (ECBF), the first equity fund focused on the bioeconomy and on circularity in the EU and Horizon 2020 Associated Countries under management of the ECBF Management GmbH. The European Investment Bank (EIB), which committed to invest a total of €100m to the target size of the ECBF of €250m, raised €65m in the first closing, the rest came from private investors.
Rome is the world capital of the bioeconomy for a couple of days. The International Forum on Industrial Biotechnology and Bioeconomy (IFIB) starts today in the Eternal City and is both physical and digital because of the Covid19 restrictions.
SABIC, a global leader in diversified chemicals, launched a sustainable packaging solution for frozen food which combines a new polyethylene (PE) grade with innovative film production technology. Compared to conventional blow PE film solutions, it offers significantly higher throughput and also has potential for down-gauging, making it attractive from both a commercial and sustainability standpoint.
AGCO Power, a Finnish engine manufacturer will start using Neste MY Renewable Diesel at its plant in Nokia, Finland. The fuel will replace fossil fuels in all internal logistics vehicles before the end of 2020. Neste and AGCO Power will also work on a joint research project to develop an automatic fuel identification system.
bp and Microsoft Corp. agreed to collaborate as strategic partners to further digital transformation in energy systems and advance the net zero carbon goals of both companies. This includes a co-innovation effort focused on digital solutions, the continued use of Microsoft Azure as a cloud-based solution for bp infrastructure and bp supplying renewable energy to help Microsoft meet its 2025 renewable energy goals.
Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Limited (MRPL), a leading Indian Refining company based in Mangalore, is planning to install a second generation (2G) ethanol facility in the State of Karnataka, India.
Stora Enso will build a pilot facility for producing Cellufoam™ by Stora Enso, a lightweight, fiber-based foam material for protective packaging and cushioning. Bio-based foams are renewable and recyclable and can be used in packaging, for example, to replace oil-based polymer foams which are widely used today. The pilot plant will be located at Stora Enso’s Fors Mill in Sweden.
IL BIOECONOMISTA 