Our readers have voted. The most innovative bioeconomy CEO 2022 is Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium, the Dutch company that is a pioneer in the emerging industry of renewable and sustainable chemistry. Avantium is headquartered in Amsterdam, employing approximately 200 people, with extensive R&D laboratories and three pilot plants in Geleen and Delfzijl, the Netherlands.
Avantium N.V., a leading technology company in renewable chemistry, signed an offtake agreement with AmBev, the Brazilian brewing company, part of the AB InBev Group, the largest beer company in the world. AmBev will purchase PEF (polyethylene furanoate) – a 100% plant based and recyclable alternative to plastic – from Avantium’s Flagship Plant and will use it to make bottles for its soft drinks portfolio.
Carlsberg Group and Dutch biochemical company Avantium agreed to take the next step in the commercialisation of PEF. The Danish Group signed a conditional offtake agreement with Avantium to secure a fixed volume of the 100% plant-based, recyclable and high-performance polymer PEF (polyethylene furanoate) from Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant, which Avantium aims to start-up in 2024. Carlsberg will use the PEF resin for various packaging applications, including its Fibre Bottle – the bio-based and fully recyclable beer bottle.
Avantium N.V., a leading technology company in renewable chemistry, signed a conditional offtake agreement with Sukano AG, a reputable expert in additive and colour masterbatches and compounds for polyester and specialty resins. The masterbatches are tailored to impart properties to plastics and as such are an effective way to diversify and expand polymer applications. With PEF from Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant, Sukano will develop masterbatches for PEF resins, facilitating fast adoption in many diversified markets and thus accelerating the growth of PEF.
Avantium signed a strategic supply agreement with Tereos Cooperative Group, whereby Avantium Renewable Polymers will purchase high fructose syrup made from European wheat as the feedstock for the planned FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) Flagship Plant in Delfzijl. The multi- year agreement secures 100% bio-based and local feedstock for the flagship plant. Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant will be the world’s first factory to produce FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) on a commercial scale, with a capacity of 5 kiloton per annum. FDCA is the key building block of the 100% plant-based, recyclable plastic material PEF (polyethylene furanoate) which also has functional advantages compared with fossil fuel derived plastics.
Innovative sugar beet processor Cosun Beet Company, part of Royal Cosun, and Avantium N.V., a leading technology company in renewable chemistry, will jointly construct and operate the first commercial plant for the production of plant-based glycols using Avantium’s Ray TechnologyTM. To this end, Cosun Beet Company and Avantium entered into a Term Sheet to establish a joint venture in which Cosun Beet Company will take a substantial share.
The Paper Bottle Company (Paboco®) – a joint venture between paper packaging material developer BillerudKorsnäs and bottle manufacturing specialist ALPLA – last Friday announced at the Paboco Pioneer Community Event in the Carlsberg Academy in Copenhagen that Avantium joins the Paper Bottle Project. Avantium will be one of the technology providers for the fully plant-based and recyclable Paper Bottle. A thin layer of Avantium’s PEF (polyethylene furanoate) will provide the Paper Bottle with the high barrier properties (the ability to withstand gas permeability through the bottle) needed for beverages such as beer and carbonated soft drinks.
Last Thursday Avantium hosted a Technology & Markets Day at its headquarters in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The company will update the market on Avantium’s strategy and technologies, in particular that of the Synvina business unit and the commercialization of PEF, a 100% renewable and fully recyclable polymer.
Avantium develops novel technologies based on renewable carbon sources as an alternative to fossil- based chemicals and plastics. Next to developing and commercializing renewable chemistry technologies, the company also provides advanced catalysis R&D services and systems to customers in the refinery and chemical industries. The company currently has three technologies at pilot and demonstration phase. Continue reading
Dutch biochemical company Avantium will locate the new demonstration plant for its Mekong technology in Chemie Park Delfzijl, the Netherlands. The construction of the demonstration plant – with a capacity of around 10 tons of plant-based mono- ethylene glycol (MEG) – is on track, with the opening scheduled for the second half of 2019. This is an important step in commercializing the production of plant-based MEG, a fossil-free raw material for products such as plastic materials and textiles.
BASF yesterday notified Avantium of its exit from their Synvina joint venture, effective 15 January 2019. Avantium continues to disagree with BASF’s interpretation of the joint venture agreement. The two companies are still discussing the terms and conditions of an exit.
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