Thai PTT, US' Cargill to build biopolymer plant

Market: Petrochemicals
11/08/21

Thailand's state-controlled petrochemicals producer PTT and US agricultural firm Cargill plan to construct a new biopolymer plant in Nakhon Sawan province in Thailand that is expected to come on line in 2024.

The plant will be the world's first polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymer plant designed to be fully integrated.

The new plant with nameplate capacity of 75,000 t/yr of biopolymers will meet increased global demand for sustainable plastics, and has an investment cost of more than $600mn.

The new plant will be built through NatureWorks, a 50:50 joint venture between Cargill and GC International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of PTT. Natureworks operates the world's first and largest PLA biopolymer plant with a nameplate capacity of 150,000 t/yr of biopolymer in Blair, Nebraska, US.

US-based biopolymer producer NatureWorks transforms greenhouse gases into high-performance compostable PLA biopolymer called Ingeo. The firm uses plants to capture and transform carbon dioxide into long chain sugar molecules, which are then fermented to make lactic acid, feedstock for its Ingeo biopolymer production.

NatureWorks will build its second biopolymer plant in Thailand using the same technology. The 75,000 t/yr biopolymer plant will consume around 110,000 t/yr sugar as its main feedstock, which will be sourced from local Thai sugarcane farmers. The biopolymer produced can be used in various applications such as food packaging, 3D printing, consumer goods, home appliances and others.

Thailand had earlier introduced a bio-circular-green economy model to drive sustainable socio-economic recovery in the country from Covid-19.

Total Corbion operates a 75,000 t/yr PLA biopolymer plant in Rayong, Thailand, which started up in December 2018. The firm also plans to build another 100,000 t/yr PLA biopolymer plant in Grandpuits, France, which is expected to come on line in 2024. Total Corbion is a 50:50 joint venture between TotalEnergies and Dutch food and biochemicals producer.

By Yee Ying Ang

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