France – NextChem has secured a contract by Total Corbion PLA, a 50/50 joint venture between Total and Corbion, to carry out a Front-End Engineering Design for 100,000 tons per annum Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) plant in Grandpuits, France.
The factory, which is scheduled to open in 2024, will be the first of its kind in Europe. Total Corbion is well-positioned to meet the increasingly rising demand for Luminy PLA resins. PLA is a biobased polymer derived from natural resources and offers a significant reduction in carbon footprint compared to oil-based plastics.
NextChem, a subsidiary of Maire Tecnimont was awarded the front-end engineering design contract by Total Corbion PLA. Maire Tecnimont’s heritage in conventional plastic polymerization, combined with NextChem’s portfolio of green chemistry solutions, means the required know-how to handle this industrial initiative.
Total Corbion PLA CEO Thomas Philipon said: “The signing of this contract with NextChem is a significant milestone because it demonstrates our contribution to the global bioplastic market as the first company in Europe to introduce commercial scale Lactic Acid to PLA capability.”
Luminy PLA resins
Luminy PLA resins are biobased and manufactured from annually renewable materials, so they have a lower carbon footprint than many conventional plastics. PLA materials can be recycled mechanically or chemically as they reach the end of their useful life. PLA’s biodegradable and compostable properties make it an ideal material for a variety of markets and applications.
