Avantium, Danone partner to produce biobased PEF bottles

Biotechnology developer Avantium has partnered with drinks manufacturer Danone for the development of biobased bottles for Danone's global bottled water business.

An Avantium spokesperson told PlasticsToday the partnership with Danone forms another foundation of the company's commercialization strategy for producing its PEF (polyethylene furanoate) bottles for the packaging industry. This news comes a few months after Avantium announced its agreement with The Coca-Cola Co. to help produce a commercially viable 100% biobased bottle.

"The collaborations with Danone and Coca-Cola are key to securing a smooth transition into the mass production phase of PEF bottles," the spokesperson said. "Avantium is in active discussion with other leading brand owners to develop PEF bottles, fibers, and film."

PEF is made with Avantium's YXY technology, a chemical-catalytic method to convert non-food based carbohydrates produced from plants, grains, energy crops, lignocellulosic matter, waste streams, waste paper or agricultural residues, into a wide variety of biobased polymers.

Based on the YXY technology, the Avantium and Danone joint objective is to contribute to the emergence of a new renewable material generation. Avantium's PEF bottles are 100% biobased and recyclable, and seek to serve as an alternative to PET.

The spokesperson said the biosourced material delivers improved lightweighting, barrier, and thermal properties as compared to conventional PET technology. YXY can be implemented in existing chemical production assets.

A recent study done by the Copernicus Institute at Utrecht University showed that PEF has a 50-60% lower carbon footprint than oil-based PET, according to the news release.

Avantium recently opened its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, with the capacity of producing 40 tonnes/year for application development. The company plans to start commercial production of PEF in about three to four years. In the longer term, Avantium will license its YXY technology to enable worldwide production and use of its biosourced plastic materials.