As part of a strategic expansion it says will help it better handle the rapid growth of its market, European Bioplastics (Berlin, Germany), the industry association dedicated to furthering the bioplastics industry, elected a new board of directors, increasing the size of the board, and hired a new managing director. The strengthened organization is seen as necessary to better represent all of Europe.

Andy Sweetman, Innovia Films’ global marketing manager of sustainable technologies, chairs the new board. The vice-chairmen are Francesco Degli-Innocenti at bioplastics supplier Novamont and Joeran Reske at materials trader and recycler Interseroh. After 15 years of board membership and 10 years as its chairman, Harald Kaeb will hold the position of secretary general within the association, working as spokesman and political advisor. Other board members are Philipp Depiereux (Alesco), Jens Hamprecht (BASF), Erika Mink (Tetra Pak), and Hans van der Pol (Purac), who was designated treasurer. The association has established two permanent working groups, “Bioplastics and the Environment” and “Waste and Recovery.”

European Bioplastics also has hired a full-time managing director, Hasso von Pogrell, who comes to the group after holding the same position for the association of the German sawmill industry.

The trade group is holding its annual conference this November in Berlin, with details here. PlasticsToday, along with Injection Molding Magazine and Modern Plastics Worldwide, are official sponsors of the event. —[email protected]