 "Corbion starts construction of new PLA bioplastics plant in Thailand")
Corbion on Monday begun construction work for its new PLA (poly lactic acid) bioplastics polymerisation plant in Rayong, Thailand. Upon completion in 2018, it will be able to produce the complete Luminy portfolio of PLA neat resins - from standard PLA to innovative, high heat resistant PLA.
The new 75 kilo tonne per annum (KTPA) PLA plant will be constructed using Corbion's and Sulzer's proprietory polymerisation technology, and key equipment will be supplied by Sulzer Chemtech Ltd (Switzerland).
In addition to the construction of this new PLA polymerisation plant, Corbion will expand its existing lactide plant in Thailand by 25 KTPA. With this expansion, Corbion will be able to serve its current and future lactide customers. The lactide expansion will also enable the production of a wider range of lactides than is currently possible.
The targeted start-up date for the PLA polymerisation plant and the lactide expansion is in the second half of 2018.
Tjerk de Ruiter, CEO, Corbion, commented, “At Corbion, we believe in building a great future for the people of today and generations to come. That is what we do here in Thailand with the construction of this plant, bio-based and biodegradable plastics will certainly help to minimise adverse impacts on human health and the environment. We are now entering the next stage of construction, and we are confident that our world-class facility will deliver the innovative solutions that our customers are seeking.”
