Avantium N.V., a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, has announced a strategic collaboration with EPC Engineering & Technologies GmbH and POLYMETRIX AG to significantly scale up the production of PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a plant-based and recyclable plastic. The partnership aims to develop and commercialize continuous PEF polyester production technology with target plant capacities exceeding 100,000 tonnes per annum.

This collaboration builds upon a pre-existing relationship between Avantium and EPC, who previously collaborated on a conceptual design for a 25,000 tonne per annum PEF continuous polymerization plant. This initial design has now evolved into a Joint Development Agreement focused on scaling the technology to meet growing market demand for sustainable plastics. POLYMETRIX brings its expertise in continuous solid-state polymerization (SSP) to the partnership, completing the integrated process.

Avantium's proprietary YXY Technology is at the heart of this development. This technology produces FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for PEF. Avantium is currently commissioning its first commercial FDCA plant in Delfzijl, Netherlands, a crucial step in its commercialization and licensing strategy. This flagship plant will not only produce FDCA and Avantium's branded PEF, releaf, for direct sale but also serve as a demonstration facility for potential licensees.

The collaboration with EPC and POLYMETRIX will allow Avantium to offer a comprehensive YXY Technology license package that includes the complete continuous PEF production process. This package will integrate Avantium's FDCA production technology with EPC's engineering and plant construction expertise, including key equipment like the SSP system from POLYMETRIX. This integrated approach will provide potential licensees with a complete, proven solution for large-scale PEF production, whether for greenfield, brownfield, or retrofit plant projects. The offering will include performance guarantees at an industrial scale, de-risking the investment for future partners.

PEF, branded as releaf by Avantium, offers a high-performance, sustainable alternative to traditional fossil-based plastics. Its potential applications span a wide range of industries, including packaging, textiles, and films. This collaboration marks a significant step towards wider adoption of PEF, accelerating the transition to a bio-based and circular economy for plastics.

Karol Kerrane, Managing Director at EPC Engineering & Technologies, expressed confidence in the partnership's ability to deliver a best-in-class continuous PEF production solution. Bart Langius, Director of Licensing at Avantium, highlighted the collaboration's importance in expanding the availability of PEF and providing a high-performance, sustainable alternative to conventional plastics.