Sulzer Ltd. (Winterthur, Switzerland) recently signed an agreement with major lactic acid (LA) producer, Jindan New Biomaterials (Jindan), to enable the production of polylactic acid (PLA), a biobased plastic. Jindan will utilize Sulzer’s licensed PLA technology at its new manufacturing plant in Henan Province to produce up to 75,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) of PLA, mainly to be used for food packaging, molded goods and fibers production. Sulzer will also provide extensive service support to ensure a seamless start.
Jindan’s new bioplastic facility will produce PLA in a variety of grades to support the expanded use of bioplastics in several sectors in China, including the textile and package manufacturing industries. To enable the company’s transition towards more sustainable, circular practices, Sulzer Chemtech will design and supply its key proprietary PLA technology, while further providing extensive engineering and technical support and field services as the manufacturer commences operations.
Sulzer’s Executive Chairwoman Suzanne Thoma said: “Our leading technologies are currently used at the vast majority of existing PLA facilities worldwide and support the increased adoption of circular manufacturing practices and sustainable materials. We are pleased to collaborate with Jindan New Biomaterials to meet ever-increasing market demand for bioplastics.”
Mr. Shi Congliang, President of Jindan New Biomaterial, added: “By investing in Sulzer’s PLA solutions, we are taking key, strategic steps to advance our competitiveness in the booming biopolymer industry and drive the use of greener plastics. Thanks to its comprehensive expertise in the PLA value chain and all the stages involved, Sulzer Chemtech is an extremely valuable partner. We look forward to installing the equipment and starting-up our enhanced operations.”