Avantium and Amcor Rigid Packaging partner to advance more sustainable packaging with plant-based polymer Releaf
Avantium N.V., a leading company in renewable and circular polymer materials, has signed a joint development agreement with Amcor Rigid Packaging USA, LLC known for responsible packaging solutions. This partnership aims to explore the use of Avantium’s plant-based polymer PEF – branded as Releaf – in rigid containers for various products, including food, beverage, pharmaceutical, medical, home, and personal care.
Additionally, Amcor has committed to a multi-year capacity reservation for PEF from a future industrial-scale facility, based on a technology license from Avantium. This agreement guarantees Amcor preferred access to PEF volumes produced by Avantium’s future licensee network.
Avantium has developed a proprietary process technology to produce FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for PEF (polyethylene furanoate), and is currently in the process of starting up the world’s first commercial FDCA plant in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. This FDCA flagship plant will be pivotal for Avantium’s licensing strategy, allowing the company to sell FDCA and PEF directly to customers while offering technology licenses to industrial partners. Ensuring sufficient commercial demand is crucial for future licensing partners. The capacity reservation agreement with Amcor demonstrates Avantium’s ability to meet this demand effectively.
Releaf is a 100% plant-based, high-performance polymer that can be recycled in existing PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling streams. It is included in the critical guidance protocol from the association of Plastic Recyclers (APR), one of the most universally accepted measures for assessing recyclability in plastic packaging design. Releaf furthermore stands out due to its superior barrier properties, which extend the shelf life of food and beverages, its higher mechanical strength that reduces material usage, and its lower processing temperature that cuts energy consumption compared to traditional fossil-based plastics. Additionally, with its lower carbon footprint, Releaf will support Amcor’s net-zero ambitions by 2050.
“This partnership between Amcor and Avantium represents a significant step forward in advancing responsible packaging solutions. It combines Amcor’s expertise in innovative packaging with Avantium’s renewable and circular polymer Releaf. This partnership enhances our efforts to offer customers innovative, packaging that is better for products, people and the planet” said Terry Patcheak, Amcor’s vice president of research & development and program management excellence.
Bineke Posthumus, Commercial Director of Avantium Renewable Polymers added: “This collaboration with Amcor underscores the increasing demand for Releaf in sustainable packaging solutions and supports our strategy for licensing our FDCA technology. We are excited to work with Amcor to bring Releaf to the market, providing consumers with high-performance, eco-friendly packaging solutions.”
