Lanxess: Cooperation with BioAmber for Phthalate-free Plasticizers
Lanxess AG, Leverkusen, Germany, and BioAmber, Minneapolis, MN/USA, have partnered to develop succinic acid based plasticizers that are both renewable and phthalate-free. Under the terms of their joint development agreement, Lanxess and BioAmber are developing a portfolio of renewable succinic-based plasticizers that can exceed the performance of phthalates at competitive prices.
The partnership leverages both companies’ strengths: Lanxess has a global commercial network that sells innovative, phthalate-free plasticizers. Thecompany also has plasticizer manufacturing expertise and capacity. BioAmber produces and sells biobased succinic acid in a 3,000 MT capacity plant in France and expects to bring on an additional 17,000 MT of succinic acid capacity in 2013 at a new facility in Sarnia, Canada, located on a site within Lanxess’ Bio-industrial Park.
BioAmber and Lanxess have been working together for over two years assessing the performance and opportunities of succinate based esters in the plasticizer market. Based on the results seen to date, the companies believe that succinic acid based plasticizers can deliver the sustainability, performance and safety that the global plasticizer market is seeking.
The global market for phthalate-free plasticizers is currently estimated at EUR 1.3 billion – with annual growth rates of around seven percent. As a result of legal initiatives, demand for phthalate-free plasticizers is growing in markets such as North America, Western Europe and Japan.
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