Green tie-ups: Thyssenkrupp/Praj Industries join forces for PLA; Simoldes Plastics/Elix Polymers to use recycled materials for interior applications of vehicles

Thyssenkrupp Uhde’s polymer specialists Uhde Inventa-Fischer (UIF), a subsidiary of chemical engineering and construction, and Indian biotech firm Praj Industries Limited (PIL) are in a partnership to jointly offer an end-to-end integrated technology for the production of polylactic acid (PLA).

PLA, as a sustainable alternative to conventional plastics holds significant potential in advancing a circular bioeconomy. To meet this global need, PIL and UIF are leveraging their combined expertise in industrial biotechnology and chemical engineering to enhance PLA technology, ensuring efficient, cost-effective and sustainable production processes, the firms say.

Nadja Håkansson, CEO thyssenkrupp Uhde: “We see a perfect match of two world-leading technologies: Uhde’s PLAneo process can now be offered as an integrated solution with Praj Industries’ lactic acid production. Together, we can design and deliver complete PLA plants.”

Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Founder Chairman, at Praj Industries: “Our strategic partnership with Uhde marks a significant step in driving the global shift toward a circular economy by enabling cost-effective biomanufacturing and the establishment of biorefineries. With our award-winning proprietary Planera-technology and this collaboration, we aim to tackle the challenges posed by fossil-based plastics and contribute to a more sustainable planet with innovative, bio-based solutions.”

The partnership will be able to offer an end-to-end integrated technology, covering the entire PLA production process from feedstock conversion to polymer production. Different grades of lactic acid can be produced from this technology which find applications in food and industrial sectors.

A broad range of PLA grades can be produced, addressing the diverse requirements of various industries such as packaging, textiles, and hygiene supplies. Both companies have a strong global presence, enabling them to deliver innovative solutions to customers worldwide and adapt to practically any agricultural feedstock containing either starch or sugar, including second generation feedstocks based on non-food raw materials.

Praj recently inaugurated India’s first-of-its-kind 'Demonstration Facility for Biopolymers' near Pune, India, where it is producing lactic acid and lactide. This facility will serve as a crucial platform for testing and validating the joint offering, enabling the partners to showcase the potential of PLA and accelerate its commercialisation.

In other news,  Simoldes Plastics, a Tier 1 supplier in the automotive industry and materials supplier Elix Polymers are working together to get more sustainable recycled materials into new interior applications of premium vehicles.

The goal of Simoldes  Boost project during pre-development phase is to increase the usage of renewable materials by 40% during the development phase of their products, focusing on materials with mechanical recycled content and encouraging all suppliers to participate and develop their sustainability programs.

This is where Elix Polymers’s E-Loop products with mechanical recycled content are a match, and a technical validation process has been done with the materials PC/ABS E-Loop 5120MR, which has 30% post-consumer recyclate originated from water bottles waste.

The technical validation included mechanical, thermal, processability, odour and emission performance against the stringent requirements for automotive interior non-visible safety product.

The product has shown equivalent properties compared to the traditional prime materials, but the material carbon footprint can be reduced up to a 40%. High demanding upper interior pillars with airbag have been injected in a lower injection process supported by injection moulds from Simoldes Tools to produce textile covered parts and all component requirements have been fulfilled.

Also, visible decorative parts for door panels with class A surfaces have been part of the evaluation program.

Elix Polymers’s sustainable E-Loop product portfolio includes ABS and PC/ABS blends with mechanical recycled content and products with certified raw materials which have circular and biobased feedstocks certified with ISCC+ using mass balance model.

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