Speciality chemicals company Perstorp and bio-based chemicals firm Purac are jointly developing caprolactone lactide co-polymers, which they expect to launch within the year. Perstorp said its venture with Purac will help expand the Capa range while Purac believes that modification of existing resins with the company’s proprietary Puralact biobased lactide can prop up the value chain by combining increased sustainability with enhanced performance. Applications may include polyols for CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers) and for biodegradable plastics and hot-melt adhesives.

US firm Myriant has closed a deal with Germany-based BCD Chemie for marketing its succinic acid product range and the Myrifilm solvent in Austria, Germany and Switzerland. Myriant’s renewable feedstock-based high purity bio-succinic acid is said to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 94% compared to petroleum-derived succinic acid and by 96% compared to petroleum-derived adipic acid, a chemical that succinic acid can replace. On the other hand, Myriant’s Myrifilm solvent is a bio-based, broad spectrum, low-odour and high-efficiency coalescing solvent with zero VOC.