Expansions: Corbion boosts global lactic acid capacity; ExxonMobil tests advanced recycling of plastic waste at Baytown

Netherlands-based materials firm Corbion is launching a multi-faceted initiative to substantially increase its capacity for producing lactic acid and lactic-acid derivatives ahead of its previously announced major expansion in Thailand scheduled for 2023. The global initiative, involving capital expenditures at four existing Corbion facilities to maximise efficiencies and leverage synergies, is expected to produce a combined additional output roughly equivalent to a new production site without actually having to build one.

Projects at Corbion's production sites in Gorinchem (Netherlands), Rayong (Thailand), Campos (Brazil) and Montmeló (Spain), come on the heels of other recently announced capacity expansion efforts in Blair (Nebraska), but in advance of the construction of an entirely new lactic acid plant at the company’s existing site in Rayong (Thailand).

"It’s crucial for us to plan ahead in anticipation of our customers’ longer-term requirements, but it’s also important to meet their more immediate needs,” said Frederik Feddes, Vice President Lactic Acid and Specialties at Corbion.

He added, “Investing in these efficiency improvements will provide greater security for customers now while the company also builds for the future. Manufacturers in multiple industries look to lactic acid and its derivatives as important enablers of their business growth as the world rapidly moves beyond fossil-based solutions.”

Meanwhile in other news, US materials firm ExxonMobil has completed the initial phase of a plant trial of a proprietary advanced recycling process for converting plastic waste into raw materials for production of high-value polymers. The trial, at the company’s existing facilities in Baytown, Texas, marks another step in ExxonMobil’s efforts to help reduce plastic waste in the environment and maximise resource recovery.

ExxonMobil intends to use results from the Baytown trial to scale-up advanced recycling capabilities at other global facilities, targeting a circular solution for converting difficult-to-recycle plastic waste into feedstock for virgin-quality plastic.

“ExxonMobil is taking action to help address the issue of plastic waste,” said Karen McKee, President of ExxonMobil Chemical Company. “This advanced recycling initiative brings together the strength of ExxonMobil’s integrated petrochemical facilities and our deep technology expertise in chemical processing to capture value from plastic waste and meet our customers’ growing demand for high-performance, certified circular polymers.”

ExxonMobil has already obtained certifications through the International Sustainability and Carbon Certification Plus (ISCC+) process. ISCC+ is widely recognised by industry as an effective system to certify products that result from advanced recycling of plastic waste. Pending a successful completion of the next phase of the Baytown plant trial, the company plans to market commercial volumes of certified circular plastics later this year.

ExxonMobil has also formed a joint venture with Agilyx Corporation, Cyclyx International LLC, focused on developing innovative solutions for aggregating and pre-processing large volumes of plastic waste that can be converted into feedstocks for valuable products. Cyclyx will help supply ExxonMobil’s advanced recycling projects, and will aim to do the same for other customers.

ExxonMobil is founding member of the Alliance to End Plastic Waste.

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(PRA)

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