LANXESS and BioAmber will collaborate to develop plasticizers that are free of phthalate, renewable and are based on succinic acid. The main aim of this venture is to prove that these plasticizers have better performance levels than phthalates.
Both the companies have worked jointly over the past two years and research carried out by them suggests that plasticizers based on succinic acid have higher performance and safety levels and are also sustainable. Samples of this plasticizer are now available and commercialisation of the material is expected to commence by 2012.
The partnership will benefit from the strengths of both the companies. While LANXESS has already established a network to sell phthalate free plasticizers such as ULTRAMOLL, ADIMOLL, UNIMOLL and MESAMOLL and also possesses expertise in manufacturing plasticizers, BioAmber has an established plant to produce and sell succinic acid upto 3,000 t. The company intends to add another 17,000 t of succinic acid through a new facility that will be located within the Bio-Industrial Park of LANXESS at Sarnia, Canada by the year 2013.
According to Jorge Nogueira, who is the Senior VP for BioAmber’s Business Unit Functional Chemicals, the company’s succinic acid offers great potential in developing a new line of plasticizers, which are in compliance with the regulations and have a solid environmental background.
Source: http://www.bio-amber.com