France's Total Petrochemicals and Galactic Escanaffles have entered a joint-venture to produce 1,500 tpa of polylactic acid (PLA) for use in bioplastics, including packaging. The plant will be based at Galactic Escanaffles site, Belgium. A research and development project, scheduled to run for up to 5 years, will begin concurrently. The companies have set up a joint venture company, Futerro, to support the development. Finance for the project has been made available under a support programme from the Walloon Region, where the Galactic plant is located.
This will be a JV to develop production processes and a pilot plant for polylactic acid (PLA). Galactic is a Belgian biotechnology company that produces lactic acid and a subsidiary of sugar producer Finasucre.
Lactic acid for the project will be supplied by Galactic. In the R&D work, there will be no differentiation in the crop source, with the lactic acid derived from the fermentation of sugar (beet or cane) or starch (corn, wheat, potato or manioc).
This will be a JV to develop production processes and a pilot plant for polylactic acid (PLA). Galactic is a Belgian biotechnology company that produces lactic acid and a subsidiary of sugar producer Finasucre.
Lactic acid for the project will be supplied by Galactic. In the R&D work, there will be no differentiation in the crop source, with the lactic acid derived from the fermentation of sugar (beet or cane) or starch (corn, wheat, potato or manioc).
