NatureWorks Licenses Plaxica’s Optipure D-lactic Acid Process Technology to Expand its Ingeo Product Portfolio

MINNETONKA, Minn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–NatureWorks
announced today that it has signed a contract to license Plaxica’s
Optipure® chemical processing technology for the production
of D-lactic acid. The license provides NatureWorks with a low-cost route
to produce D-lactic acid, a building block for a further range of
performance Ingeo PLA grades. This investment is part of
NatureWorks’ long term strategy for leading the market with cost
effective, functional biopolymers.

In the market for more than a decade, NatureWorks continues to broaden
its portfolio of functional Ingeo bioplastics used in a host of consumer
and industrial products, including food serviceware, rigid and flexible
packaging, toys, electronics, nonwoven filtration materials, and
personal care products. Commenting upon the license investment, Bill
Suehr, NatureWorks Chief Operating Officer, said, “After investigating
multiple sourcing strategies for D-lactic acid, we are pleased to be
licensing the Plaxica Optipure process. Access to competitively priced
D-lactic acid is fundamental to NatureWorks’ strategy to broaden our
Ingeo product offering.”

Suehr explained that while small volumes of D-lactic acid have
previously been available from producers in Europe and Asia, they have
until now been at a substantive price premium to the L-lactic acid which
NatureWorks uses today. “D” and “L” lactic acid monomers are essentially
identical yet “mirror images” of one another. In combination, the two
can produce polymers that offer unique features such as higher melt
point and melt strength. NatureWorks expects to begin sampling new Ingeo
grades to customers in the second half of 2017.

Phil Goodier, Plaxica’s CEO, said, “We are delighted to be working with
NatureWorks, one of the world’s leading biopolymer companies, and proud
that the acknowledged brand leader in PLA has selected Plaxica’s
technology. This is an important milestone in Plaxica’s development as a
global technology licensing business.”

The financial terms of the license were not disclosed. More information
on NatureWorks can be found at www.natureworksllc.com
and on Plaxica at www.plaxica.com.

About NatureWorks

NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs
today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of
tomorrow. NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of
commercially available, low-carbon-footprint Ingeo™ lactides and
biopolymers derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources with
performance and economics that compete with oil-based intermediates,
plastics, and fibers, and provide brand owners new cradle-to-cradle
options after the use of their products. NatureWorks is jointly owned by
Thailand’s largest chemical producer, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill,
an international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial,
and industrial products and services. www.natureworksllc.com

About Plaxica

Plaxica Ltd. is a technology spin off from Imperial College London, UK,
in 2009 to commercialize the research of the company’s CTO Dr. Ed
Marshall and Professor Vernon Gibson. Plaxica has developed a range of
process technology license products in the fields of PLA, cellulosic
sugars and their derivatives. Plaxica’s majority shareholders are
Touchstone Innovations Limited and Invesco Asset Management. www.plaxica.com

Contacts

for NatureWorks
Americas & Europe
Steve
Sterling, +1 952-935-0078
[email protected]
or
Asia
Pacific & Japan

Pauline Ning, +86-138 1650 1881
[email protected]