Renmatix and Virent Form Strategic Alliance to Produce Bio-based Packaging Materials

London -- At the ICIS Innovation Awards in London, winners Renmatix and Virent announced a strategic collaboration to convert affordable cellulosic sugars to renewable chemicals and bio-based packaging materials.

Under the terms of the multi-phase development project, Renmatixs Plantrose platform will be evaluated and potentially optimized to provide an affordable sugar stream for Virents Bioforming process for the large-scale production of bio-based paraxylene. Paraxylene is a basic raw material used in the manufacture of purified terephthalic acid (PTA) an important chemical in the production of plastic bottles and fibers made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Integrating local feedstock processing with on-site commercial production will lower costs and increase the viability of using renewable chemicals in bio-based packaging and plastics for industrial and consumer goods.

Selected by ICIS as the Best Innovation by a small to mid-sized enterprise, Renmatixs Plantrose process produces affordable cellulosic sugars as the bridge between upstream biomass and downstream plant-based chemicals. An alternative to current petro-based materials, Renmatixs C5 (xylose) and C6 (glucose) Plantro sugars are produced by an advanced water- based method known as supercritical hydrolysis. In lieu of more expensive chemical and enzymatic routes to cellulosic sugar that are still in use today, Plantrose leverages supercritical hydrolysis to economically convert a range of renewable global feedstocks into the bio-based building blocks that can be used in everyday products like paints, diapers, laundry detergent, or bottles and other types of plastic packaging.

"Products derived from renewable resources are in great demand and that demand is driving significant change across conventional value chains. This recognition from ICIS reinforces that sustainable technologies, which were once the seed of a meaningful shift have grown to become an industry mandate," said Mike Hamilton, CEO of Renmatix. "Working with the right partners, like Virent, on the common goal of providing scalable solutions with affordable economics, we are pioneering the bio-based value chains that can meet those needs."

Virents bio-based paraxylene product, trademarked BioFormPX, won this years ICIS award for Best Innovation for Sustainability. Virents BioFormPX is chemically identical to paraxylene made from petroleum and allows manufacturers to offer customers 100% bio-based PET packaging, fibers and films. Virent and The Coca-Cola Company entered into a strategic partnership in 2011 to accelerate the commercialization of 100% renewable, recyclable PlantBottle packaging.

"Our focus is on helping to advance breakthrough bio-plastic technologies we believe can be scaled and sustained," said Scott Vitters, General Manager, PlantBottle Packaging Innovation Platform, The Coca-Cola Company. "The potential of combining Renmatixs innovative cellulosic feedstock technology with Virents bio-based paraxylene process offers a promising pathway for further realizing our PlantBottle packaging goals."