Trinseo and RWDC Industries Announce PHA Dispersion Partnership for Sustainable Paper and Board Packaging
Trinseo (NYSE: TSE) and RWDC Industries LLC announced on May 8, 2023 a partnership to further the development of sustainably advantaged paper and board packaging solutions by bringing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) dispersion technology to target markets. This exclusive agreement builds on the partners’ ongoing efforts to optimize PHA dispersions for paper and paperboard barrier coating applications.
Rising regulatory and consumer pressure is driving demand for sustainable replacements for non-recyclable packaging materials and chemistries, such as extruded polyethylene laminates and fiber processing with fluorochemicals. Trinseo and RWDC aim to meet this need using PHA dispersion technology to create water-based barrier coatings that are recyclable in traditional paper processes, organically recyclable via composting, and biodegradable in soil and marine environments.
“We are constantly striving to refine our product portfolio to deliver innovative, customer-centric products that solve material challenges with tailored, sustainable solutions,” said Andre Hugentobler, Global New Business Development and Technology & Innovation Director, Latex Binders, Trinseo. “Our partnership with RWDC is a perfect example of a combined approach that allows both partners to focus on what they do best and jointly deliver technical solutions that will benefit our customers and the markets they serve.”
“Our new partnership with Trinseo is a critical step in our journey to bring Solon™ PHA forward as an innovative material solution for an application that has high-performance requirements while being environmentally safe,” said Blake Lindsey, Chief Commercial Officer for RWDC Industries. “This is an exciting time for RWDC, and we are pleased to be working alongside global leaders like Trinseo to bring both best- and first-in-class materials to the marketplace.”
This partnership recognizes the strength both companies bring in providing cutting-edge materials, technical solutions, and development capabilities to answer immediate calls for chemistry that supports sustainable packaging solutions. Together, Trinseo and RWDC Industries will combat the challenges the world faces with single-use, non-recyclable packaging waste and fluorochemical treatments used in barrier coatings.
Trinseo is a specialty material solutions provider with approximately 3,400 employees bringing endless creativity to reimagining possibilities with clients worldwide from locations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. The company reported net sales of approximately $5.0 billion in 2022.
RWDC Industries is a biotechnology company that utilizes natural processes to produce materials for daily life, developing innovative, cost-effective biopolymer material solutions including Solon™ PHA, a fully biodegradable and environmentally safe material that can replace plastic in a wide range of applications from single-use articles to consumer goods, food packaging, non-wovens, and textiles. Its global headquarters is in Singapore, and its operational headquarters is in Athens, Georgia.
Sources:
- RWDC Industries. “Trinseo and RWDC Industries Announce PHA Dispersion Partnership.” May 8, 2023. https://www.rwdc-industries.com/trinseo-and-rwdc-industries-announce-pha-dispersion-partnership