Seeking Partners to Produce a New Bio-based Polymer Derived from Bran and Suitable for Food Packaging Application

SpecialChem client is looking for a partner able to develop/produce plastic packaging material derived from bran (the bran comes from milling of wheat).

Ideally the performances of this new developed polymer should be as close as possible of existing materials such as PP, PET and PE

SpecialChem client, a company leader in Europe for food production in many categories of products, generates 20,000 to 40,000 tons of bran* (see composition below) per year from a milling process. As of today our client is not valuing these by-products internally. Knowing that current market price of bran is roughly 150€/ton, this company is seeking a partner who could develop a polymer using bran as a feedstock and suitable for food packaging applications.

*Bran average composition:

• Humidity: 13 %
• Ash: 5 %
• Proteins: 15 %
• Fiber: 42 %
• Lipids: 5 %
• Starch: 20 %

Long term vision of our client is to propose to end-consumers packaging made of its by-products

SpecialChem client is looking for a partner able to develop a material having the following characteristics:

• Performance profile similar to PE, PP or PET
• Food contact approved
• Cost competitive (compare to above-mentioned polymers)

The resulting material derived from bran could be obtained using the following processes:

• Extraction and/or chemical modification*
• Extraction and bio-chemical process (i.e. fermentation, enzymes, …)*
• Eventually mechanical extraction plus additives

*These processes can lead to monomers or directly to polymers

Whatever the performances, materials derived from bran with characteristics similar to PLA, PHA or Starch blends are not of interest for our client.
Polymers not having the functional requisites for use as food packaging are not of interest.

5 (five) to 8 (eight) years.