Page 22 - Plastics News November 2018

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Bio-on grants bioplastic technology license to Russian group TAIF

io-on, listed on the AIM segment of Borsa Italiana industrial groups in the Russian Federation, a leading
Band operating in the high quality bioplastic sector, plastics manufacturer," continues Astorri, "confirms the
has signed an agreement with the Russian TAIF JSC immense value of PHAs bioplastic, which is today the
group, which will acquire a license to build the Russian only alternative to the environmental issues created by
Federation's first plant producing 100% natural and conventional plastics." "It is an important milestone,"
biodegradable PHAs bioplastic, in the Republic of adds Vittorio Folla, Managing Director of Bio-on S.p.A.
Tatarstan. The agreement was signed in the Kremlin in who led the negotiations, "in the process of consolidating
Moscow as part of bilateral meetings between Italy and our technology on international markets and, in tandem
Russia, in the presence of Russian Federation President with our licensing activity launched in 2015, it helps in
Vladimir Putin and Italy's Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. the construction of new production plants that can meet
It marks a major milestone for the Italian company exactly the growing demand for product in a number of sectors."
4 years since it was listed on the Milan stock exchange in All the PHAs bioplastics (polyhydroxyalkanoates) designed
24 October 2014 with the ON symbol. The agreement is by Bio-on are made from renewable plant sources with
worth a total of 17.6 million Euro (as anticipated in the no competition with food supply chains. They guarantee
presentation of the half-year results). In particular, 5.6 the same thermo-mechanical properties as conventional
million goes on licensing Bio-on's exclusive technology to plastics with the advantage of being 100% eco-sustainable
produce PHAs from sugar beet by-products; 12 million
and naturally biodegradable. They also offer the possibility
of new applications in sectors where conventional
plastic is not used.Bio-on S.p.A. Bio-on S.p.A., an
Italian Intellectual Property Company (IPC), operates in
the bioplastic sector conducting applied research and
development of modern bio-fermentation technologies
in the field of eco-sustainable and completely naturally
biodegradable materials. In particular, Bio-on develops
industrial applications through the creation of product
characterisations, components and plastic items. Since
February 2015, Bio-on S.p.A. has also been operating in
the development of natural and sustainable chemicals
goes on the supply of plant components built according to for the future. Bio-on has developed an exclusive
Bio-on's proprietary technology. The industrial group TAIF process for the production of a family of polymers called
JSC, operating in the traditional petrochemical sector, will PHAs (polyhydroxyalkanoates) from agricultural waste
invest a further 90 million Euro in building a 10 thousand (including molasses and sugar cane and sugar beet
tons/year production site expandable to 20 thousand tons/ syrups). The bioplastic produced in this way is able to
year in the future.
replace the main families of conventional plastics in
The plant, the design of which will begin next month, terms of performance, thermo-mechanical properties and
will be operational in 2020. With this project, the TAIF versatility. Bio-on PHAs is a bioplastic that can be classified
JSC group intends to open up new sectors of development as 100% natural and completely biodegradable: this has
for the revolutionary “green” plastic designed by Bio- been certified by Vincotte and by USDA (United States
on, both in segments traditionally served by oil-based Department of Agriculture). The Issuer's strategy envisages
plastics and in high added value advanced sectors. "This the marketing of licenses for PHAs production and related
agreement is of major importance to us," explains Bio-on ancillary services, the development of R&D (also through
S.p.A. Chairman and CEO Marco Astorri, "and it rewards new collaborations with universities, research centres and
the long and complex negotiations process launched in industrial partners), as well as the realisation of industrial
2017. Signing the first contract with one of the main plants designed by Bio-on.

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