16.06.2017 • NewsElaine BurridgeAcidsNatureWorks

NatureWorks Picks Plaxica’s D-lactic Acid Process

(c) https://twitter.com/natureworks
(c) https://twitter.com/natureworks

Biopolymer company NatureWorks has signed a contract to license Plaxica’s Optipure process technology to produce D-lactic acid. NatureWorks said the license provides a low-cost route to make D-lactic acid, which is a building block for a further range of its Ingeo polylactic acid (PLA) grades. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Bill Suehr, chief operating officer at NatureWorks, said access to competitively priced D-lactic acid is fundamental to its strategy to broaden the Ingeo portfolio and it investigated multiple sourcing strategies before choosing Plaxica’s technology.

While small volumes of D-lactic acid have been available from producers in Europe and Asia, Suehr said they have been at a substantial price premium to the L-lactic acid that NatureWorks currently uses.

He explained that ‘D’ and ‘L’ lactic acid monomers are essentially identical, yet are “mirror images” of one another. The two combined, said Suehr, 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.

Plaxica’s CEO, Phil Goodier, added that the contract with NatureWorks was an important milestone in its development as a global technology licensing business.

Free Expert Insights

Dual‑Targeting Breakthroughs
Advancements in Bispecific Antibody Development

Dual‑Targeting Breakthroughs

Unlock the latest breakthroughs in bispecific antibody development! Download Wiley’s free Expert Insights eBook to explore cutting-edge dual-targeting strategies, advanced purification methods, and bioanalytical technologies transforming immunotherapy and cancer treatment.

Innovation Pitch

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences
Discover Tomorrow’s Innovators

The Start-up Platform for Chemistry & Life Sciences

CHEManager Innovation Pitch supports innovation in the chemistry and life sciences start-up scene. The platform allows founders, young entrepreneurs, and start-ups to present their companies to the industry.

most read

Photo
28.07.2025 • NewsChemistry

VCI Welcomes US-EU Customs Deal

The German Chemical Industry Association (VCI) welcomes the fact that Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, and US President Donald Trump have averted the danger of a trade war for the time being.