Proganic® is the bio-based material of the year 2010!

Propper GmbH is using bio-based plastic PHA in consumer goods for the first time worldwide

Hundred experts on bio-based materials voted for the winners of the competition “Bio-based Material of the Year” at the 3rd International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites at the HANNOVER MESSE. The Innovation Award was presented for the third time by the nova-Institut and sponsored by the machine manufacturer Coperion.

The coveted 1st place was won by the company Propper GmbH from Bavaria for their material Proganic®, which is used in the manufacture of consumer goods such as watering cans, plant pots, egg-cups and spoons. The particular speciality of the material Proganic® is the fact that it is made primarily of Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), Carnauba Wax and natural mineral filler. PHA is is produced by bacteria from starch or sugar. The company Propper is using this bio-based plastic worldwide for the first time in a series of consumer goods. In co-operation with other companies, many other products are planned.


The second place went to GreenGran B.V. from the Netherlands for their material GreenGran, which is produced in a joint venture in China. It is a natural fibre reinforced plastic for injection moulded applications. Different bast fibres such as jute, flax or hemp are applied and as matrix, polypropylene or bio-based plastics such as PLA are used. An example of its application is its use in the French market in the universal charging device “BioCharger”, which is made of jute reinforced Polypropylene. The speciality of GreenGran’s material is its technical properties, which reach the values of glass fibre reinforced plastics in terms of strength and stiffness, while showing a lower density.

Henkel AG & Co. KGaA took third place with its PLA-based material, “Arctic”, from which office supplies will shortly be produced. In Hanover the Arctic material was presented in its application in the “Pritt ECOmfort Correction Roller”. It is a significant step that a global player is using bio-based plastics in one of its brand products.

Awardees Biowerkstoff 2010 (© nova)
Awardees Biowerkstoff 2010 (© nova)

All three awardees attest to the fast development of bio-based plastics and composites. Whereas the area of bioplastics was particularly dominated by short-life applications in the packaging industry, where the biodegradability was the focus, the bio-based plastics and composites of our three winners are used in durable applications. The focus is now on “bio-based”, and biodegradability remains only one possible end-of-life option.

Further information

  • Those who missed the “3rd Biowerkstoff-Kongress – International Congress on Bio-based Plastics and Composites” can purchase approximately 20 of the presentations from the leading companies in this field. (DuPont, Ford, Innovia Films, Johnson Controls Interior, NatureWorks, Novozymes, PURAC Biochem, Werzalit) in the nova-Shop from the middle of May for €100.00 plus 19% VAT. (http://bio-based.eu/proceedings/)
  • For information on the awardees, pictures of the products and the award ceremony please find the pdf-file.

Contact
Lena Scholz
nova-institut GmbH
Tel.: 02233-48 14 48
E-Mail: lena.scholz@nova-institut.de

Download this press release as PDF file: 10-04-28_press_release_bwk2010

Source

nova-institut GmbH, press release, 2010-05-06.

Supplier

DuPont
Ford Motor Company
GreenGran B.V.
Hannover Messe
Henkel KGaA
Innovia Films
Johnson Controls Interiors & Co. KG (JCI)
NatureWorks LLC
nova-Institut GmbH
Novozymes
Propper GmbH
PURAC S.A.
WERZALIT GmbH + Co. KG

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