Following the MOU signed in April between Lummus and biotechnology company RWDC, in which the two companies agreed to cooperate on the development of technology to accelerate PHA production at scale, the partners have now announced a binding Joint Development and Commercial Cooperation Agreement (JDCCA) aimed at rapidly expanding the manufacturing and global licensing of polyhydroxyalkanoate, or PHA, materials. Lummus is contributing its experience and expertise in the licensing of process technology to the partnership, complementing RWDC’s expertise in PHA production and application. RWDC offers an attractive package to licensors, with its demonstrable technology innovation and technical capabilities, combined with its commercial value proposition and unit economics. The partnership will broaden the global availability of PHA and promote its further adoption as a sustainable alternative to fossil-based plastics.
"This agreement highlights Lummus and RWDC's strong commitment to addressing plastic waste and the carbon footprint associated with conventional plastics production…reflecting our ongoing dedication to developing technologies that accelerate the use and availability of eco-friendly plastics," said Leon de Bruyn, Lummus Technology's president and CEO.
RWDC, with global headquartersin Singapore and operational headquarters in Athens, Georgia, has developed a proprietary microbial fermentation process that produces its Solon PHA using plant-based oils, including post-consumer or waste cooking oils, as feedstock. The material is both home and industrially compostable, meaning that products or packaging made with PHA that find their way into the environment will fully biodegrade in soil, fresh water, and marine settings, the company claims: and it holds certifications from TÜV Austria in six categories to prove it.
"It has always been our goal to develop sustainable materials that benefit every living thing on the planet, and this partnership is a monumental step in that direction,” said Daniel Carraway, CEO of RWDC.
Through this forthcoming partnership RWDC and Lummus are looking forward to fast tracking the scale-up of commercial production PHA capabilities worldwide, thus further enhancing RWDC's position as a market leader, noted Carraway. "We look forward to the value that will be created in combining Lummus’ expertise with ours to improve people’s lives and health by making PHA polymers and resins available at large scale," he said.