At the Plast international plastics show in Milan, plastic resin distributor Montachem International and materials science company Loliware debuted their seaweed-based resins today, an event marking Loliware's entrance into Europe’s $3.5 billion bio-resin market.
Loliware’s materials are the first compostable, biobased resins adopted by Montachem into its European portfolio of plastic resins, and represent an expansion of its product assortment beyond polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, PVC, and PET.
Loliware manufactures compostable, ocean-safe seaweed resins are engineered to be processed on existing plastics machinery. It is the first company worldwide to scale seaweed as a high-performance, cost-effective replacement to fossil fuel-based plastics. Montachem expects to sign a full commercial agreement by the end of 2023, with a multi-year programme to distribute the extrusion and injection moulding grade resins to their manufacturing customers.
“We aim to be fully engaged with environmentally friendly materials that contribute to our ESG mission, and Loliware was the clear standout. Because these new resins fit into existing manufacturing equipment, it is an easy switch for our customers who want to diversify their product selection,” said Montachem president and CEO, Jerry Murcia.
Loliware’s entry into the EU market comes at a time when most currently available biomaterials have not met the strict regulatory requirements for home compostability, an issue Loliware solved early into its seven-year journey to design a better plastic alternative.
