DuPont Industrial Biosciences is the 2017 European Bio-based Materials Company of the Year, according to leading market research firm Frost & Sullivan. The company was honoured with the award for its innovation in the bio-based materials market and its commitment to shaping future development in the industry.

“From the carpets in your office to the clothes on your back, DuPont innovation in biomaterials offers high-performance with less impact on the environment,” said Michael Saltzberg, global business director for biomaterials at DuPont.

“After thorough research and tracking industry best practices, there is no question that DuPont is a standout in the bio-based materials space. Frost & Sullivan believes that DuPont offers the industry innovative biomaterials, design and management,” said Dokos. “On behalf of my team at Frost & Sullivan, we’re proud to present DuPont with the 2017 European Bio-based Materials Company of the Year Award.”

DuPont Sorona

DuPont says it continues to show commitment to researching and developing technologies that build on its heritage of materials innovations. The company has shown both commercial and pre-commercial success in developing new biomaterials that meet the needs of customers and consumers worldwide. For example, DuPont Sorona, a high-performance, patented polymer, is made with a renewable, plant-based ingredient, for use in everything from carpets to ski jackets to sarees.

"The successful development of DuPont’s versatile bio-based polymer comprised of 37% renewable plant-based ingredients, Sorona, demonstrates the company’s commitment to implementing innovative practices that lower reliance on fossil fuels and elevate product quality and manufacturing efficiency,” said Frost & Sullivan Vice President Leonidas Dokos.

“Additionally, fibre made with Sorona polymer possesses exceptional softness, high durability, stretch, and stain resistance, and often outperforms petroleum-based products.”

Biomaterials innovations

DuPont continues to bring new biomaterials innovations forward. In early 2016, DuPont and Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) announced a new technology that produces a biobased monomer, furan dicarboxylic methyl ester (FDME), from a renewable feedstock. The process has potential to expand the materials landscape with applications in packaging, textiles and engineering plastics, the manufacturer explains.

Until last year, FDME had long been sought-after and researched, but had not yet been available at commercial scale and at reasonable cost. ADM and DuPont have taken the initial step in the process of bringing FDME to market by moving forward on the scale-up phase of the project.

An integrated 60 ton-per-year demonstration plant is currently under construction in Decatur, IL, and is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2017. The facility will provide potential customers with sufficient product quantities for testing and research as well as the required basic data for a planned commercial-scale plant.

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