Sustainable technology company Anellotech and beverage giant Suntory have completed construction on their new partnership testing facility for new 100% bio-based PET bottles.
Suntory's diverse market-leading beverage brands include Orangina, Schweppes, Ribena and Lucozade as well as major alcohol brands, Yamazaki, Hibiki, Jim Beam, Courvoisier, and Château Lagrange.
The Anellotech alliance with Suntory supports the development of bio-aromatics including bio-paraxylene, a key component needed to make the bottles.
Anellotech's thermal catalytic biomass conversion technology produces ‘drop-in' green aromatics, including paraxylene and benzene, from non-food biomass.
“By focusing on the development of substitute materials to replace petroleum in making everyday consumer products, we are expanding our commitment to reduce the environmental burden of beverage packaging, including reduction of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions,” said Munehiko Takada, head of the packaging material development department at Suntory.
“We are pleased with the progress Anellotech and its industry-leading partners have made, which gives us confidence in their ability to develop and commercialize a sustainable and cost-effective process for producing bio-based aromatics.”
Anellotech's new 25 metre-tall unit will test the viability and suitability of the bottle-making process.
“We are pleased to enter the next phase of our partnership with Suntory and further advance our technology to meet growing consumer demand for products and packaging made from sustainable sources,” said David Sudolsky, president and chief executive of Anellotech.
“Anellotech and some of its alliance partners are already doing preliminary work to identify potential feedstocks, sites and operating partners for an initial commercial plant. With Suntory's focus on bio-paraxylene, Anellotech can now offer a unique opportunity to new partners interested in bio-benzene-chain derivatives. This includes nylon, polycarbonate, linear alkyl benzene for laundry detergent, and styrene for styrene butadiene rubber.”