Bioplastics manufacturer Danimer Scientific, Inc. has appointed Keith A. Edwards, a 30-year plastics industry veteran, as vice president of Business Development.
“Keith’s proven ability to lead sales and business development for the world’s largest chemical producers will further empower Danimer to meet our mission of reducing the environmental impacts of plastic waste,” said Stephen E. Croskey, chairman and CEO.
Edwards’ focus at Danimer will be on growing market opportunities for the company’s biodegradable resins.
Danimer, said Croskey, continues to expand its manufacturing capacity. “As our manufacturing capacity grows, we look forward to working with Keith to provide more brands worldwide with biodegradable alternatives to traditional plastic,” he said.
Edwards, a graduate of Florida State University with a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, joins Danimer after nearly 18 years with BASF Corporation, the North American affiliate of the largest chemical producer in the world. He most recently served as Head of Specialty Polymers, where he led sales and marketing for packaging and extruded applications of various polymers. Prior to BASF, Edwards served as petrochemical supply director for Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LLC, a leading polymer and petrochemical product manufacturer jointly owned by Chevron Corporation and Phillips 66.
For Edwards, it is an exciting time to join Danimer Scientific, as Nodax and other biopolymers are introduced to the market at an increasing commercial scale.
“With growing capacity coming online, there is tremendous opportunity to collaborate with our customers and sustainably transform the world of single-use plastics one new application at a time,” he said.
Danimer’s technology can be found in a vast array of plastic end products that people use every day. Applications for its biopolymers include additives, aqueous coatings, fibres, filaments, films and injection-moulded articles, among others. Danimer holds more than 390 granted patents and pending patent applications in more than 20 countries for a range of manufacturing processes and biopolymer formulations.