Dutch companies Paques Biomaterials and Looop have announced a new strategic partnership. The companies will collaborate to produce Caleyda, the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) produced by Paques Biomaterials using organic waste streams as feedstock. Looop will supply the bioplastics manufacturer with feedstock from side streams in the agri-food sector. The company brings organic side streams back into the food chain as animal feed, raw materials for pet food, bio-based products, amongst others.
“The cooperation with Looop offers us a secure supply of side streams to produce PHA from,” said René Rozendal, co-founder of Paques Biomaterials. “Looop has a lot of experience in valorising side streams. They are innovative and apply high quality control. Because Looop can combine different side streams from the agri-food sector, they can guarantee the best feedstock for our PHA production.”
PHAs are a family of biopolyesters produced in nature by numerous microorganisms. They are synthesized directly via fermentation of a carbon substrate inside microorganisms and stored in the form of water insoluble granules as energy and carbon reserves inside their cells. PHAs are synthesised by microbes in nutrient-deficient conditions. They are separated from the microbes with the help of a solvent; the solvent is then removed, the harvested PHA is washed, dried, and pelletised through an extruder.
In the case of Caleyda, the carbon substrate on this occasion will be the agri-food side streams provided by Loop. Caleyda is a fully biodegrable material which, like cellulose or starch, is consumed by microbes once in soil, fresh water, or marine environments.
In June, Paques Biomaterials announced a partnership with another Dutch company, Senbis Polymer, to advance PHA development.