Avantium retakes full ownership of plants-to-plastics technology

In the Netherlands, Avantium has retaken full ownership of its YXY plants-to-plastics technology through the purchase of BASF’s shares in the Synvina joint venture. Avantium has appointed Marcel Lubben as Managing Director of Synvina to lead the commercialization of the YXY technology, effective February 1, 2019.

Synvina has become a new business unit of Avantium, alongside the existing Catalysis and Renewable Chemistries business units. Avantium’s renewable chemistry programs include Dawn Technology™, which converts non-food feedstock to industrial sugars and lignin, and the Mekong technology, which transforms sugars into plant-based monoethylene glycol (MEG) used in the production of materials including renewable plastics and polyesters.

Avantium and BASF were in a dispute about the future of their Synvina joint venture. The companies disagreed on the timing for the fulfilment of the criteria to invest in the commercial-scale plant for FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid). On December 18, 2018, BASF notified Avantium of its exit from their Synvina joint venture, effective January15, 2019. Avantium continued to disagree with BASF’s interpretation of the joint venture agreement.