Metabolix signs MOU with CJ to produce PHAs at Fort Dodge, Iowa facility

In Massachusetts, Metabolix has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to produce specialty PHAs with CJ CheilJedang Corporation at a 10 kiloton PHA production unit at CJ’s Fort Dodge, Iowa facility. Under the agreement, Metabolix will buy the speciality PHAs, including its recently launched amorphous PHA, which can be used as a multifunctional additive, and sell and market the materials to commercial customers. Metabolix is working to target application spaces for PHA for PVC and PLA modification, functional biodegradation, and paper coating.

“The MOU with CJ provides a path to establishing the first tranche of commercial production capacity for our specialty PHA biopolymer materials,” said Joseph Shaulson, president and CEO of Metabolix “In addition to the significant investment in manufacturing at Fort Dodge, CJ brings impressive engineering capabilities and operating expertise that will be critical to the success of this project. We look forward to completing the definitive manufacturing agreements and beginning construction on the project in the coming months.”

Metabolix and CJ also expect to expand their collaboration into the long-term with a larger scale PHA production facility.

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