Testimonial

Developing markets for new bio-based polymers

A combination of profound scientific knowledge and a solid application-oriented approach. This makes Wageningen Food & Biobased Research a strategically important collaboration partner to Dupont Industrial Biosciences. Christian Lenges, Business Development Manager, DuPont Biomaterials states: ‘It is my experience that this combination, a market-oriented approach and a strong academic basis, is rarely available at one location.’

Wageningen Food & Biobased Research offers a profound scientific foundation, excellent experts and facilities and is market-oriented too. I rarely see this combination at one location.
Christian Lenges, Business Development DuPont Industrial Bioscience

With annual sales of USD 1.5 billion DuPont Industrial Biosciences is a leading player in the bio-based economy. The American multinational company focuses, among other areas, on the development of bio-based materials, including renewably sourced polymers for carpets and apparel and also new high barrier bottle resins. ‘Wageningen Food & Biobased Research conducts application testing with new developmental materials to define differentiated end-use properties. Subsequently, with the objective to help identify new applications and markets for these materials, says Christian Lenges. ‘For us, this is mainly about innovation: we are convinced that the market will only adopt new bio-based materials when they are really innovative and have specific benefits, such as improved mechanical properties or barrier performance. For example we are not looking for bio-based alternatives to traditional petroleum building blocks in existing products. We firmly believe that these traditional petroleum based products will be replaced by better bio-based products over time.’

Strategically important partner

Lenges says that DuPont Industrial Biosciences has a firm cross-segment collaboration with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research: ‘A major part of our joint work consists of the understanding of new polymer fundamental properties derived from DuPont’s enzymatic polymerization process and application specific performance characteristics of these materials. Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has profound knowledge of the routes for the conversion of carbohydrates into valuable end-products and facilities to test end-products on desired properties. Because of this, combined with their ability to connect partners within the value chain, they are a strategically important partner to us. Another interesting aspect is that they do not only have excellent facilities at lab scale, but that they can also demonstrate new concepts at a pretty advanced stage.’

Wageningen Food & Biobased Research has profound knowledge of the routes for the conversion of carbohydrates into valuable end-products and facilities to test end-products on desired properties. Because of this, combined with their ability to connect partners within the value chain, they are a strategically important partner to us.
Christian Lenges, Business Development DuPont Industrial Bioscience

Thermoplastic Applications

Lenges thinks that a substantial part of the future collaboration will be focussed on the thermoplastic applications of these new carbohydrate polymers: ‘Developing bio-based materials for thermoplastics is a relatively new and very interesting market. Together with Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, we conduct research into which products might be interesting to end users. I am very happy with this collaboration: it is effective, with a good balance between scientific knowledge and a market-oriented philosophy. It is my experience that you rarely see this combination at one location. In addition, the team in Wageningen is really flexible and doesn’t try and hang on to existing frameworks when something new occurs.’

Local springboard

DuPont Industrial Biosciences has a significant presence with a research facility in Leiden, the Netherlands and also acquired recently a biotechnological company located in Wageningen in 2015. ‘With Wageningen Food & Biobased Research nearby, the Netherlands are a local springboard for innovation to us.’