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January 10, 2011

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Bioplastics firm plans US plant for midyear

Ny

BLOGS
By FRANK ESPOSITO

J G

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In Print

Bioplastics
compounder
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FKuR
Kunststoff GmbH hopes to have a North American
production site operating in Michigan by mid-2011.

Our focus
has
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& LISTS

been on Europe,
but we're working hard to sell in North America, said
technology and production director Carmen Michels, in an interview at K 2010 in
Dusseldorf. The site is expected to operate two extrusion lines when it opens.

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FKuR's biggest seller has been a polylactic acid bioresin compounded with a copolyester
blend, which has been used in bags and other film applications.

Willich, Germany-based FKuR also makes materials based on polyhydroxyalkanoate,

starch and cellulose acetate. Its suppliers include BASF AG, NatureWorks LLC, Metabolix
DIRECTORY
Inc. and Kaneka Corp. Most of
FKuR's compounds including those sold under the BioFlex and Biograde trade names can biodegrade in six months or less, Michels said.
it runs four extrusion lines and is in the process of
FKuR employs 40 in Willich, where
adding a fifth. Recent applications include the backing for a computer keyboard made by
Fujitsu Ltd.

CLASSIFIEDS

We've proven our functionality and now we're application-oriented, said Steven Prindle,
who works in applications technology at FKuR's sales office in Cedar Park, Texas.
At K, FKuR was displaying a cosmetic carrying case with an outer shell made from
thermoformed sheet based on its own bioplastic materials. Michels added that the firm
started with packaging, but now is looking at longer-term applications.
Increased use of bioplastics appears to be more customer-driven than resulting from
mandates of consumer products firms, Prindle said. We're trying to free [processors]
from the fluctuations of the petroleum industry, he added.

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