Emirates Biotech, a joint venture between UAE-based SS Royal Kit Emirates Investment and Hong Kong-based Global Biopolymers Industries (GBI) has announced plans to construct the world’s largest Polylactic Acid (PLA) production facility in the UAE, utilising technology from Swiss company Sulzer.
PLA bioplastics is a biodegradable alternative to conventional plastics for applications such as packaging and disposable utensils, helping to reduce reliance on single-use plastics.
The new plant will be developed in two phases, each with an annual capacity of 80,000 tonnes, for a total production of 160,000 tonnes per annum. The project will have a total investment of approximately $800 million, split over the two phases.
“We plan to start construction next year and the start of production is planned for the beginning of 2028,” Emirates Biotech CEO Marc Verbruggen told Zawya Projects.
He said the project will initially source plant-based lactic acid (LA) feedstock on the world market.
In July 2024, Zawya Projects had reported that the PLA plant will be located inside the KEZAD free trade zone in Abu Dhabi with land already secured.
Commenting on the market potential, Verbruggen said the share of bio-plastics in overall plastic production in the region is very low, at less than one percent, and even lower than countries in Europe and the Americas.
“We plan to sell the biopolymer in UAE, in countries at close proximity like Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait. We will also serve demand in populated areas like India, Turkey and Europe,” he said.
Sulzer will provide the technology for a fully integrated production process, covering lactide production, purification, and polymerisation in a single location.
In a related press statement, Emirates Biotech shareholder Shaikh Suhail Ali Saeed Rashed Al-Maktoum said: “By leveraging innovative technologies and strategic partnerships, we aim to establish the UAE as a global leader in the production of eco-friendly materials.”
Dorus Everwijn, President of GBI, a key shareholder of Emirates Biotech, added: “Sulzer’s advanced technologies and extensive experience in the PLA industry will support the development of a state-of-the-art PLA production facility, setting new benchmarks.”
Tim Schulten, President of Sulzer’s Chemtech division said: “By bringing our advanced PLA production technology to the UAE, we are supporting the region’s transition to more sustainable materials and contributing to a greener future.”
Emmanuel Rapendy, Global Head Polymers and Crystallisation for Chemtech, said: “Not only are we enabling cleaner processes and end products with our technologies, we also ensure that our equipment and systems have a very high degree of efficiency, limiting the energy input required for operation.”
The plant’s output of bioplastic material would replace the equivalent of 3.2 billion plastic bottles and reduce CO2 emissions by over 300,000 tonnes annually, the statement noted.
(Reporting by Anoop Menon; Editing by SA Kader)
(anoop.menon@lseg.com)
Subscribe to our Projects’ PULSE newsletter that brings you trustworthy news, updates and insights on project activities, developments, and partnerships across sectors in the Middle East and Africa.
