NatureWorks starts direct sale of Ingeo packaging resins in Taiwan

NatureWorks LLC announces that, effective immediately, it will sell Ingeo packaging resin grades directly to Taiwanese customers. This move completes NatureWorks' commercial transition in Taiwan since other Ingeo grades (for example, for fibers or durable applications) have been sold directly to its customer base there for a number of years.

"NatureWorks has experienced significant Ingeo business growth in Taiwan, and decided that in order to continue that growth the company must forge closer technical and commercial relations with large-scale packaging customers there," said Marc Verbruggen, President and Chief Executive Officer of NatureWorks. "We previously had an exclusive distribution arrangement with a Taiwanese company, but since that exclusive arrangement has ended, we would now like to offer a direct sales channel to those same packaging accounts."

In order to provide multiple sales channel options for its local customers, NatureWorks intends to continue the supply of Ingeo packaging grades of resin through its existing distributor in Taiwan. According to the company, Taiwan-based companies are among the largest customers of Ingeo-based products worldwide, and Asia is NatureWorks fastest growing sales region.

NatureWorks says it expects to announce a location in Asia for its second world-scale Ingeo production facility later this year because of a significant growth in demand for Ingeo biopolymer in Asia.

Ingeo biopolymer, made from renewable plant material instead of oil, emits 60% less greenhouse gas and requires 48% less energy to manufacture into resin as compared to such plastics as PET.