Total Corbion PLA, a joint venture between Total and Corbion, has announced its intention to build its second PLA plant with a capacity ramping up to 100,000 tons per annum.

This expansion would make Total Corbion PLA the global market leader in PLA, positioned to cater for the rapidly growing demand for Luminy PLA resins. The new plant is planned to be located on a Total site in Grandpuits, France and to be operational in 2024.

Total Corbion PLA intends to build its second Luminy PLA plant in Grandpuits, France.

“Announcing our second plant project, less than two years after we started up commercial scale production at our first plant in Thailand, demonstrates our commitment to develop PLA bioplastics and our ambition to become the world leader in PLA,” commented Stéphane Dion, CEO of Total Corbion PLA.

Corbion and Total, the two shareholders of the joint venture, are fully supporting its growth plans. The total investment in this project is expected to be approximately 200 million Euro and Corbion will continue to be the supplier of lactic acid.

“We are very pleased to announce this second PLA plant project located in Grandpuits, France on Total’s new “Zero petrol platform”, strengthening our successful partnership with Corbion. This is fully in line with Total’s strategy to innovate and grow in circular economy solutions,” said Bernard Pinatel, President Refining & Chemicals at Total.

“PLA is increasingly finding its place as a bioplastic, enabling acceleration towards a circular economy. In our recently released Advance 2025 strategy one of our goals is, together with Total, to become the market leader in PLA. This new plant puts us firmly on track to achieve that goal,” added Olivier Rigaud, CEO of Corbion.