Bangkok - US-based Natureworks LLC, the world's largest
producer of bioplastics, has shortlisted four countries -
Thailand, China, Malaysia and Singapore - for a 100-million-dollar
plant in Asia, news reports said Saturday.
Marc Verbruggen, president of the Minneapolis-based company, was
in Bangkok recently to assess Thailand's potential as a base for its
Asia plant which is expected to start operations in 2014.
'It is too early for us to tell where to establish the new plant,
because the decision will depend on how soon the global economy can
recover, but Thailand is very interesting since it is one of the few
countries in the world that grow plenty of sugar cane and tapioca,
which will help us secure the feedstock,' Verbruggen told The Nation
newspaper.
Natureworks' US plant has an annual production capacity of 140,000
tons of bioplastics, accounting for 90 per cent of the current
global supply.
Bioplastics, made from renewable biomass sources such as vegetable
oil or starch, compete with petroleum-based plastics, which are now
benefiting from low oil prices.
Verbruggen said the long-term outlook for bioplastics was positive
because more consumers are interested in ecological products, and
prices would be competitive again if oil prices rise above 80 dollars
a barrel, compared with 50 dollars at present.
He acknowledged that Thailand's political situation, marred by more
than a year of street protests, was a factor in deciding where to
site the plant.
'But we observe the situation not only in Thailand but also other
countries like China,' Verbruggen said.
USA
Your Talkback on this Story