Hortifair 2009 Showcases Innovative Ingeo Bioplastic Products

AMSTERDAM, October 13, 2009  --  By developing products which include flower pots and trays, packaging, twine, as well as bags, labels, mulch matting and weed control made from renewable resources instead of oil, exhibitors at the 2009 International Hortifair conference and exposition exemplified the event’s theme - For A Sustainable Future.  Each of these lines of performance products made from Ingeo bioplastic resin ensures lower greenhouse gas emissions than oil-based plastics and is also compostable to the European EN13432 standard.

“Suppliers to the horticulture industry are innovators in developing plastic products that not only perform well, but also lower overall environmental impact in terms of less CO2, and provide industrial composting as a new option after use” said Mark Vergauwen, Commercial Manager for NatureWorks BV.  “We were excited to see the commercial reality of the comprehensive Ingeo horticultural product portfolio demonstrated at Hortifair 2009”.

AT HORTIFAIR 2009

Desch Plantpak B.V. introduced D-Grade® Bio, a line of thermoformed plastic flowerpots, trays, and packs made from amongst others Ingeo bioplastic.  This new line meets the usage demands of commercial horticultural customers while at the same time decreasing both CO2 emissions and energy consumption over comparable products.  “We contribute to a healthy environment with D-Grade Bio while fully guaranteeing the technical and economic utility of the products” emphasized Desch’s Wouter Zieck.

Oerlemans Plastics B.V., exhibit 3.320, showcased its BI-OLP Ingeo-based biodegradable film, which was introduced some time ago.  The BI-OLP line has a number of applications including a mulch film for use in greenhouses and on fields.  This film reduces weeds and is certified for organic growers.  The BI-OLP films are also used for general purpose films, sheets, bags, and covers.  “In many of these cases ,concepts like sustainability and corporate responsibility are more important than biodegradability, and we are able to give our customers the support they need,” noted Jan Wessemius, Oerlemans Product Manager.

Van der Windt Verpakking B.V., exhibit 7.1331, is recognized for its line of 100 percent biodegradable packaging materials that are certified compostable to the EN 13432 standard.  Van der Windt’s exhibit featured Ingeo labels, sleeves, carrier bags, trays and punnets.  “We’re seeing that our customers value being able to make a positive  contribution towards the carbon cycle and the exhaustibility of fossil raw materials using our biobased packaging,” commented Van der Windt’s Huib Burggraaf.  

Lankhorst Yarns, exhibit 3.311, displayed samples of recently developed twine made from Ingeo bioplastic.  The company began the research and development effort for the new twine in conjunction with its goals of reducing its own and its customers’ carbon footprint, as well as offering a plastic product that could be reclaimed through industrial composting.

DS Technical Nonwovens, exhibit 5.306, exhibited HortaFlex® a mulch matting and weed control product, which was first introduced in 2007.  HortaFlex comes in standard grades for landscaping, erosion protection and stabilization, weed control barriers, and pre-seeding grow mats.  The company also works with customers to develop custom films.

About NatureWorks LLC
NatureWorks LLC is a company dedicated to meeting the world’s needs today without compromising the earth’s ability to meet the needs of tomorrow.  NatureWorks LLC is the first company to offer a family of commercially available low carbon footprint Ingeo biopolymers derived from 100 percent annually renewable resources with performance and economics that compete with oil-based plastics and fibers.  www.natureworksllc.com

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