CJ CheilJedang to Fully Launch White Bio Business

[Asia Economy Reporter Choi Sunghye] CJ CheilJedang is making a full-scale entry into the ‘White Bio’ business, which has very bright future growth potential, leveraging its unparalleled fermentation technology as a competitive edge. White Bio refers to an industry that produces industrial materials or biofuels using biological resources such as plants as raw materials. It is an eco-friendly business sector that replaces petrochemical materials, and its importance is rapidly increasing.

CJ CheilJedang announced on the 3rd that it plans to make 'PHA' (Polyhydroxyalkanoate), a 100% marine biodegradable eco-friendly plastic material, the main product of its White Bio business. The company will establish a dedicated production line at its bio factory in Pasuruan, Indonesia, next year and set up a mass production system with an annual capacity of 5,000 tons. Since microbial fermentation technology is commonly used in the production of amino acids and PHA, which are the main products of this factory, significant synergy is expected.

In particular, even before full-scale production, leading global companies in Europe and other regions have placed pre-orders exceeding 5,000 tons, surpassing the initial mass production volume, which is expected to accelerate stable supply and market penetration. High demand for CJ CheilJedang’s PHA, which is ‘marine biodegradable and overcomes the shortcomings of existing materials,’ has been confirmed in major markets such as Europe and Japan.

PHA is a very important material for making eco-friendly plastics. PHA is a polymer substance that microorganisms consume plant-derived components and accumulate inside their cells, and it has the characteristic of decomposing in all environments, including soil and marine environments. While PLA (Polylactic acid), a widely used biodegradable plastic, requires a specific process to decompose, PHA is the world’s only material that biodegrades 100% even in seawater. Currently, only a few companies, including CJ CheilJedang, possess 100% marine biodegradable plastic production technology.

CJ CheilJedang is targeting the global biodegradable plastic market, which is expected to grow to about three times its current size within the next five years, starting with 10 trillion won this year. As eco-friendly regulations increase mainly in Europe and China, and social awareness that ‘environmental protection = human health’ expands, the eco-friendly material market is rapidly growing. In particular, the utilization of biodegradable materials is expanding from recycled vinyl to straws, PET bottles, packaging materials, and even textiles, indicating very high growth potential.

Based on its unparalleled technological capabilities, CJ CheilJedang has also established a strategy to actively expand the market by securing a production base. Coca-Cola announced that it will make 50% of all PET bottles from eco-friendly raw materials by 2030, and Nike has launched sneakers made from eco-friendly recycled materials. The disposable and general-purpose plastic market, worth hundreds of trillions of won, is rapidly being replaced by eco-friendly materials.

In addition to PHA, CJ CheilJedang plans to expand its eco-friendly material portfolio to secure technological superiority in the White Bio market. While continuously conducting R&D centered on its bio research institute, which has world-class capabilities, the company will also actively seek collaboration with overseas innovative companies. Through this, it plans to establish itself as a leading global PHA company.

A CJ CheilJedang official said, “‘Eco-friendliness’ is an irresistible trend in all industrial sectors,” adding, “Just as CJ CheilJedang led food culture trends with ‘Bibigo’ and ‘Hetbahn,’ it will play a leading role in changing the paradigm of the global industrial materials market to ‘eco-friendly’ with ‘CJ PHA.’”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.