CJ CheilJedang Aims to Lead Global Market with Marine Biodegradable Material PHA

Night view of CJ CheilJedang Pasuruan Bio Plant in Indonesia.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] CJ CheilJedang is accelerating its efforts to dominate the high-profit, high value-added global eco-friendly materials market by promoting the marine biodegradable plastic material 'PHA.' The eco-friendly biodegradable material business, which replaces petrochemical materials, recorded an annual revenue of 1 trillion KRW last year and is expected to grow more than threefold within the next five years.

On the 16th, CJ CheilJedang announced that it had obtained the reputable eco-friendly certification 'T?V Biodegradable Certification' in Europe and North America. This certification is classified according to the environment in which the material biodegrades, and CJ CheilJedang's PHA succeeded in acquiring four certifications: industrial, household, soil, and marine. In particular, the 'marine biodegradable' certification is significant as it is the first in Korea and one of the very few globally.

The 'T?V Biodegradable Certification' is an eco-friendly certification issued by 'T?V AUSTRIA,' the most prestigious eco-certification body in Europe, and requires passing a very strict and rigorous evaluation process based on international ISO standards and EU standards.

CJ PHA received high evaluations for its eco-friendly production process based on microbial fermentation and its ability to biodegrade more than 90% in most environments, including soil and sea. CJ CheilJedang plans to accelerate its penetration into the biodegradable materials market centered on developed countries with this certification. PHA is the only biodegradable material that decomposes in the ocean, and CJ CheilJedang possesses unique PHA production technology.

Additionally, the company is actively collaborating with next-generation companies that possess advanced technology. Recently, CJ CheilJedang signed a PHA supply contract with 'Helian Polymers,' a Dutch 3D printer material company. The market for 3D printer filament materials is rapidly expanding as their use increases in precision parts industries such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, and medical applications.

Helian Polymers focused on the advantages of CJ CheilJedang's PHA, which combines high flexibility and ease of processing. Using PHA samples provided by CJ CheilJedang, the company plans to develop and launch a new product that overcomes the drawbacks of PLA, which has been used as the conventional 3D printer filament material.

A CJ CheilJedang official stated, "Leading global companies in Europe and elsewhere have placed pre-orders exceeding 5,000 tons, surpassing initial mass production plans," adding, "We will intensify our efforts to capture the global biodegradable materials market with our unique technology and differentiated products."

In November last year, CJ CheilJedang announced its full-scale entry into the white bio market, starting with PHA. The company is establishing a dedicated PHA production line at its Pasuruan bio factory in Indonesia and plans to strengthen research and development (R&D) to secure future competitiveness.

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