Future Directions In Advanced Biomaterials

The 6th Innovation Takes Root: A Nature Works Advanced Biomaterials Forum - held on September 10-12, 2018 in San Diego, California, USA - brought together brand owners, industry leaders, sustainability professionals, marketers,business leaders, scientists and engineers from the biomaterials value chain.

Organised by Nature Works, the forum takes participants into a full-scale immersion into rethinking and dissecting the role of high performance materials in today’s demanding market where consumer preference is moving towards sustainability, and where achieving a circular economy has become imperative.

Nature Works has been offering a broad portfolio of renewably sourced polymers and chemicals to the packaging, polymers, fibres, and chemicals markets. With performance and economics that compete with oil-based plastics and fibres, naturally advanced Ingeo™ polymers are valued for their unique functional properties and used in products from coffee capsules and electronics to diapers and wipes. Other products, such as Vercet™ lactide-based solutions help innovators realise significant, measurable performance and cost advantages in products such as CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants, and elastomers), toners, and surfactants. Nature Works is jointly owned by Thailand’s largest ASEAN leading integrated petrochemical and refining company, PTT Global Chemical, and Cargill, which provides food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to the world.

Held every two years since 2008, the Innovation Takes Root (ITR) Forum has taken an important place in today’s biomaterials sector because of its contributions in further studies, research and development of applications for Nature Works’ advanced biomaterials. From the first ITR in 2008 that brought together engineers and scientists from the Ingeo™ plastics and fibres supply chains to share technical developments in emerging industry, the forum has grown to gather thought leaders, entrepreneurs, marketers, and business leaders together with the scientists and engineers from the supply chain for a full-scale immersion into rethinking and remaking products as the plastics industry moves forward in utilising renewable materials.