Brazilian petrochemical company Braskem has successfully increased the production capacity of its bio-based ethylene plant by 30%, reflecting an investment of $87 million.

The upgraded plant, located in the Petrochemical Complex of Triunfo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, will now operate at a capacity of 260,000 tons per year, up from 200,000 tons. The expansion is a response to a rising global demand for sustainable products and part of the firm’s aim to produce one million tons of biopolymers by 2030, while aiming to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.

Braskem’s bio-based ethylene is manufactured from sustainably sourced, sugarcane-based ethanol, which acts to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and store it in everyday-use products. Each ton of plastic resin made from this renewable feedstock represents the removal of three tons of CO2 from the atmosphere. This production capacity increase will result in the removal of approximately 185,000 tons of CO2 equivalent per year.

Walmir Soller, O/P VP for Europe and Asia and responsible for the I’m green bio-based business globally said, “The expansion of bio-based ethylene capacity reinforces Braskem’s commitment to sustainable development and innovation and proves the success of the strategy we engaged in thirteen years ago, when we launched the world’s first bio-based polyethylene production at industrial scale, with proprietary technology.”

Since its inception in 2010, the plant has produced over 1.2 million tons of I’m green bio-based polyethylene. As the world leader in the production of biopolymers, Braskem’s bio-based resins are exported to more than 30 countries and used in products from over 250 major brands in a wide range of industries.

Braskem’s advancement in the development and production of bio-based ethylene and resins reflects its continued investment in disruptive innovation and technology, aligning with its sustainability commitments to improve plastic circularity, promote human-centric development, and lead the revolution in bio-based materials.

  Braskem, Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul, Triunfo, Walmir Soller