Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, has been awarded a €200,000 grant by the EU Horizon Europe program to participate in a consortium for the large-scale production of the biobased chemical 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). The consortium, consisting of 12 European partners and led by Michelin Engineered Polymers, aims to construct and operate an HMF Flagship Plant to demonstrate the wide range of applications for HMF. The project also plans to assess synergies with Avantium’s FDCA Flagship Plant.
HMF is a biobased chemical derived from sugars, such as fructose. Due to its versatility and ability to replace a broad range of conventionally produced building blocks, HMF serves as a key intermediate between biomass and biochemicals. Despite its significant potential, there are currently no large-scale industrial processes to produce HMF. Michelin Engineered Polymers, specialized in developing advanced polymer materials, plans to engineer and construct an industrial-scale HMF plant under the grant program. The grant consortium will also explore a wide range of bio-based sustainable applications for HMF. HMF can for example be used as an intermediate in the production of FDCA. This creates a direct link between Michelin’s planned HMF plant and Avantium’s FDCA Technology. The foreseen synergies will help to create an integrated and sustainable European production ecosystem that reduces environmental impact and strengthens the economic resilience of the European chemical industry.
The consortium, known under the name CERISEA[1], has received a €20 million EU Horizon Europe grant in total. Michelin Engineered Polymers will lead the consortium, which includes Avantium and 10 other industry and academic organizations: IFP Energies Nouvelles, ADM Bazancourt SASU, ARKEMA, Kraton Chemical B.V., Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), IFEU – Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg, Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística, Energieinstitut an der Johannes Kepler Universität Linz Verein, and Bioeconomy for Change.
1CERISEA stands for “Competitive production of HMF and derivatives for an Eco-designed and Resilient Industry towards Sustainable European Autonomy”
About Avantium
Avantium is a pioneering commercial-stage company focused on renewable & circular polymer materials. Avantium develops and commercializes innovative technologies for the production of materials based on sustainable carbon feedstocks, i.e. carbon from biomass or carbon from the air (CO2). The most advanced technology is the YXY®Technology that catalytically converts plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for the sustainable plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate). PEF is known under the brand name Releaf®, an EU registered trademark of Avantium. Avantium has successfully demonstrated the YXY® Technology at its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, and is in the process of starting the world’s first commercial plant for FDCA in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Avantium works in partnership with like-minded companies around the globe to develop revolutionary renewable chemistry solutions from invention to commercial scale.
Avantium’s shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels (symbol: AVTX). Avantium is incorporated in the Euronext Amsterdam SmallCap Index (AScX). Its offices and headquarters are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Source
Avantium, press release, 2025-05-26.
Supplier
Arkema
Avantium Technologies B.V.
Bioeconomy for Change
Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS)
Horizon Europe
IFEU - Institut für Energie- und Umweltforschung Heidelberg GmbH
IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN)
Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística ITENE
Johannes Kepler Universität Linz (JKU)
Kraton Corporation
MICHELIN
Technological Institute for Packaging, Transport and Logistics (ITENE)
Université de Technologie de Compiègne (UTC)
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