Avantium Celebrates the Official Opening of its FDCA Flagship Plant

Queen Máxima Opens the FDCA Flagship Plant © Avantium

The official opening of Avantium’s FDCA Flagship by Her Majesty Queen Máxima marks a significant milestone for Avantium, commemorating the start of something extraordinary and highlighting Avantium’s progress in developing renewable, circular materials and celebrating the dedication and hard work of its committed employees and partners. In the world’s first commercial plant, Avantium will produce 5 kilotons of FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the essential building block for 100% plant-based and circular plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate), known under the brand name Releaf. Avantium’s Releaf is a revolutionary material set to transform the plastics industry, with versatile applications including bottles, packaging, films, and textiles.

Avantium CEO Tom van Aken comments: “Today marks the dawn of a new era for Avantium and the future of sustainable plastics. Our new FDCA plant embodies our commitment to innovation and sustainability. We are excited to lead the way in producing Releaf, a material that offers a viable alternative to traditional petroleum-based plastics. This plant is not just a testament to our technological advancements but also to our dedication to creating long-term, sustainable value for all our stakeholders. We will now commence the start-up of the FDCA Flagship Plant, introduce Releaf products to the market, and expedite the rollout of our FDCA/PEF licensing strategy.”

The grand opening event, held adjacent to the FDCA plant, was attended by approximately 300 guests from the Netherlands and abroad. The program commenced with speeches from Avantium CEO Tom van Aken, Minister of Climate and Green Growth Sophie Hermans, and John Bell, the ‘Healthy Planet’ Director of the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation. The event was hosted by Shirma Rouse, entertainer and chemist.

Her Majesty Queen Máxima officiated the opening ceremony by turning a valve, unveiling the FDCA Flagship Plant as a large curtain dropped. Inside the plant, the Flagship Plant employees were present to witness the momentous occasion. Following the ceremony, Queen Máxima was given a tour of the facility. She then engaged in conversations with Avantium stakeholders about the market for Releaf, circularity and the transition from fossil resources to biobased feedstock. The Queen received a detailed explanation about the various applications of Releaf. After Queen Máxima’s tour, the guests were also given the opportunity to explore the facility. In the historic Heveskes church, the guests could visit an exhibition about the feedstock and various applications of Releaf.

On Wednesday 23 October 2024, Avantium will host a Retail Investor Day. Retail shareholders are invited for a tour through the FDCA Flagship Plant and participate in various activities throughout the day. Registration for this event is closed.