Spartanburg, S.C. – Milliken & Company’s Chemical Division has joined the Global Organization for PHA (GO!PHA) to help address the technical and market development challenges related to polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biodegradable biopolymers. Milliken will bring to GO!PHA its expertise in polymer chemistry to help improve the processing, performance, aesthetics and other important attributes of PHA. The goal is to expand the application range of this family of materials into more packaging applications.
GO!PHA is a coalition of industry and academic stakeholders dedicated to advancing the development, commercialization and adoption of PHA polymers through advocacy and knowledge sharing. Milliken will collaborate with other GO!PHA members to prioritize technical issues and explore ways to solve them by adapting existing high-performance Milliken additives or developing new technologies.
“Milliken’s participation in GO!PHA supports our corporate sustainability goals by giving us a collaborative platform to tackle the challenges of ocean plastics and natural resource conservation,” noted Allen Jacoby, senior vice president, plastics additives, for Milliken’s Chemical Division. “Replacing traditional materials with bio-based, biodegradable PHA polymers can provide lower impact options for food service and flexible packaging. We look forward to working with other GO!PHA members on enhancements that can make PHA polymers more appealing to product designers, converters and consumers.”
“We are delighted to welcome Milliken to GO!PHA,” said Rick Passenier, executive board member, GO!PHA. “Milliken’s polymer additives expertise and extensive development capabilities add tremendous value to our efforts in optimizing PHA properties and processability, and expanding the use of the material in single-use packaging applications.”
About Milliken
Materials science expert Milliken & Company knows that a single molecule has the potential to change the world. With innovative solutions across the textile, flooring, specialty chemical, and healthcare industries, Milliken answers some of the world’s greatest challenges. Named to the World’s Most Ethical Companies list by Ethisphere Institute for 14 years, the company meets the moment with an unwavering commitment to delivering sustainable solutions for its customers and communities. Eight thousand associates across 46 locations globally rally behind a common purpose: to positively impact the world for generations. Discover more about Milliken’s curious minds and inspired solutions at milliken.com and on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.
About GO!PHA
The Global Organization for PHA (GO!PHA) is a member-driven, non-profit initiative to accelerate the development of the PHA-platform industry. Polyhydroxyalkanoate polymers (PHAs) provide a unique opportunity as a solution for reducing greenhouse gases and environmental plastics pollution, and establishing a biobased circular economy, by offering a range of sustainable, high-quality and natural products and materials based on renewable feedstocks and offering diverse end-of-life options.
GO!PHA provides a platform for creating and sharing experiences and knowledge and to facilitate joint development initiatives. www.gopha.org.
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