Page 146 - CW E-Magazine (10-6-2025)

News from Abroad

GREEN CHEMISTRY

Michelin-led consortium setting up demo unit for 5-HMF

French tyre manufacturing major,
Michelin, has announced that its
biomaterials platform, Michelin Engi-
neered Polymers, will construct an
industrial demonstration unit for bio-
based chemical, 5-hydroxymethylfur-
fural (5-HMF).

5-HMF is a platform molecule with
multiple possible derivatives. It is bio-
sourced and non-toxic, allowing it to
replace ingredients sourced from crude
oil or those of concern. It is obtained
from fructose that has been transformed
using green chemistry processes.

Despite its significant potential, on the Osiris platform in Péage en cule, in conjunction with the project’s
there are currently no large-scale indus- Roussillon, France, will have a produc- industrial partners.
trial processes to produce HMF. The tion capacity of 3,000-tpa, making this
European 5-HMF market is still emerg- site the largest in the world for 5-HMF. “The launch of this initial unit in
ing, as the molecule is produced solely The project represents a total invest- France, to produce a bio-sourced mole-
in Asia, in very small quantities, and ment of €60-mn, which will be partly cule essential for green chemistry, is a
remains prohibitive for industrial uses. subsidised by France and European major milestone for taking Resicare’s
agencies, and is expected to begin activities to an industrial scale. Crea-
The demo unit will be built by a activities in 2026. ted at Michelin in 2016, this start-up
Michelin Engineered Polymers-led at the cutting edge of innovation will
consortium – CERISEA or ‘Competi- Already used in the manufacture of be able to speed up the development
tive production of HMF and derivatives non-toxic adhesive resins developed of its high-performance and non-toxic
for an Eco-designed and Resilient by Michelin ResiCare, 5-HMF allows resin offers for manufacturers,” stated
Industry towards Sustainable European these resins to reduce operator and con- Maude Portigliatti, Director of the Poly-
Autonomy.’ The consortium includes sumer exposure to harmful products. mer Composite Solutions division at
renewable chemicals firm, Avantium The production of this initial unit will Michelin and a Member of the Group’s
and 10 other industry and academic allow for safeguarding Michelin Resi- Executive Committee.
organisations: IFP Energies Nouvelles, Care’s supply and lowering costs. It
ADM Bazancourt SASU, Arkema, also paves the way for the marketing Michelin began to explore alter-
Kraton Chemical, Université de Tech- of new materials in a variety of sectors, natives to formaldehyde and resorcinol
nologie de Compiègne (UTC), Centre such as cosmetics, agriculture, industry, in the adhesive resins intended for its
National de la Recherche Scientifique construction, transport, aeronautics, or tyres as of 2008. In 2013, a technology
(CNRS), Institut für Energie- und electronics, as well as in many other for tyre applications was developed,
Umweltforschung Heidelberg (IFEU), applicationd. The projects launched without using 5-HMF. In 2016, 5-HMF
Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, demonstrate a potential market of over was integrated into the Michelin Resi-
Transporte y Logística, Energieinsti- 40-kt by 2030. Care formulae for resins intended for
tut an der Johannes Kepler Universität uses other than tyres, and initially for
Linz Verein, and Bioeconomy for Provision has been made for plyboard, after identifying a source at
Change. 20-ktpa units to be duplicated via a license a small volume and a high price. After
system, in order to develop a produc- an initial attempt with another partner,
The demo unit, which will be located tion network for this bio-sourced mole- Michelin joined forces with the IFPEN

146 Chemical Weekly June 10, 2025

Contents Index to Advertisers Index to Products Advertised