ENTEK Extruders customer Danimer Scientific of Bainbridge, GA has recently been in the news for winning the prestigious 2018 Innovation in Bioplastics Award from the Washington, DC based Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS). Danimer Scientifc was a joint winner of the award with PepsiCo for their development of the next generation bio-based and compostable flexible packaging used for a new Frito-Lay snack bag.

The materials used in the award-winning application are compounded on ENTEK twin-screw extruders. Danimer 24365B and Danimer 01112 resins are blends of biopolymers and mineral filler, which give the snack bags their white exterior and can be processed in blown film extrusion lines for improved economics.

Danimer Scientific has been a leader in bioplastics for many years. Ever since purchasing their first ENTEK twin-screw extruder in 2007, the company has led the way in developing unique bioplastics. In 2012, Danimer Scientific and ENTEK made headlines by displaying a high-output 103mm twin-screw extruder at NPE. This made a statement to the industry that bioplastics, up until that time considered a small market, were ready for high-volume production and were here to stay.

“We’re excited for our customer, Danimer Scientific, and for PepsiCo for winning this award,” said Bill Petrozelli, ENTEK Regional Sales Manager. “We’ve worked with them for many years and are proud to be associated with a company that’s at the forefront of bioplastics development.”

Scott Tuten, Chief Marketing Officer at Danimer Scientific, said “We would like to thank the Plastics Industry Association for recognizing the work PepsiCo and our team are doing to create sustainable food packaging. We would also like to ENTEK for their many years of help and continued support as we continue to work to develop industry-leading bioplastic solutions.”

Danimer Scientific and PepsiCo are already working on a third-generation snack bag that’s based on Danimer’s PHA polyester resin, which will be fully biodegradable in home-composting environments. PHA is the only material that is certified for marine degradation. PepsiCo has a stated goal of making 100 percent of its packaging recyclable, compostable, or biodegradable by 2025.