FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid) is the main building block for PEF (polyethylene furanoate), a plant-based, fully recyclable plastic with a combination of environmental benefits and excellent functionality. The FDCA plant is scheduled to start up in 2023 and will create approximately 60 high-quality jobs in the region. Avantium CEO Tom van Aken: “We share the ambition with the Northern region to realize a fully sustainable chemical industry”.
Avantium and the Groningen consortium already entered an agreement on the € 30 million conditional financing mix for the construction of the FDCA flagship plant earlier this year. The € 7.5 million grant from the National Programme Groningen is part of this financing mix.
The Groningen consortium comprises of the Province of Groningen, Groningen Seaports and regional investment funds NOM (Investment and Development Agency for the Northern Netherlands), FondsNieuweDoen, Investeringsfonds Groningen and Groeifonds. The National Programme Groningen is a partnership between the Dutch national government, the Province of Groningen and ten municipalities – is investing in projects that contribute to the future and prosperity of Groningen, focussing on economic development, the quality of the living environment, energy transition and sustainability.
The image above shows Tom van Aken speaking about the FDCA factory during the Chemport Connect Live Event on November 17.