Japanese company extends bio-PET packaging to the US market

By Simon Pitman

- Last updated on GMT

Japan-based bio-PET resin provider Toyota Tsusho is extending its reach into the US market after signing an agreement with personal care packaging provider Clear Lam Packaging.

Clear Lam confirmed that it has signed an agreement with Toyota Tsusho that will make it a leader in the US market for renewable bioplastic in its rollstock product lines, which are used in rigid packaging for a variety of categories, which also include food and industrial goods, as well as personal care.

Toyota Tsusho's bio-PET is made from mono-ethylene glycol (MEG) which is derived from sugarcane-based bioethanol and is said to be made out of up to 30 percent plant-based materials, with the rest being made up of traditional terephthalic acid (PTA).

As recyclable as standard PET

The company also says that its bio-PET is as recylable as standard petroleum-derived PET, while having the added avantage of having a drastically improved carbon footprint as it is not produced from a fossil-based material.

Toyota Tsusho is a significant global supplier of bio-PET resin, which is used for a wide variety of applications on top of personal care, including the automotive, beverage and aparel industries. 

As well as blow molding for PET bottles, commonly used for personal care and beverages, the resin can be used for thermoforming, sheet extrusion and injection molding.

Clear Lam says it will be making the bio-PET resin available under the Globio brand name in December as sheet extrusions that will be supplied to a wide variety of consumer goods packaging providers.

Expanding sustainable packaging business

"We’ve entered a new era of sustainability with the growth in plastics made from renewable feedstocks,”​ said James Sanfilippo, president and CEO, Clear Lam Packaging. 

 “We’re pleased to announce our new relationship with Toyota Tsusho, a proven global leader in the bio-PET supply chain. This development expands Clear Lam’s leadership role in sustainable packaging and its offerings of renewable alternatives to traditional plastics.”

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