War Group launches French corn plastic Limagrain

The Group War, an important player in the industry of seed in the country, with headquarters in Pato Branco (PR), is taking a step forward in the diversification of its business. After three years of research, the company is launching on the market a new corn bioplastics, which uses a technology developed by Limagrain, French cooperative partner of war since 2011.
"We are in a technical-commercial work, searching for companies that use this type of product to show the applicability and the degree of confidence in the quality of our experiments," said Ricardo value War, Executive Director of the group. "We are confident in sales already in this second half of 2015," he added, which deals with the project as a reinforcement to goal of war to achieve $ 1 billion in revenue over the next decade.
In France, Limagrain works with bioplastic for at least seven years, in a portfolio that includes bags, plastic films and sheeting used in agricultural production. In Brazil, the war has focused not only on bags, but also in packaging and envelopes for delivery-such as those used by banks in sending credit cards, or by mail in the Mail.
The plan is that the initial demand is met by imports from France, but the Parana group is prepared to manufacture the product in Brazil. "The civil work was completed. It's only the equipment that will be purchased when we understand that there is enough demand in the country, "he added war. The company invested r $ 12 million in infrastructure unit, installed in Pato Branco, but does not disclose how much will be spent on the machines. "We plan a modular plant, which can grow enough. But she would start with the same French factory capacity, "he said.
This is not the first time that comes to market a plastic made from corn. According to the Manager, there are similar materials, but made from starch, not flour, as allows Limagrain technology-whose production route is even cheaper. In addition, the new biopolymer is fully biodegradable and compostable, stressed he. "There are bags that are as biodegradable, but are produced with ' oxy ', which is just fragmentável. IE continues to exist and contaminating the environment, but in invisible particles, "he said. "Already our product disintegrates and turns into humus.
Despite the environmental appeal, the product is four to six times more expensive than its competitors in oil derivatives. The fall in the prices of fossil fuels in recent years discouraged many designs in the industry, because it has increased the competitiveness of petrochemical-based plastic resins. "It is a work against the world, but we see a huge potential. Only in envelopes, the Brazil consumes 60 million units a year, "he concluded.
In addition to the biopolymer, the war and group Limagrain have joint business in the areas of corn seeds and industrialized breads and cakes, branded as Jacquet.