Plaxica

Plaxica operates as a technology licensing company with a focus on producing biopolymers and chemicals from renewable resources. The company was established in 2008 as a spin-out from Imperial College London, founded by Professor Vernon Gibson and Dr. Ed Marshall. The founders' extensive background in designing and developing homogeneous catalysts for polymer production, particularly stereoselective polymerisations, formed the scientific bedrock of the company.

The firm’s core business model is centered on licensing its process technology for manufacturing polylactic acid (PLA), a biopolymer derived from non-food, renewable materials like cellulosic-based substances. Plaxica aims to address key barriers to wider bioplastic adoption by improving material properties and reducing production costs. Revenue is generated by providing these process technologies to clients in industries such as textiles, packaging, automotive, and electronics. The company collaborates with partners by offering engineering, technical, and commercial support to accelerate the commercialization of its technologies. A significant milestone was the acquisition of Plaxica by Sappi on September 1, 2017.

Plaxica has developed proprietary technologies, including the Optipure® process and the Versalac™ process. Optipure® is a chemical process that separates racemic lactic acid into pure L and D isomer streams, which are essential for producing high-performance PLA. The Versalac™ process enables the conversion of biomass feedstock into racemic lactic acid through a closed-loop chemical process, as an alternative to fermentation. These technologies allow for the production of a strong, high-quality polymer from sustainable feedstocks using more energy-efficient methods. The resulting biopolymer can serve as an alternative to traditional oil-based polymers like PET, polypropylene, and polystyrene. Plaxica successfully scaled its processes from laboratory trials to a pilot plant, demonstrating the viability of its technology at a larger scale.

Keywords: biopolymer technology, polylactic acid, PLA production, renewable chemicals, process technology licensing, sustainable materials, lactic acid technology, bioplastics, non-food feedstock, stereoselective polymerisation, Optipure technology, Versalac process, chemical process scaling, polymer intermediates, cellulosic materials, bio-based polymers, green chemistry, sustainable feedstocks, polymer catalysts, technology commercialization