Floreon, a tougher and easier to process bioplastic material produced by UK-based Floreon Transforming Packaging, has been granted a patent.
The bioplastic is polyester-based polymer blend with a standard bioplastic, polylactic acid (PLA).
While conventional PLA has a lower carbon footprint as it is produced from sustainable (plant) feedstock, floreon is recyclable, biodegradable and requires far less energy to process compared to rival products.
The material comes with improved mechanical properties and optimised flow rates which makes it possible to be used for different moulding techniques to produce different types and sizes of applications like packaging trays, cutlery and thin walled injection moulded parts.
Production time and energy consumption have also been reduced due to improved processing efficiency.
Currently, the company has been granted the patent in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Floreon technical director Andrew Gill said: "This patent is very important to us - as a technology led company it provides a competitive advantage that will enable us to create proprietary solutions that others cannot copy.
"By definition, patented compositions need to be novel and provide a benefit to society over previously available technology. So this patent, which protects our innovative bioplastic material called Floreon, is a clear demonstration that we have created a new way of gaining performance benefits not achievable by others."
The creation of floreon was encouraged by an awareness of the need to reduce the amount of landfill waste and the desire to reduce dependence on fossil resources.
Floreon CEO and company founder Shaun Chatterton said: "With global demand for bioplastics set to rise by around 20% per year, we can see a huge export potential for Floreon.
"We are delighted with these first patent approvals, and are rapidly progressing patent applications across all major population centres - including US and Canada, China and Europe. Our aim is to have global protection for our technology so that we can promote Floreon internationally."
