Terphane, part of Tredegar Corporation, a leader in BOPET films (polyester) in Latin America with operations in the United States and Brazil, and Origin Materials Inc., the world’s leading carbon negative materials company with a mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials, have announced a strategic partnership to produce sustainable, high-performance bio-polymer films.

As part of the partnership, Terphane signed a multi-year capacity reservation agreement to purchase the advanced bio-polymer Polyethylene Furanoate (PEF) for use in film applications, including food and beverage packaging and high-value industrial applications. BOPEF is biaxially oriented PEF, and BOPET is biaxially oriented PET. These stretched polymer films are valued for their strength, transparency, barrier properties, and electrical insulation.  

“We are pleased to partner with Terphane, a trusted global leader in films with expansive customer and partner relationships,” said Rich Riley, Co-CEO of Origin Materials. “We are thrilled to work together to develop advanced, performance-enhanced products that help to enable a net zero material economy. This partnership represents further progress in Origin’s mission to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials.”

According to Marcos Vieira, global director of R&D for Terphane, “The development of this film will be critical to our efforts to meet this new global demand for sustainable flexible packaging solutions. The film is partially made from PEF and has all the traditional properties of a regular PET film, including post-consumption recycling. In addition, PEF provides an excellent thermal resistance and superior barrier performance, extending the shelf life of the packaged products.”

Vieira adds that initial tests in the U.S. proved the material works perfectly in extrusion lines.

Origin Materials’ patented technology platform represents a potential breakthrough in the commercialization of cost-competitive and low-carbon PEF. Made from furandicarboxylic acid (“FDCA”), the primary precursor to PEF, Origin PEF is a polymer with an attractive combination of sustainability and performance characteristics for packaging, including enhanced barrier properties.

Origin’s PEF is expected to be 100% plant-based, fully recyclable, have attractive unit economics, and to offer a significantly reduced carbon footprint, with superior strength, thermal properties, and barrier properties compared to today’s widely used petroleum-based materials. 

About Terphane

Since its founding in 1976, Terphane has developed technologies and processes to produce specialty bioriented polyester films (BOPET). With significant experience and technical knowledge in film production, coating, and metallization, the company is recognized for its vertical integration, from resin to specialty films. Terphane is a global leader in specialty PET films, and a key company in Latin America. Terphane is a subsidiary of U.S.-based Tredegar Corporation.

About Origin Materials

Headquartered in West Sacramento, Calif., Origin Materials is the world's leading carbon negative materials company. Origin’s mission is to enable the world’s transition to sustainable materials. For over a decade, Origin has developed a platform for turning the carbon found in inexpensive, plentiful, non-food biomass such as sustainable wood residues into useful materials while capturing carbon in the process.

Origin’s patented technology platform can help revolutionize the production of a wide range of end products, including clothing, textiles, plastics, packaging, car parts, tires, carpeting, toys, fuels, and more with a ~$1 trillion addressable market.