Company
History
Growing Global
Plantic Technologies was incorporated in Victoria, Australia in 2001 for the purpose of acquiring, developing and commercialising intellectual property developed by an Australian Federal Government funded research group: the Cooperative Research Centre (‘CRC’) for International Food Manufacture and Packaging Science.
The CRC identified that a range of corn starch based formulations could be used to manufacture a flat sheet bioplastic, which then could be thermoformed to produce biodegradable trays. This discovery led to the lodgement of a provisional patent in 1999.
In 2002, Plantic was granted ownership of all the intellectual property by the CRC. By July 2003, Plantic had established supply to Cadbury Schweppes (Australia) and Kenman Kandy, a division of Mars/Masterfoods.
The company officially launched its Plantic® material and its presence to the packaging industry in August 2003 at the Auspack Trade Show in Melbourne, Australia and won two packaging awards for its Cadbury Milk chocolate box rigid tray.
Entering the World Market
In 2004, Plantic began operations in Europe, based in Germany, in close proximity to several leaders in the European food and confectionery industry. In 2005 Plantic Technologies Ltd commenced supply to the European market with market leading clients such as M&S and Nestlé.
Since 2005 Plantic Technologies Ltd has moved from strength to strength, establishing distribution agreements with global leaders, while customising their technology to suit an ever broader range of conversion techniques & applications, including thermoforming, injection moulding, film extrusion and blow moulding, as well as rigid and flexible packaging.
In 2009, a revolutionary bioplastic was developed that would change the nature of plastics globally. PLANTIC™ is a multi-layer structure, predominately consisting of Plantic biopolymer – which is certified as biodegradable and compostable. The moisture protective skins are necessary as a containment and a sealing layer for industry standard lidding technology. Future development of skins structures will enable a 100% biopolymer construction.
In November 2010, Plantic Technologies Ltd went from being a public listed company to being privately owned by Mr Gordon Merchant. Mr Merchant is the founder of the global surf wear label Billabong. He launched his business in the 1970s on the Gold Coast and successfully produced a global phenomenon in the surf and street wear industry.
2011 showed exciting changes for Plantic Technologies Ltd, expanding their business through the acquisition of Tribond Packaging Solutions. Plantic Tribond Technologies Ltd primarily specialise in thermoforming and lamination technologies for the packaging industry.
In 2015 world leader in barrier technology the Kuraray Group purchased Plantic technologies. The purchase of Plantic compliments the Japanese company’s corporate mission of “We in the Kuraray Group are committed to opening new fields of business using pioneering technology and contributing to an improved natural environment and quality of life”
The acquisition of Plantic enables Kuraray to provide barrier materials, for the ever increasing global demand of bio-based packaging materials.
Plantic Technologies Ltd in conjunction with Kuraray is expanding rapidly and refining technology to meet the ever growing global needs for more environmental and performance efficient plastics.
