Manufacturers working on foam-based protective and cold-chain packaging can now evaluate an expanded PLA (EPLA) solution developed jointly by TotalEnergies Corbion and Useon.
The two companies have translated a PLA foam technology from development into what they describe as a scalable industrial solution, targeting applications where conventional EPS currently predominates.
You can review TotalEnergies Corbion’s full product portfolio and compare specifications directly in the Master Catalog of Plastics.
99% bio-based derived from GMO-free sugarcane
According to TotalEnergies Corbion, the EPLA solution is based on Luminy® PLA grades derived from GMO-free sugarcane and achieves densities around 25 g/l – a standard benchmark for protective packaging. The supplier reports that the material demonstrates mechanical resilience and moisture resistance comparable to EPS, providing dimensional stability under load. The company states the product is more than 99% bio-based and industrially compostable, with no persistent microplastics at end of life.
To illustrate performance at application scale, TotalEnergies Corbion and Useon have jointly developed perfume box prototypes using the EPLA material, demonstrating its suitability for both protective and premium packaging formats.
Applications where consistent insulation and protection is required
The partnership targets several sectors where foam performance requirements are particularly demanding. According to the companies, intended end-use applications include protective packaging for white goods, electronics, and appliances, as well as cold-chain packaging for food, healthcare, and pharmaceutical supply chains – segments that require consistent insulation and mechanical protection across transport conditions.
The solution combines TotalEnergies Corbion’s materials expertise in Luminy® PLA with Useon’s foam extrusion capabilities. The partnership was formalized ahead of Chinaplas, with the stated objective of accelerating market readiness for PLA foam at industrial scale. Useon will present its foam extrusion process and PLA foam solutions at booth 6.1B46.
The Master Catalog of Plastics currently lists more than 500 PLA grades available for comparison.
Image credits: TotalEnergies Corbion
Source
TotalEnergies Corbion