B4Plastics is a Polymer Architecture company, catalyzing the introduction of novel biomaterials, and growing them from niche to bulk applications. The company designs and scales the materials to give the best balance between function, ecology, and cost, and has a strong vision on how to bridge the gap between lab-based research and commercial implementation. B4Plastics has received numerous awards for its achievements, including the prestigious Food Planet Prize in 2021. It was also one of the few start-ups selected to receive funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC)
LINDAL will be a lead investor, accompanied by EIC, in funding the future growth of the company. In doing so, LINDAL will take an active role in the partnership to reinforce its sustainability agenda and contribute more holistically to material waste and CO2 reduction globally. LINDAL will benefit from B4Plastics’s specialist knowledge and research into sustainable materials for its core products, whilst gaining access to wider knowledge networks that identify new opportunities for future R&D projects.
Along with the investment, LINDAL will support B4Plastics in its next phase of development, providing access to its global innovation capabilities and worldwide manufacturing and engineering expertise. LINDAL Group Chairwoman, Katharina Lilienthal, says: “This new investment by LINDAL signifies our broad approach to actively addressing sustainability challenges. We are excited and inspired by this new venture as a sustainability enabler to the plastics industry, and as a complementary approach to LINDAL’s existing sustainability initiatives.”
LINDAL CEO, Francois Xavier-Gilbert says: “We wanted to work alongside a partner active in developing alternative packaging materials. B4Plastics sits within an excellent niche as a pioneer of biodegradable materials. B4Plastics has already secured an impressive client base and attracted widespread international interest in its technology. Together, we enjoy a series of benefits and synergies that form an excellent start to our partnership.”
B4Plastics Founder, Stefaan De Wildeman says: “The time has come to bring our pipeline of designed biomaterials to the next level: start production and create direct societal impact. Our aim was therefore to find an industrial partner and lead investor with operational capabilities, technical expertise, and a long-term vision. With LINDAL we have not only found this, but we have discovered an abundance of further opportunities to explore and build on.”