Events organized by Co-organized by Jan Ravenstijn New Programme Arrangements www.pha-world-congress.com This year, things may well be looking up for the family of biopolymers known as PHAs. For a long time, PHAs were materials that were ‘promising’. They ‘had potential’. However, constrained by challenges ranging from cost and availability to technology and production, up to now, these polymers have struggled gain traction in the market. Now, however, the situation is changing. Signs indicating that this year might very well be the year that PHA-platform products graduate from the embryonic stage of the S-curve to enter the stage of early growth, are palpable. Right now, product demand by far exceeds supply around the globe and several PHA polymer manufacturers are building, starting up and expanding production capacities. In September 2018, bioplastics MAGAZINE and Jan Ravenstijn launched the inaugural edition of the PHA-platform World Congress. The aim was to accelerate the production and industrialization of PHA polymers by bringing together players from across the value chain. In addition, the event , which was to take place on a biannual basis, sought to create an awareness of the properties and versatility of these materials. The event drew participants from around the globe who were unanimously in agreeing that a push to accelerate the industrialization of PHA polymers was long overdue. What was needed was for the value chain to become more strongly aligned, a focus on the transition towards a circular economy - and the formation of a global organization for the PHA-platform. In June 2019, the GO!PHA initiative was established by four well-known experts in the world of the PHAs. Information about this global organization can be found on the website: www.gopha.org. The membership consists of about 50 small and large companies around the world, research institutes, advisory companies and media partners, with new members joining on a regular basis. Programmes and progress are discussed at the bimonthly member meetings. The main areas of attention for GO!PHA include legislation, communication, market perception & proliferation and technical & scientific knowledge advancement. Disappointingly, the Coronavirus pandemic has forced us to revise our plans for the 2 nd PHAplatform World Congress, scheduled for September 2020. The event will not be cancelled. Instead, we have decided to postpone the Congress until 2021 - and meanwhile, for this year, to add a virtual component. In September, we plan to host a webinar on the latest developments around PHA, including capacity expansions, investment opportunities, application developments, legislation and an update on GO!PHA’s programmes and progress. So be sure to mark the following dates your calendar: • September 2 nd 2020, we invite you to join us online for a 4-6 hour webinar, for presentations and updates on capacity expansions, legislation and application developments. More details will be available at a later date. • March 30 th and 31 st 2021 are the new dates for the 2 nd PHA-platform World Congress. The venue is the Maternus Haus in Cologne, Germany. • The PHA-platform Workshop will be moved to March 29 th 2021. The venue is the same as for the congress. Delegates of the 2 nd PHA-platform World Congress (March 2021, Cologne) can participate at the September 2020 webinar free of charge. Participation in the webinar only will be available to a special reduced price. Stay updated and visit the website frequently. In addition, we keep you updated via our newsletters. www.pha-world-congress.com | www.gopha.org 8 bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/20] Vol. 15
New programme arrangements: Sep 02, 2020: Webinar March 30-31, 2021: Congress in Cologne, Germany organized by and Jan Ravenstijn www.pha-world-congress.com Diamond Sponsor Gold Sponsor Silver Sponsor Supported by Media Partner Platinum Sponsor Bronze Sponsor …from Embryonic to Early Growth PHA (Poly-Hydroxy-Alkanoates or polyhydroxy fatty acids) is a family of biobased polyesters. As in many mammals, including humans, that hold energy reserves in the form of body fat there are also bacteria that hold intracellular reserves of polyhydroxy alkanoates. Here the microorganisms store a particularly high level of energy reserves (up to 80% of their own body weight) for when their sources of nutrition become scarce. Examples for such Polyhydroxyalkanoates are PHB, PHV, PHBV, PHBH and many more. That’s why we speak about the PHA platform. This PHA-platform is made up of a large variety of bioplastics raw materials made from many different renewable resources. Depending on the type of PHA, they can be used for applications in films and rigid packaging, biomedical applications, automotive, consumer electronics, appliances, toys, glues, adhesives, paints, coatings, fibers for woven and non-woven andPHA products inks. So PHAs cover a broad range of properties and applications. That’s why bioplastics MAGAZINE and Jan Ravenstijn are now organizing the 2 nd PHA-platform World Congress on 30-31 March 2021 (new date) in Cologne / Germany. This congress continues the great success of the 1 st PHA platform World Congress and the PHA-day at the Bioplastics Business Breakfast @ K 2019. We will again offer a special “Basics”-Workshop in the day before (March 29) - if there are sufficient registrations... To shorten the time until then, we’ll host a 4-6 hour webinar on 2 Sept. 2020. The congress will address the progress, challenges and market opportunities for the formation of this new polymer platform in the world. Every step in the value chain will be addressed. Raw materials, polymer manufacturing, compounding, polymer processing, applications, opportunities and end-of-life options will be discussed by parties active in each of these areas. Progress in underlying technology challenges will also be addressed. bioplastics MAGAZINE [03/18] Vol. 13 9
