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Both a blessing and a bane of modern times, plastic is ubiquitous in our environment, both literally and figuratively. Since humans obviously have no intention of doing without it, engineers are working on all sorts of ways to reduce its impact. In France, it is Carbios which carries some of the hopes of a plastic with an improved footprint. The Clermont-based company, which went public at the end of 2013, is regularly highlighted when it comes to illustrating the players in so-called green chemistry, with the ups and downs experienced by this type of innovative company at the start. of life. Since the spring of 2023, it has entered a new phase which should allow it to move its innovations from the demonstration stage to that of industrialization. This is what earned him the spotlight.
Carbios has developed and patented two enzyme-based processes. One depolymerizes the plastic of bottles and packaging (polyethylene terephthalate, or PET), as well as that of textiles (polyester), to obtain the basic components necessary for the production of high-quality recycled PET. The other makes plant-based plastics biodegradable and compostable at room temperature. The company therefore offers both infinite recycling and perfect environmental integration. The reality, of course, is much more complicated than that, but let’s say that Carbios’ research is able to create a more efficient production-recycling sector than it currently is. For example, for a consumer goods manufacturer who would like to take the trouble.
Regulatory and popular pressure
At first, industrial users of plastics looked distractedly at companies venturing into this field. Without real regulatory or popular pressure, they had little reason to change their habits. But things have started to change over the past decade. At Carbios, this paradigm shift has materialized with the entry into the capital of L’Oréal, Michelin and L’Occitane. The three manufacturers have set up pilot projects with the young shoot, while financing it with their venture capital branches. These fine signatures have contributed to giving credibility to the innovations of Carbios, which also benefits from sparse competition in the field of biological recycling, while chemical recycling is much more… bottled.
A new factory in the Grand Est
This year, a new step is about to be taken, through the recent announcement of the construction of a PET biorecycling plant, in the Grand-Est region, with the chemist Indorama, world leader in PET and originally from of Singapore as its name does not indicate. This site, which requires 230 million euros of investment, will start operating in 2025. Eventually, it will process 50,000 tonnes of PET waste per year, which is equivalent to 2 billion bottles. This is a major shift for Carbios, which will start generating regular business income. But management’s ultimate goal is not to operate processing sites. No, it is rather a question of selling licenses to use its technologies to manufacturers. A much more lucrative and less capital-intensive activity.
Self-financing is expected in 2026
Carbios hopes to capture between 4 and 8% of the recycled PET market by 2030, and 8% to 12% before 2035. Management relies on the remarkable performance of its enzymes, which greatly exceed academic models, to announce yields capable of attracting a clientele hitherto frightened by the potential additional costs. If all goes according to plan, the self-financing milestone should be reached in 2026 and profits should grow gradually thereafter. The Clermont-based company is still at the stage of promises, but the Indorama project allows it to take an additional step by consolidating its image as a pioneer.