The Belgian company Futerro S.A., specialized in the production of lactic acid, lactide (two platform biomolecules), and PLA (polylactic acid), announces that it has officially submitted its environmental authorization and building permit applications to the relevant authorities. This marks a major milestone and a decisive step forward in the development of its industrial project.
A KEY STEP FOR THE EUROPEAN BIO-BASED INDUSTRY
With this submission, Futerro initiates the necessary administrative process for the establishment of its integrated biorefinery, the first of its kind in Europe. Located in Saint-Jean-de-Folleville, in Normandy, France, this facility will be dedicated to the production of lactic acid, lactide, and PLA, a bio-based, industrially compostable, and recyclable biopolymer destined to replace fossil-based plastics in many applications.
“This submission marks a major operational milestone for our project. Our ambition is clear: to reinvent the chemical and plastics sectors in France and Europe. I would like to commend the outstanding work of our teams and thank the local authorities as well as the Normandy Region for their constant commitment”, says Frédéric Van Gansberghe, Chief Executive Officer of Futerro.
Futerro aims to obtain all necessary authorizations by mid-2026, with the goal of starting groundworks and construction. However, geotechnical studies and new administrative requirements have revealed the need for significant soil preparation work, resulting in an adjusted timeline: production is now scheduled to begin no later than early 2029.
SUPPORT FROM LOCAL AUTHORITIES
The project benefits from active and ongoing support from local and regional authorities, who praise its industrial and environmental ambitions for the sustainable development of the territory:
“This project embodies the industrial transition we are promoting for Normandy: an innovative, sustainable, and job-creating industry. It fully aligns with our ambition to make the region a center of excellence in bioeconomy and green chemistry. We are proud to support Futerro in this new phase”, emphasizes Hervé Morin, President of the Normandy Region.
“The establishment of this biorefinery in Saint-Jean-de-Folleville is a major opportunity for our territory. It values local resources, strengthens our industrial fabric and contributes to the emergence in our territory of new strategic sectors in Chemistry and Textiles. Caux Seine agglo is fully committed to facilitating its integration and supporting the development, training and employment stakes related to the project”, comments Virginie Lutrot, President of Caux Seine agglo and Vice-President in charge of Budget and Finance for the Normandy Region.
A PROJECT SERVING EUROPEAN COMPETITIVENESS AND AUTONOMY
Recognized by the European Commission as an initiative supporting the transition of the chemical sector, Futerro’s project fully aligns with the industrial and environmental priorities of the European Union. It represents the concrete implementation of a profound transformation of the chemical and materials sectors, historically dependent on fossil resources, towards bio-based, circular, and strategic alternatives.
“Although the European regulatory and political context is gradually evolving in favor of our sector and green chemistry as a whole, we remain particularly attentive to upcoming developments, both at the French and European levels, which will strongly determine the success of the project”, concluded Frédéric Van Gansberghe, Chief Executive Officer of Futerro.
In a context marked by the imminent publication of the “Biotech Act” and the “Circular Economy Act,” and in response to the “Clean Industrial Deal,” Futerro’s biorefinery aims to directly contribute to building a robust, innovative, and resilient European bioeconomy capable of meeting the climatic, economic, and geopolitical challenges of the 21st century.
About Futerro
Futerro is a leading Belgian company in the lactic acid and polylactic acid (PLA) sector, a bio-based, industrially compostable and recyclable biopolymer capable of replacing fossil-based plastics in everyday life. A pioneer in research since 1992, the company officially launched in 2007, with the construction of its first pilot lactic acid polymerisation unit in Belgium, followed by the opening of its PLA industrial production unit in China in 2021. Futerro now plans to set up a new biorefinery in France by maximum 2029. The company is the only one in the world to have complete control over the entire PLA production chain: fermentation of sugar into lactic acid, polymerisation into PLA and end-of- life management via its patented mechanical and chemical recycling technology. For further information, please visit: www.futerro.com
This press release has been translated into English. In the event of divergence, the French version shall prevail.
