On June 14, the Biopolymer Innovation Award 2022 was presented during the Biopolymer Processing & Moulding Congress. The main prize of EUR 2,000 went to the Belgian company Home Eos. FUSE HMP-Thermo - biobased and degradable UD-tape for fiber composite applications was awarded second place. Third place went to the Brazilian company ERT.
During the awards ceremony, moderator Simone Fischer recognized FUSE as follows:
FUSE "produces UD-tapes for lightweight construction from natural fibers and biopolymers, which represent an alternative to currently frequently used material combinations of polypropylene with glass fibers. The fiber composite material can be produced and processed using established manufacturing technology. Among other things, the jury was impressed by the uniformity with which the fibers are covered by the biopolymer. The development is also a signal to many regions around the world that, like the Central German brown coal Region, have embarked on or are planning to embark on the transformation from a fossil-based to a biobased raw material focus. In Markkleeberg, natural, regionally growing materials such as hemp or flax are used in combination with bioplastics to create highly technical products. These products are recycled at the end of their use phase and given a second life as short-fiber-reinforced plastics before they can even be recycled biologically at the end of their life cycle, depending on the plastic selected. An innovation that we are pleased to award."
We are delighted that FUSE made it to the final 3 nominations in an international competition. Being able to compete in such an environment helps us in our product development. Many thanks also to the organizer Polykum e.V., who created this award. The BIOPOLYMER Innovation Awards have been presented worldwide since 2019 by the non-profit funding association POLYKUM, which is based in Merseburg (Saxony-Anhalt).
