Arkema's advanced bio-based materials receive certification

        Arkema’s headquarters and its plants in Marseille and Serquigny, France, are now SuCCESS™ certified by an independent certification body authorized by the Sustainable Castor Association. As a result, Arkema can offer advanced bio-circular polymers and oleochemical raw materials certified to SuCCESS™, the world’s first sustainable castor specification.

        For many years, Arkema has been a leading global innovator of advanced materials derived from renewable castor seeds grown primarily in western India. The castor crop grows well in marginal soils, is considered an inedible oil crop, and does not contribute to deforestation. The crop is also drought-resistant, easy to grow, and readily available on the open market. Following the successful completion of a third-party certification process managed by DNV Business Assurance Ltd, Arkema will now launch a range of advanced Rilsan® polyamide 11 grades, as well as a range of Oleris® oleochemical products certified to meet the standards of the SuCCESS™ sustainable supply chain specification.

        After completing a baseline study of 1,000 smallholder farmers in the region in 2016, Arkema and its partners BASF, Jayant Agro-Organics and Solidaridad (a civil society organization) launched the Pragati project, laying the foundation for the creation of the Sustainable Castor Association and the SuCCESS™ standard (Sustainable Castor Cares for the Environment and Society Standard). To date, approximately 6,000 farmers have been trained in SuCCESS™ and certified through the Pragati implementation project, with approximately 13,300 hectares of land currently certified as sustainably farmed.

        Arkema will launch a new state-of-the-art bio-based materials plant in Singapore later this year. The plant will use 100% castor beans to produce monomers, polymers and oleochemicals.

        “Arkema has a long history with the renewable castor crop and farming community. Implementing the SuCCESS™ Sustainability Code is a key step that enables farmers to learn about sustainable farming and benefit from best practices and continuous improvement. It is also a great opportunity for our customers to join the Sustainable Castor Association and share our mission to drive sustainability in the supply chain,” said Ewoan Pezron, Executive Vice President of Arkema’s Performance Polymers business.

        Arkema’s advanced bio-recycled materials are used in a wide range of technical applications such as 3D printing, high-performance footwear, lightweight automotive and industrial components, as well as medical and consumer electronics applications. Arkema’s Oleris® advanced bio-based oil chemical building blocks are traditionally used in the cosmetics, perfume and fragrance, lubricants, construction and pharmaceutical markets.

        All of these products are valued for their renewable bio-source, reduced carbon footprint and positive social impact on farming communities.