Avantium pushes back startup of Delfzijl plant

In the Netherlands, Avantium now expects startup of its furan dicarboxylic acid plant at Delfzijl to be complete by the middle of the year, with fulfillment of offtake agreements beginning in the latter half of the year. FDCA is a biobased precursor for the bioplastic polyethylene furanoate. The updated timeline is roughly a year behind schedule due to construction-related piping issues involving certain titanium welds uncovered during commissioning, which require additional work to ensure a safe and reliable start-up.

Avantium has made strong progress with the weld repair activities, providing a clear basis for the remaining start-up steps. The titanium weld remediation will result in an additional €7 million in capital expenditure.