Innovation Award "Bio-based Material of the Year 2015"

For the eighth year running the Innovation Award "Bio-based Material of the Year" will be awarded to the young, innovative bio-based material industry, finding suitable applications and markets for bio-based products

The competition focuses on new developments in these areas, which have had (or will have) a market launch in 2014 or 2015. The winners will be elected at the International Conference on Bio-based Materials, 13-15 April 2015 in Cologne, Germany.

This year, six bio-based materials and products have been nominated for the Award by the advisory board – out of 24 submitted products. The nominated companies are from the United Kingdom, the United States and Germany. In a 10-minute presentation, each of the six companies will introduce its innovation. The three winners will be elected by the participants of the conference and awarded with the prize, sponsored by Coperion GmbH, at the dinner buffet.

The “Top 6” candidates are:

Bayer MaterialScience AG, Leverkusen, Germany, with Desmodur eco N – the first bio-based polyurethane crosslinker in the market for high-performance automotive coatings: Polyisocyanate based on Pentamethylene Diisocyanate (PDI)

EcoTechnilin Ltd, Kimbolton, UK, with FibriRock 100% bio-sourced composite for aircraft applications comprising flax non-woven, basalt yarns and a sugar-based bioresin. Co-developed with TFC.

Evonik Industries AG, Essen, Germany with a 100% bio-based high-performance polyamide 12 based on palm kernel oil.

HIB Trim Part Solutions GmbH, Bruchsal, Germany, with Nature 50 – Natural fiber-reinforced plastic (Hemp – PP) including a long fiber ratio > 50% for injection molding.

Invista S.a.r.l., Wichita, KS/USA with Lycra T 162R Fibre – spandex yarn made using renewable butanediol as raw material with a lower CO2 and fossil fuel emissions footprint.

twoBEars GbR, Tewswoos, Germany, with bioFila – high-performance PLA blends with outstanding optic and haptic properties for 3-D printing.