Bio-based Materials China News

In Apr. 2014, the domestic biomaterials market maintained relatively stable, with major products like PBS, PLA, PVA and starch-based materials witnessed small fluctuations in prices. Regarding raw materials, the market price of corn has been fluctuating and increasing slightly since Mar. 2014, due to the governmental policy on purchase and storage and impact from main production bases like northeast China and North China. Of this, the higher purchasing price somehow drives up the market price of corn.

In this issue, CCM conducted an in-depth face-to face interview with a sales manager in Huizhou Jiansheng, and grasped the information about the development of Chinese biomaterials enterprises. Owing to the relatively high prices of degradable plastics, the domestic enterprises mainly concentrate on the high consumption market. For instance, Huizhou Jiansheng positions its products as high-end packaging, and takes advantage of its sales channels of conventional plastics to reach high consumption places like hotels. Also, Huizhou Jiansheng actively expands the overseas market, since it has obtained relevant certificates to enter the EU market.

In addition, the exposure to the excess plasticizers in products has drawn national attention to the conventional toxic plasticizers. Thus CCM paid special attention to plasticizers, and had deep discussions with insiders and experts concerning the sound development of eco-friendly plasticizers in China. Commonly, it is believed that the sound development of eco-friendly plasticizers calls for the joint efforts from the Chinese government and the enterprises, due to the abuse of conventional plasticizers and difficulties in promoting new eco-friendly plasticizers.

The RMB/USD exchange rate in this issue is USD1.00=RMB6.1503 on 1 Apr., 2014, sourced from the People's Bank of China, except for the price updates on 18 Apr. 2014 (USD1.00=USD6.1586).