Jeff Kolstad Joins Avantium as Chief Scientist to Accelerate Bioplastics Development

    SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND, August 06, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Today Avantium announced that Dr. Jeffrey J. Kolstad has joined Avantium as Chief Scientist. Jeff Kolstad will strengthen Avantium's team in developing a next generation of bioplastics on the basis of its YXY technology.

Previously Chief Scientist at NatureWorks (formerly Cargill-Dow) he was one of the founding team members for developing and commercializing PLA (polylactic-acid), a biobased polymer. The team developed the process and polymer technology, moving it from laboratory scale, to pilot plant, into a fully commercial 140,000 MT/yr manufacturing facility in Blair, Nebraska, USA. Jeff was also responsible for managing the intellectual property portfolio and IP strategy of NatureWorks. Prior to NatureWorks, Jeff worked in the Corporate Research centers at Cargill,Inc. and Amoco Oil Company. He holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Princeton University.

Tom van Aken, CEO of Avantium: "Jeff brings highly valuable expertise and experience to Avantium in the field of biopolymer development. He is one of the few experts in the world who has firsthand experience in bringing a new biobased plastic to the market. Jeff will be a great asset for Avantium when we work towards the commercialization of our YXY technology for bioplastics in a range of applications and end markets."

"I am excited to be joining Avantium at this stage of the YXY development," said Jeff Kolstad. "These new materials take full advantage of the opportunity brought by a renewable, carbohydrate based feedstock. We have the potential to develop new polymers at a competitive price, with improved performance relative to their petrochemical based counterparts, while maintaining a high carbon efficiency."

Avantium is developing its YXY technology for the cost effective production of Furanics building blocks. The company is building a pilot plant to demonstrate its YXY technology and to produce larger volumes of YXY building blocks for application development of new, green plastics, chemicals and materials. Earlier this year, Avantium announced that is actively developing PEF, a 100% renewable and 100% recyclable polyester as alternative to petroleum based PET. Avantium has also partnered with Solvay for the development of green polyamides for engineering plastics and with Teijin Aramid for the development of green high-performance
fibers.

About YXY
Avantium has developed YXY (pronounced icksy) - a family of green building blocks for making materials and fuels that can compete on both price and performance with oil based alternatives, but which have a superior environmental footprint. YXY is a patented technology that converts biomass into Furanic building blocks, such as FDCA (2,5-Furandicarboxylic acid). YXY is the perfect solution for today's challenges, using carbohydrates as feedstock to enable the manufacture of products which are both green and sustainable. This fast and cost-effective production process is based on Avantium's catalytic technology. YXY can be implemented in existing chemical production assets. Avantium is collaborating with leading companies in the industry to develop and produce green materials and fuels based on YXY building blocks. See www.yxy.com for more information.

Avantium is a leading technology company specialized in the area of advanced high-throughput R&D. The company develops and commercializes YXY - its brand name for chemical building blocks for making green materials and fuels that can compete on both price and performance with oil based alternatives.

Avantium has demonstrated the value and commercial potential of its unique technology and knowledge by collaborating with leading companies in the energy and chemical industries. Avantium has a global customer base for its profitable R&D services and systems offering, including market leaders such as BP, Shell and Sasol. Avantium is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Website: http://www.avantium.com

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