On April 15, 2025, during Chinaplas, USEON and TotalEnergies Corbion have announced a strategic partnership to advance the development and global commercialization of EPLA molded products — a new generation of sustainable, high-performance foam materials made from Luminy® PLA bioplastics.
This collaboration combines the strengths of both parties in polymer materials and green foaming technologies:
- USEON has been deeply engaged in direct bead foaming processes and offers mature turnkey solutions;
- TotalEnergies Corbion focuses on the development and supply of high-performance, sustainable PLA materials.
The jointly developed EPLA foam material features a lightweight, durable structure with strong protective properties. At the same time, it offers outstanding environmental performance—fully biodegradable under industrial composting conditions into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass. This provides a low-carbon, sustainable alternative for industries such as packaging, cold chain logistics, and food service.
Hao Ding, Global Marketing Director of TotalEnergies Corbion, which produces Luminy® PLA, said: “Useon’s technical leadership in foam extrusion, combined with the performance and sustainability of Luminy® PLA, offers the market a new product range (EPLA) that testifies to the power of collaboration in delivering reduced carbon footprint solutions without compromising functionality and quality.”
“With EPLA, businesses now have access to a foam material that performs well and also aligns with growing regulatory and consumer demand for circular, climate-responsible alternatives” said Mr. Chen Zhiqiang, CEO of Useon. He continued, “We are excited to team up with TotalEnergies Corbion and drive the adoption of molded PLA foam at scale. The combination of direct bead foaming and high-quality bioplastics enables sustainable innovation across the packaging industry and beyond. Together, we are redefining what’s possible in foam applications.”
