On April 29, 2026, NatureWorks, a leading global biopolymer manufacturer, announced the grand opening of its new fully integrated Ingeo™ biopolymer manufacturing facility in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand.
The facility has an annual PLA production capacity of approximately 75,000 tons, capable of producing the full range of Ingeo™ grades. Combined with its existing 150,000-ton PLA capacity in the United States, NatureWorks' total PLA capacity reaches 225,000 tons.
This marks NatureWorks as the first polylactic acid (PLA) producer globally to establish a second manufacturing facility, strategically enhancing its global supply capabilities for sustainable materials.
This new plant is not only a significant milestone in NatureWorks' history but also a landmark breakthrough in the biopolymer industry.
It integrates lactic acid production from local sugarcane, lactide monomer production, and polymer manufacturing into a complete, fully integrated industrial park. Its products derive all their carbon from annually renewable resources, achieving carbon neutrality or even negative carbon emissions at the polymer level based on life cycle assessments.
The new plant aims to meet the growing global demand for low-carbon, sustainable materials in packaging, fiber, and consumer goods. It will strongly support high-growth applications such as flexible packaging, biodegradable tableware, nonwoven fibers, and 3D printing, and further solidify NatureWorks' strategic presence in the Asia-Pacific region.
