Poly Lactic Acid (PLA) Companies

In 2025, the global polylactic acid (PLA) market is estimated to be USD 2.01 billion. It is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 17.5% during the forecast period. In 2030, the market is expected to reach around USD 4.51 billion. The growing demand for PLA is driven by the increasing acceptance of biodegradable and bio-based plastics across a range of industries (would be packaging, consumer goods, textiles, and biomedical applications). The demand for PLA resins and compounds continues to grow as industries continue to look for replacements for traditional and more sustainable alternatives to petrochemical-based plastics, highlighted by growing regulations and consumer awareness. The rapid growth in sustainable packaging, especially in the food & beverage sectors, is a key factor contributing to the PLA market expansion. In addition, the intensification of composting infrastructure, advancements in PLA performance characteristics, and a strong push for circular economy initiatives in regions like Asia, Europe, and North America are collectively fueling market growth.

Polylactic Acid (PLA) Companies

The demand for PLA is mainly met by global players manufacturing for various end-use applications. The major players in the PLA market with a significant global presence are NatureWorks LLC (US), TotalEnergies Corbion (Netherlands) , BASF SE (Germany), COFCO (China), and Futerro (Belgium). The market players have adopted various strategies, such as agreements, to strengthen their position in the PLA market.

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NatureWorks LLC, jointly owned by PTT Global Chemical (Thailand) and Cargill (US), is one of the leading PLA suppliers and innovators with its Ingeo product portfolio of naturally advanced materials. It manufactures PLA from greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and plant derivatives such as corn, cassava, sugarcane, and beets. The company has a broad portfolio of PLA performance materials - Ingeo resin grades 1 through 6, High Heat, 3D, and Ingeo Extend used in various end-use industries such as food & beverage packaging, agriculture, building & construction, electronics, medical & hygiene, consumer goods, textiles, 3D printing, coffee capsules, cards, and non-food packaging. PLA-based performance materials are ideal for fresh food packaging and foodserviceware applications. NatureWorks LLC has a sales presence in North America, Europe, Japan, and Asia Pacific. The company has PLA manufacturing plants in Blair, Nebraska (US), and is under construction in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand. The Blair facility has a nameplate capacity of 150,000 metric tons of Ingeo biopolymer annually and includes a lactic acid plant, an applications development center, and a fermentation lab for GHG to lactic acid R&D.

TotalEnergies Corbion, previously referred to as Total Corbion PLA, is a global leader in the PLA and lactide monomers market. The company was created as a 50/50 joint venture between TotalEnergies (France) and Corbion (Netherlands) in March 2017. It markets PLA under the brand Luminy, which is derived from renewably-sourced feedstock, such as sugarcane. Luminy PLA provides an 85% reduction in carbon footprint compared to traditional plastics and is both 100% biobased and industrially compostable, receiving certifications EN13432, ASTM D6400, EN16785 1, USDA BioPreferred. TotalEnergies Corbion operates a fully integrated PLA facility located in Rayong, Thailand, with a capacity of approximately 75,000 tons per year, and it also incorporates a 100,000 tpa lactide plant as well as a lactic acid plant that completes the sugar-to-PLA production chain. In June 2023, the company formally announced the discontinuation of their planned PLA plant in Grandpuits, France. The company continues to be committed to supplying growth through Thailand and its global sales network. TotalEnergies Corbion supplies PLA into numerous end-use industries such as food packaging, automotive, consumer goods, textiles, medical components, and 3D printing. The company operates in Asia Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East & Africa, and South America, with global application support and regulatory compliance guidance.

BASF SE is a diversified chemical company and a leading manufacturer of PLA. The company has six operating business segments: Surface Technology, Materials, Chemicals, Agricultural Solutions, Industrial Solutions, Nutrition & Care, and Others. It provides PLA through the Performance Materials segment under the Materials business segment. BASF SE offers PLA under the brand ecovio in injection molded and thermoformed grades. ecovio PLA is suitable for various applications such as flexible and rigid packaging, agriculture, paper coating, shrink and cling films, foam packaging, and organic waste bags. The ecovio PLA provided by the company is certified as biodegradable according to the European standard DIN EN 17033. BASF SE has a business presence in more than 80 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. It has 13 operating divisions with 84 strategic business units. BASF operates globally through its subsidiaries, with more than 338 production sites worldwide. BASF SE is a diversified chemical company and a leading supplier of compostable PBAT/PLA blends. The company has six operating business segments: Surface Technology, Materials, Chemicals, Agricultural Solutions, Industrial Solutions, Nutrition & Care, and Others. It provides biodegradable materials, including PLA blends through the Performance Materials segment under the Materials business segment. BASF SE offers PLA in combination with PBAT under the brand ecovio in injection molded and thermoformed grades. Ecovio is a blend of BASF’s ecoflex (PBAT) and PLA derived from renewable sugar sources. ecovio PLA is suitable for various applications such as flexible and rigid packaging, agriculture, paper coating, shrink and cling films, foam packaging, and organic waste bags. The ecovio blend is certified as industrially compostable according to EN 13432 and as soil-biodegradable under the European standard DIN EN 17033. BASF SE has a business presence in more than 92 countries across the Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East. It has 13 operating divisions with 84 strategic business units. BASF operates globally through its subsidiaries, with more than 235 production sites worldwide.

COFCO is one of the largest suppliers of diversified products and services in the agricultural products and food industry. The company initially started operations by offering grain and oils. It primarily focuses on a fully integrated value chain, from farmland to the dining table, establishing an urban complex with a fully integrated service chain and optimizing renewable natural resources to provide healthy and nutritious food and high-quality lifestyle services. COFCO expanded its value chain to planting and breeding, logistics and storage, raw material processing, biofuel production, distribution of branded products, real estate, and financial services. The company operates in 36 countries and has regional presence in North America, South America, Asia Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. COFCO Biochemical is a subsidiary through which it caters to the bio-based demands in industries. This subsidiary also offers biochemical products which provide nutrition, health, low-carbon, and environmental protection. It is a domestic corn processing enterprise with advanced technology, providing global customers with food ingredients and additive solutions. COFCO Biochemicals has 20 manufacturing plants in China and Thailand.

FUTERRO is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of lactic acid and has pioneered sustainable PLA development and operates as an independent entity. Futerro collaborates closely with Galactic, a global leader in fermentation technologies, although it is not a formal subsidiary. Futerro produces PLA using natural, innovative, and clean technology. Its PLA is derived from renewable sources such as certified sustainable French wheat and sugarcane. Futerro offers a variety of PLA grades such as thermoforming, injection molding, blow molding, 3D printing, film & coatings, and fibers & nonwoven. It offers PLA under the brand RENEW for applications like food packaging, coffee capsules, infusion bags, dairy & desserts, cosmetics, blister packaging, foodservice ware, and beverage bottles. Futerro also provides customized services to develop RENEW grades for demanding industrial needs and to promote sustainable solutions. Additionally, the company offers LOOPLA, a proprietary chemical recycling technology for PLA, which enables full circularity in PLA production and end-of-life reuse.

MARKET RANKING

Ranking of players in the PLA market is determined by their share based on the breadth of their product portfolio, global manufacturing footprint, technological capabilities, and strategic market positioning. The PLA market is moderately consolidated, with the top five companies accounting for a significant portion of global capacity and revenue. NatureWorks LLC continues to be a leading company thanks to its integrated US operation with strong global distribution. Its Ingeo PLA brand is consistent in high-volume production, quality, and uses in three major segments: packaging, fibers, and 3D printing. TotalEnergies Corbion, a joint venture of TotalEnergies and Corbion, has an interesting role in this landscape as it has a national brand, substantial production of high-purity PLA, and a strong sustainability and end-of-life focus via sugarcane feedstock use in its plant in Thailand. The Chinese company Hisun Biomaterials continues to create buzz and influence in Asia and internationally, with a favourable domestic feedstock pricing and government policies in support of bioplastics. Futerro, a Belgian company, creates opportunities for PLA in the European market as it combines its PLA manufacturing with its own proprietary recycling technology. COFCO Biomaterials and other emerging Asian polymers are continuing to ramp up production, offer a range of feedstocks, and increase capacity in response to strong domestic and international market growth. In addition to a few recent agreements among companies in North America, these companies are shaping the future of PLA through investment in product development, biorefinery combinations - production, and sustainable innovation.

Related Reports:

Polylactic Acid Market by Grade (Thermoforming Grade, Injection Molding Grade, Extrusion Grade, Blow Molding Grade), Application (Rigid Thermoforms, Films & Sheets, Bottles), End-use Industry (Packaging, Consumer Goods, Agricultural, Textile, Bio-Medical), Raw Material (Sugarcane, Corn starch, Cassava, Sugarbeet), and Region - Global Forecast to 2030