Avantium and Klöckner Pentaplast advance next-generation food packaging with PEF capacity reservation agreement
AMSTERDAM, 14 September 2026, 18:00 hrs CEST – Avantium N.V., a leader in renewable and circular polymer materials, today announced the signing of a capacity reservation agreement with Klöckner Pentaplast (kp films), a global leader in rigid and flexible packaging and specialty film solutions. The agreement supports the companies' ambition to explore the use of Avantium's plant-based polymer PEF (polyethylene furanoate), branded as releaf®, in thermoformed food packaging applications, including food trays and other packaging designed to protect fresh and prepared foods.
Releaf® is a plant-based, high-performance polymer made from FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), Avantium's flagship molecule. As the packaging industry seeks solutions that combine high performance, recyclability and a lower environmental footprint, releaf® represents an innovative material under evaluation for packaging applications. Its oxygen and carbon dioxide barrier properties offer the potential to extend shelf life in selected rigid packaging applications, helping to keep food fresh for longer and contributing to reduced food waste. These barrier properties are also being evaluated for use in flexible lidding films and flow-wrap packaging structures requiring high barrier performance. At the same time, its lower carbon footprint can support sustainability goals of brands and converters. In addition, releaf® may support the development of packaging structures designed for recyclability, providing an alternative to conventional multi-layer trays that are more challenging to recycle.
In view of the next phase of development, kp has signed a capacity reservation agreement supporting access to future volumes of releaf® from prospective industrial-scale plants to be built and operated by licensees using Avantium's technology. The agreement provides a possible pathway toward the future commercial deployment of releaf® in thermoformed food packaging applications across Europe, and aligns with Avantium's strategy to establish a global network of licensed PEF production facilities. The agreement also facilitates ongoing evaluation activities and potential future access to volumes subject to the material meeting technical, regulatory and commercial requirements.
Samuel Pardo, Senior Innovations Manager at Klöckner Pentaplast, said: "At kp, we are continuously exploring innovative and emerging packaging materials that can help our customers meet their sustainability goals while maintaining the high performance required for food packaging applications. Releaf® combines renewable feedstock origins and barrier characteristics that make it an interesting option for evaluation in thermoformed food packaging applications. Through this agreement, we plan to continue assessing the material's performance, processability and suitability as part of our broader innovation program.”
Marco Jansen, Chief Commercial Officer at Avantium, commented: "We are delighted to deepen our collaboration with kp, a leading global packaging company. Thermoformed food packaging is an important market for PEF, where its combination of barrier performance, recyclability and renewable origin can create tangible value. This capacity reservation demonstrates growing market interest in PEF and supports our strategy to establish future industrial-scale PEF production through technology licensing."
About Klöckner Pentaplast
Focused on delivering its vision: The Sustainable Protection of Everyday Needs, kp is a global leader in rigid and flexible packaging and specialty film solutions, serving the pharmaceutical, medical device, food, beverage and card markets, amongst others. With a broad and innovative portfolio of packaging and product films and services, kp plays an integral role in the customer value chain by safeguarding product integrity, assuring safety and consumer health, improving sustainability, and protecting brand reputation. kp’s “Investing in Better” sustainability strategy solidifies its commitment to achieving ten clear targets for long-term improvement by increasing the recycling and recyclability of products, cutting carbon emissions and continuous improvement in employee engagement, safety, and diversity, equity and inclusion.
For five consecutive years, kp has held a gold rating from EcoVadis, the leading platform for environmental, social and ethical performance ratings. This ranks kp in the top 1% of companies rated in the manufacturing of plastics products sector.
Founded in 1965, kp has 27 plants in 16 countries and employs c.5,000 people committed to serving its customers worldwide. kp is proud to have celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025. For more information visit: www.kpfilms.com
About Avantium
Avantium is a pioneering commercial-stage company focused on renewable & circular polymer materials. Avantium develops and commercializes innovative technologies for the production of materials based on sustainable carbon feedstocks. The most advanced technology is the YXY® Technology that catalytically converts plant-based sugars into FDCA (furandicarboxylic acid), the key building block for the sustainable plastic PEF (polyethylene furanoate). PEF is known under the brand name releaf®, an EU registered trademark of Avantium. Avantium has successfully demonstrated the YXY® Technology at its pilot plant in Geleen, the Netherlands, and is in the process of starting the world's first commercial plant for FDCA in Delfzijl, the Netherlands. Avantium works in partnership with like-minded companies around the globe to develop revolutionary renewable chemistry solutions from invention to commercial scale.
Avantium’s shares are listed on Euronext Amsterdam and Euronext Brussels (symbol: AVTX). Avantium is incorporated in the Euronext Amsterdam SmallCap Index (AScX). Its offices and headquarters are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
For more information:
Caroline van Reedt Dortland, Director Communications
+31-20-5860110 / +31-613400179
mediarelations@avantium.com
Aarne Luten, Director Investor Relations
+31-625687714
ir@avantium.com
