Lummus Technology has been selected by Vioneo to provide its Novolen® polypropylene (PP) technology for a new plant in Antwerp, Belgium. The facility will form part of Vioneo’s complex that aims to become the world’s first industrial-scale fossil-free plastics production site, using green methanol as feedstock alongside renewable electricity and hydrogen.
The Antwerp plant, described as a first-of-its-kind, will have a production capacity of 200 kilotons per annum. It will use 100 percent segregated green propylene and ethylene to manufacture a broad range of polypropylene grades. These resins are designed as direct drop-in replacements for conventional fossil-based PP. According to the companies, the output will be fully traceable and CO₂ negative, providing customers with opportunities to reduce Scope 3 emissions.
“Vioneo’s goal of delivering the world’s first fossil-free polypropylene plastics facility is bold, ambitious and one we are honored to support,” said Leon de Bruyn, President and Chief Executive Officer, Lummus Technology. “Our proven polypropylene polymerization technology will allow Vioneo to produce high-performance, drop-in polypropylene grades through a low-emissions process without compromising quality or flexibility.”
Vioneo Chief Executive Officer Alex Hogan added: “Our collaboration with Lummus Technology to license their premier Novolen polypropylene technology for our Antwerp facility is fundamental to this vision. This world-first plant will use fully certified green propylene and ethylene from industrially proven Methanol-To-Olefins technology, to produce a broad range of high-quality, drop-in bio-polypropylene grades, significantly advancing a sustainable plastics economy.”
Lummus’ scope covers the technology license, process design package, catalyst supply, and support during front-end engineering design. The Novolen process is part of Lummus’ Verdene™ technology suite for bio-based polymers.
Vioneo, launched in 2024 by A.P. Moller Holding, focuses on manufacturing fossil-free resins to lower plastics’ carbon footprint.