#Man-Made Fibers

2026-07-30

Ministry of Industry Delegation visits NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site at Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex

Thailand’s Minister of Industry, Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, joins Ministry delegates and NatureWorks leaders at the company’s new manufacturing facility at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex. © 2026 NatureWorks

NatureWorks Asia Pacific Limited welcomed a high-level delegation led by Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry, to its manufacturing site at the Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex (NBC). The visit follows the successful inauguration of the site on April 29, 2026, and highlights the role of public-private collaboration in advancing Thailand’s sustainable industrial development and bioeconomy ambitions.

As NatureWorks’ second global manufacturing site, the Nakhon Sawan operation represents a strategic investment to meet growing demand for sustainable materials across Asia-Pacific. Designed as an integrated, feedstock-to-polymer production facility, the site expands NatureWorks’ global manufacturing footprint, strengthens regional supply reliability, and enhances access to Ingeo™ biopolymers for customers across Asia and beyond.

A defining achievement of the project is the successful transfer and commercialization of NatureWorks’ proprietary manufacturing technology. While the company’s original production facility in Blair, Nebraska utilizes corn as its primary feedstock, the Nakhon Sawan site demonstrates the successful application of the technology using 100% locally sourced Thai sugarcane, enhancing the versatility of renewable agricultural feedstocks in producing high-performance biopolymers.

With a nameplate production capacity of 75,000 metric tons of Ingeo™ polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers per year, the facility creates value across the supply chain, from local agriculture and upstream processing to advanced manufacturing and export markets. By transforming Thai sugarcane into high-value sustainable materials, the project contributes to economic development while supporting Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model, which aims to drive innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable growth.

“The Nakhon Sawan Biocomplex demonstrates how innovation, investment, and Thailand’s agricultural strengths can be integrated to create high-value industries for the future. This investment reflects confidence in Thailand’s potential as a regional hub for sustainable and bio-based manufacturing and supports our vision under the BCG Economy Model to enhance competitiveness while delivering long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits,” said Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Industry.

Ingeo™ PLA biopolymers offer a lower-carbon alternative to conventional fossil-based plastics and are industrially compostable. The material serves a wide range of applications, including rigid and flexible packaging, food serviceware, hygiene products, durable consumer goods, and 3D printing filaments.

“It is an honor to welcome Minister Varawut Silpa-archa and the distinguished delegation from the Ministry of Industry. This site represents the successful integration of global innovation, advanced manufacturing expertise, and Thailand’s agricultural strengths. As our second global production site, it strengthens supply security for customers throughout Asia-Pacific while creating long-term economic and environmental value for Thailand,” said Bill Suehr, Chief Operations Officer of NatureWorks.

The Nakhon Sawan manufacturing site represents a significant step in NatureWorks’ global growth strategy and the continued expansion of the sustainable materials economy in Asia-Pacific. By combining world-class technology, renewable agricultural resources, and strong public-private collaboration, the project strengthens regional supply resilience, creates new value across the bioeconomy, and reinforces Thailand’s position as a leading destination for sustainable industrial investment.

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