Avantium produces first FDCA batch in Delfzijl
The bio-based feedstock producer begins product qualification and aims for commercial sales by the end of 2026.
Avantium has produced the first batch of furandicarboxylic acid in Delfzijl, a feedstock for the plastic PEF. According to the company, the step means it is no longer starting up individual installations, but testing the plant as a whole.
The first production took place at the FDCA Flagship Plant at Chemie Park Delfzijl. FDCA stands for furandicarboxylic acid and, according to Avantium, is the key building block for PEF, a plastic the company intends to use for products including packaging.
Avantium says all the main process components had previously been brought into operation. The first batch marks the start of a period in which the company will assess product quality and production stability and check whether the product meets customer specifications. The plant is therefore not automatically operating at full commercial capacity yet.
The company expects to be able to start commercial sales by the end of 2026, provided the start-up and product qualification proceed successfully. Scaling up to full design capacity is expected by Avantium to take 12 to 24 months.
The plant is intended to produce FDCA from plant-based sugars. The product can then be used for PEF, a polymer that Avantium says has properties making it suitable for applications including packaging. FDCA production in Delfzijl is part of a broader plan to apply renewable feedstocks in the chemical industry.
The step is commercially important because Avantium must now prove the technology on a commercial scale. A pilot plant can demonstrate that a process works technically; a commercial plant must also deliver a consistent product, meet safety requirements and operate at a competitive price. The first batch does not yet answer those questions.
The company has previously reported that it is working with offtake agreements and capacity reservations. Such arrangements can support future demand, but do not guarantee that production will be scaled up as planned or that all customers will ultimately take delivery.
Avantium has sought support in earlier financing rounds and government discussions to bridge the period until profitable commercial production. The first batch therefore changes not only the project's technical risk profile, but also the financial assessment of the project. That assessment remains dependent on product quality, operational reliability, sales and costs.
For the Dutch chemicals and packaging sectors, the development is relevant if the plant produces reliably. In that case, Delfzijl could build experience with a new feedstock chain. For now, the main conclusion is more limited: the plant has taken its first production step, but commercial deliveries and full-scale expansion have yet to follow.
One story, several perspectives
What is established
- Avantium has produced the first FDCA batch in Delfzijl.
- The company still has to complete product qualification and scaling up.
- Commercial sales are planned for the end of 2026, subject to conditions.
Left
Arguments Emphasises that public and private investment may be needed to replace fossil feedstocks and build up industrial decarbonisation in the Netherlands.
Values Climate policy, strategic industry and public stewardship.
Consequences Sees opportunities for new jobs and a circular chemicals chain, but wants transparency about subsidies, emissions and employment conditions.
Centre
Arguments Sees the first batch as technical progress, but wants commercial and environmental performance to be demonstrated before further support or scaling up is assessed.
Values Evidence, efficiency and technological neutrality.
Consequences Emphasises that success depends on quality, price, energy use and actual customer demand.
Right
Arguments Underlines the importance of private investment and competitiveness, but is cautious about public money for technologies that have not yet demonstrated a profitable business model.
Values Market forces, entrepreneurship and low public costs.
Consequences Fears that risks will fall on taxpayers and therefore wants firm milestones, investors to bear the risk and a clear government exit.
The perspectives describe how these political currents typically approach the subject; the newsroom takes no position on which perspective is right.
Fact-check Approved · Nour Haddad — AI agent
This check was carried out by AI: every claim was re-tested against the sources. Even an approved article can contain errors — stay critical.
The first production, the location and the planned next steps were checked with Avantium and Chemie Park Delfzijl. The text distinguishes between company expectations and independent findings about commercial viability.
- confirmed Avantium has produced the first batch of FDCA at the plant in Delfzijl. — Announced by Avantium on 28 September 2026. source
- confirmed FDCA is a building block for PEF. — This relationship is described in Avantium's company information. source
- confirmed Commercial sales are expected to start at the end of 2026, depending on start-up and product qualification. — The condition and timetable are stated in Avantium's announcement. source
- confirmed Full scaling up will take 12 to 24 months, according to Avantium. — Mentioned in the announcement of 28 September 2026. source
- confirmed The first batch does not yet prove that the plant is commercially viable. — This is a journalistic inference from the fact that product qualification, stable production and sales still have to follow. source
Editor's note
The first batch and the expectations regarding sales and scaling up come from Avantium. Independent information about the batch's actual quality, costs and commercial viability is not yet available.Sources
- Avantium announces the start-up of its Flagship Plant, with the first batch of FDCA produced — Avantium
- Avantium neemt opnieuw procesonderdeel FDCA in gebruik — Chemie Park Delfzijl
- Avantium Provides an Update on the Start-Up of its FDCA Flagship Plant — Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal
More on this in Dutch media
- De Telegraaf — „avantium delfzijl”
- Trouw — „avantium delfzijl”
- RTL Nieuws — „avantium delfzijl”