PHACT PHA Biopolymers and Paper Extrusion Coatings

CJ Biomaterials is a business unit of CJ CheilJedang, part of the Korean CJ Group's CJ BIO division, with headquarters in Seoul and offices in Woburn (USA) and Frankfurt. It makes PHACT, a line of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymers produced by bacterial fermentation, to replace fossil-based plastics that persist in the environment.

PHACT is offered as neat resins, masterbatches and compounds for flexible and rigid packaging, food serviceware, coatings, agricultural films, personal care and 3D printing. In October 2025 the company launched a platform of PHA compounds for extrusion coating on paper and board, combining amorphous and semi-crystalline PHA to give a liquid, oil and grease barrier for hot and cold cups, trays, bowls and lids. Customers are resin compounders, converters and brand owners in packaging and consumer goods.

• Neat PHA resins: biobased, biodegradable polyester resins for converters.
• PHACT masterbatches: concentrates that let processors add PHA to existing formulations.
• PHACT compounds: ready-to-process grades for films, injection molding and thermoforming.
• Paper extrusion coating: PHA compounds that provide a liquid, oil and grease barrier on paper and board.
• Multi-environment biodegradation: certified for marine, soil, home and industrial compost conditions.
• Application range: straws, cutlery, cups, trays, mulch films, cosmetic containers and hygiene products.

Paper cup and food box makers in Vietnam can trial PHA extrusion coatings to replace PE-coated board for export customers. Plastic converters can use PHACT compounds for straws, cutlery and films for hotel and F&B chains. Cosmetic and personal care brands can test PHA containers for biodegradable packaging lines.

PHACT is certified by TÜV Austria for marine, soil, home and industrial biodegradation, by BPI as commercially compostable and by USDA BioPreferred as 100% biobased. The extrusion coating platform adheres to paper and board, passes seal and lip-rolling trials, and has passed lab-scale repulpability tests, helping paper cups and trays move away from conventional plastic coatings. Food contact use is approved by the US FDA.

Bans on single-use plastics and pressure to remove plastic and fluorinated coatings from paper cups and food packaging are pushing converters toward biobased, biodegradable alternatives. In Southeast Asia, food delivery and convenience retail are growing quickly, raising demand for paper-based serviceware that can still hold liquids and grease.

Business unit of CJ CheilJedang (CJ Group, South Korea) within the CJ BIO division; headquarters in Seoul with offices in Woburn, Massachusetts and Frankfurt. Certifications: TÜV Austria OK biodegradable MARINE and SOIL, OK compost HOME and INDUSTRIAL, BPI, USDA BioPreferred, US FDA food contact. Partnership with BIQ Materials announced in November 2025.