DSM Partners with SABIC and UPM Biofuels to Produce Biobased Dyneema UHMWPE Fiber

DSM (U.S. office in Tory, Mich.) has partnered with SABIC (U.S. office in Houston) and UPM Biofuels of Finland, a leading producer of sustainable raw materials, in order to reduce the environmental footprint of Dyneema ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber, unidirectional (UD) reinforcements and fabric. This new partnership represents an important step in DSM realizing the goal of sourcing at least 60% of its feedstock from biobased raw material by 2030.

The transition to biobased feedstock will maintain the unique properties of Dyneema, enabling customers to adopt a more sustainable solution without compromising process efficiency or final product performance. The Dyneema biobased material will be carrying the globally recognized ISCC Plus certification and will not require re-qualification of downstream products. It will be made commercially available starting this April. Applications for Dyneema range broadly from ropes, nets, personal armor and cut-resistant gloves to vehicle armor, air-cargo containers, sports equipment, cables and radomes.

UPM Biofuels produces UPM BioVerno biobased feedstock from the residue of the pulping process. This is then processed by SABIC to make renewable ethylene under their Trucircle umbrella of solutions. Trucircle includes certified renewable products, specifically resins and chemicals from biobased feedstock that are not in competition with the food chain and help to reduce carbon emissions. By applying a mass balancing approach, DSM is then able to create biobased Dyneema fiber that delivers consistent durability and performance with a reduced environmental impact. The new partnership underlines DSM’s commitment to working closely with partners and suppliers to realize a more sustainable value chain.