Traceless opens first industrial production facility in Hamburg, producing 3,000T of home-compostable biopolymer

GERMANY – Traceless has opened its first large-scale production facility in Hamburg, producing 3,000 tonnes annually of home-compostable biopolymer from plant-based residues, serving Mondi, OTTO, and Biesterfeld while reducing CO₂ emissions by 91 percent.

The patented technology relies on a special extraction process that utilises natural polymers from plant-based industry residues without modifying their natural chemical structure. 

The material’s thermoplastic properties allow for further processing using standard industrial technologies, enabling the material to replace plastics in applications where technical recycling is difficult or where products easily end up in the environment, such as single-use items, packaging, paper coatings, or adhesives. 

The pilot plant, which has been in operation in Buchholz i.d.N. since 2022, will also be relocated to the Hamburg site.

A Resource-Efficient Production Model

The production process is resource-efficient, enables local supply chains, and achieves a 91 percent CO₂ reduction during production and disposal compared to conventional plastics, according to the company’s Life Cycle Assessment. 

The new plant was funded with €5,128,401 (approximately US$5.96 million) from the Environmental Innovation Programme of the Federal Ministry for the Environment. 

Traceless is already planning the construction of a larger industrial plant to expand production capacity in the future.

Solving the Bio-Based Scaling Challenge

Many bio-based polymers have remained niche products because their production processes could not scale economically. 

Traceless’s Hamburg facility moves the technology from pilot to industrial scale, addressing the “valley of death” that has stalled other biopolymer innovations. 

The selection of Mondi (packaging), OTTO (e-commerce), and Biesterfeld (distribution) as initial customers indicates that the material is intended for real-world packaging applications, not just demonstration projects. 

Carsten Schneider, Federal Minister for the Environment, attending the plant’s opening ceremony, commented that this innovative biomaterial requires no fossil fuels, is made from plant-based residues, is completely biodegradable, and helps combat plastic pollution while reducing dependence on fossil fuel imports.

Competitive Landscape

Metsä Group announced a demo plant for its lignin product in Finland, and Zerolys launched its Phyber biomaterial for rigid packaging containers. 

The field of bio-based polymers is becoming crowded, but Traceless’s 3,000-tonne scale and home-compostability certification differentiate it from competitors that require industrial composting facilities.

When Bioplastics Move from Pilot to Production

A pilot plant proves chemistry. A 3,000-tonne facility proves scale. 

Traceless’s Hamburg plant is the bridge between laboratory innovation and industrial packaging supply. 

For converters seeking fossil-free alternatives, that bridge is not incremental, it is essential.

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