Lactips produces water soluble and biodegradable thermoplastic pellets based on milk protein.
Ecolactifilm is the thermoplastic material, water-soluble at room temperature and below, which can be used in water-soluble or edible packaging.
The pellets also biodegrade in less than three weeks; can be printed on; and present a barrier to oxygen.
The company received support in its application from the Incub’Europe program, assisted by Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Enterprises and by the company BENKE.
Job creation
The company said the funding and support will allow Lactips to open new markets from R&D through to full product commercialization.
Lactips said it would also allow the company to expand from 20 staff to 30, as well as create a turnover of €20m ($23.9m) by 2020.
Lactips will also expand its research with the Jean Monnet University of Saint Etienne – Engineering Laboratory of Polymer Materials with the launch of the program HYDROPRINT to develop a new generation of water soluble plastic filaments to be used for 3D printing.
The project is being supported financially with up to €80,000 ($96,000) by Saint Etienne Métropole and Bpifrance.