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Biobased materials

Biobased material Agency Consulting firm Experts Specialists Consultancy

Meet growing environmental demands by including bio-based alternatives in your offers

Alcimed supports its clients in their projects related to biobased materials, and more particularly in their search for bio-based alternatives to meet growing environmental requirements, as well as in their innovation projects related to the multifunctional nature of these materials.

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    The challenges related to biobased materials

    For more than fifteen years now, biobased materials have aroused growing interest in all industrial sectors. With soaring oil prices, research into bio-based alternatives has accelerated across all industrial sectors.

    However, to become a credible sustainable substitute, many obstacles must be overcome:

    The availability of the raw material should be guaranteed without competing with food resources.

    is the mapping of deposits available for the production of biobased materials in a given territory? What are the new generations of biobased materials that overcome the problems of competition with the food sectors?

    Biobased materials are “living” materials. There are variations in composition and therefore in properties from one batch to another, which was not the case with materials of petroleum origin. It is therefore necessary to work on setting up dedicated sectors, and to develop new formulation know-how that can lead to significant additional costs.

    What are the future supply chains that will be put in place and that will be able to guarantee stable access to biobased materials of interest for a given company? Which industrial sectors have developed know-how around the formulation of bio-based raw materials?

    Biobased materials can exhibit behaviors that are not governed by the rules defined for traditional materials. In order to take full advantage of the quality of these new materials, it is important to deepen the understanding of their behavior during the phases of use (impact resistance, ageing, secondary reactions with the other components of the formula, etc.).

    What are the other sectors that have had to develop new skills, new know-how, around understanding the behavior of biobased materials? What inspirations can be drawn from it?

    In order to avoid a greenwashing effect (putting bio-based because it is bio-based), it is important to clearly define the value proposition of these biobased materials. Thus, strategies taking into account the entire life cycle of the material, from its sourcing and production to use and its end of life, make it possible to really find a relevant positioning for these materials.

    What are the players to be mobilized on its territory to set up a virtuous biobased materials sector? How to build one’s value proposition? How receptive is the market to price positioning?

    Decarbonization issues have become one of the main issues in construction. For example, in April 2021 French deputies adopted an amendment providing for a target of 25% bio-based material in public buildings by 2028. More generally, the French State was a forerunner by piloting RE 2020 (new environmental regulations for the sustainable construction of new buildings to improve the energy performance and comfort of buildings, while reducing their carbon impact). This new regulation, which will gradually come into force by 2025, highlights the low carbon nature of wood and invites the various construction players to work on innovations around its mix with other materials.

    What are the opportunities and threats associated with new low-carbon building strategies? What will be the new needs and the new skills to bring to the different players of the value chain to achieve the objectives of the new low carbon regulations?

      Tell us about your uncharted territory

      You have a project and want to discuss it with our explorers, write us!

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      How we support you in your projects related to biobased materials 

      Alcimed has been working for about ten years on the issues related to biobased materials. Historically, we have supported our industrial clients in their development projects in all our industrial sectors (healthcare, agrifood, specialty chemicals, cosmetics, aeronautics, space, defense, construction and building), in their search for sustainable bio-based alternatives to meet rising environmental requirements.

      More recently, we have observed an acceleration of topics around innovative approaches that take advantage of the multifunctional quality of these materials. These approaches also benefit from the keen interest of industrial players in biomimetic approaches.

      Our teams are therefore working on different methodological bricks to continue supporting our clients in this uncharted territory, by addressing:

      • The establishment of technological panoramas aiming at mapping the new performances provided by these biobased materials (multifunctionality, insulating and breathable materials, etc.)
      • The identification of alternative sourcing by identifying and qualifying new resource providers (ability to meet functional specifications, quantity available, availability over time, etc.)
      • Establishment of new valorization channels of co-products (identification of new deposits, identification of new partners, etc.).

      Examples of recent projects carried out for our clients in biobased materials

      • Receptivity study for a new range of bio-based products

        Our team supported a chemical player by carrying out an initial exploratory study on the potential opportunities for a new range of bio-based products.

        First, we analyzed the existing competing offers in order to identify possible new value propositions for our client. The second step consisted in testing these value propositions on the market, with different types of potential clients. Thirdly, we worked on the volume/value assessment of the various opportunities identified.

        The result for our client: The identification of new opportunities and the definition of an associated action plan (internal synergy with existing offers, R&D actions to be carried out to achieve the expected performance, etc.).

      • Identification of new formulations associated with the use of biobased materials such as biosurfactants

        Our team accompanied a construction player to assess the potential impacts on its business of the implementation of RE 2020 (new environmental regulations for new buildings).

        We directly contacted various players across the entire value chain (architects, design offices, engineering firms, construction economists, builders, clients) in order to collect their different points of view and identify their needs and expectations (technical support, new services, etc.).

        This analysis made it possible to identify several areas of reflection allowing our client to develop new services in addition to its current product offer.

      • Identification of opportunities and threats associated with RE2020 for a construction player

        Identification of opportunities and threats associated with RE2020 for a construction player Our team accompanied a construction player to assess the potential impacts on its business of the implementation of RE 2020 (new environmental regulations for new buildings).

        We directly contacted various players across the entire value chain (architects, design offices, engineering firms, construction economists, builders, clients) in order to collect their different points of view and identify their needs and expectations (technical support, new services, etc.).

        This analysis made it possible to identify several areas of reflection allowing our client to develop new services in addition to its current product offer.

      • Study and development strategy of the wood sector in France to promote the use of this biobased material

        We carried out a study of the sector with representative structures and wood manufacturers in France around several strategic issues: consolidating economic data (corporate fabric, added value, indirect jobs, etc.) to support the strategic orientations of companies and public authorities, helping create links and cooperation within the wood industry, and more generally preparing it to better respond to the challenges of tomorrow, particularly in terms of skills development or the mobilization of forest resources.

        Our investigation and our analysis have enabled our clients to obtain a state of the art of the current wood industry and to define an evolution plan for the latter aligned with all to prepare for the future.

      • Opportunity evaluation for a chemical company to develop its own epoxy resins for various markets

        An industrial player in the chemicals sector wanted to carry out a study of the opportunities linked to the development of bio-based epoxy resins.

        To do this, we explored 8 different sectors: construction, aerospace, automotive, marine, wind power, energy (generators and distribution), agri-food and coatings. The aim was to identify current practices and needs regarding the use of epoxy resins or equivalent materials, to draw up an overview of the target markets with their restrictions and drivers, and to prioritise the markets according to their interest in non-toxic, recyclable and bio-based epoxy resins.

        At the end of this study we were able to identify the sectors interested in bio-based epoxy resins, assess the understanding by sector of non-toxic solutions and the characteristics of interest. Finally, we defined the next steps to penetrate the promising markets identified in the study.

      • Opportunity analysis of the development of biosourced lightweight screeds for a construction company

        A construction company wanted to analyse the opportunities for developing lightweight, bio-based screeds.

        Through literature searches, we began by identifying potential applications and users. Then, thanks to direct discussions with players in the field, we were able to decipher their expectations and explore the various target markets in the short and medium term.

        This study helped our customer to position itself in relation to existing products, to confront the real market demand and to understand the expected product characteristics.

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        To go further

        Founded in 1993, Alcimed is an innovation and new business consulting firm, specializing in innovation driven sectors: life sciences (healthcare, biotech, agrifood), energy, environment, mobility, chemicals, materials, cosmetics, aeronautics, space and defence.

        Our purpose? Helping both private and public decision-makers explore and develop their uncharted territories: new technologies, new offers, new geographies, possible futures, and new ways to innovate.

        Located across eight offices around the world (France, Europe, Singapore and the United States), our team is made up of 220 highly-qualified, multicultural and passionate explorers, with a blended science/technology and business culture.

        Our dream? To build a team of 1,000 explorers, to design tomorrow’s world hand in hand with our clients.

         Alcimed carries out consulting missions in a variety of fields and on topics as diverse as the uncharted territories of our clients! Our projects and the methodological approaches we develop are based on the specific needs and contexts of our clients. We for example support our clients in defining their R&D or innovation strategy, in studying their target markets, in identifying and exploring new opportunities, in investigating innovative technologies, in defining their sales and marketing strategies, in integrating CSR or data science into their practices, or in imagining the future of their activities. 

        A bio-based material is a material that is produced from living things, that is to say either from the plant world or from the animal world, as defined in standard NF EN 16575 (2014).

        Biobased materials” bring together a large number of diverse and varied materials:

        • Wood as building materials,
        • Cellulose wadding for building insulation,
        • Flax or hemp fiber for automotive composites,
        • PLA, bio-based HDPE for packaging,
        • Molecules derived from plant raw materials such as succinic acid, ethanol, etc. as building blocks for new formulations of cosmetic products, lubricants, plastics and more.

        The range is vast, with the same overarching promise: materials from the plant or living world to develop technically and economically relevant sustainable alternative resources to materials of petroleum origin.

        Until now, they have been heavily penalized by their economic cost, but the situation is changing. The strong increase in the price of oil, the consideration of environmental costs (life cycle analysis, carbon emission, recyclability) are all favorable drivers for the development of biobased materials.

        Demand for biobased materials and products is growing rapidly. Driven by the decarbonisation of industry and transport, the reduction of dependence on oil, the storage of atmospheric carbon and the protection of human health and the environment, all sectors are tending to turn towards more sustainable alternatives in line with regulatory and consumer requirements, encouraging the development of biobased products.