SUPREME-PILOTS: Sustainable development of advanced coPolymers through Reactive Extrusion and Material Evaluation on industrial platforms 
Programme: HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025
Duration: 48 meses, junio 2026 – mayo 2030
Partners: Fundación Aitiip (coordinador) Novamont S.p.A., Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt, Fundación GAIKER, Envico Research, S.L., Competence Center CHASE GmbH, Artigo S.p.A, Comercial Edizar S.A., Moses Productos S.L., AM3D Metalica S.L., LC Innoway Nonprofit Kft., Asociatia de standardizare din Romania, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa y Eidgenössische Materialprüfungs- und Forschungsanstalt.
The Challenge: The global Polylactic Acid (PLA) market is growing rapidly. Europe is a key consumer with more than 40% of the market share, but it relies on Asia-Pacific for production. In addition, the technical limitations of standard PLA restrict its use in high added-value sectors, slowing down its widespread adoption in EU markets.
Objetive: SUPREME-PILOTS addresses this challenge by developing high-performance bio-based copolymers through Reactive Extrusion (REX), a scalable production method that uses advanced European feedstocks (polyester polyols and bio-based PTMG). This approach dramatically improves PLA’s elasticity, strength, heat resistance and versatility, while reducing energy consumption, waste and production costs.
The project integrates key actions such as advanced design through synthesis supported by Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), industrial scale-up to a pre-industrial level of ready-to-use formulations for current machinery, comprehensive sustainability by applying the Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) framework, and validation of end-of-life (EoL) treatments through mechanical and chemical recycling. It also includes the development of business plans, standardisation roadmaps, and strategies to foster social acceptance and unlock new opportunities in sectors such as biomedicine and electronics. In this regard, four full-scale products will be manufactured and validated as demonstrators: lightweight foamed sports equipment (e.g. protective material), urban furniture components, high-performance resilient flooring, and stretchable tapes or films for industrial signage.
A central objective is to employ an innovative, sustainable, AI-based design methodology to accelerate the R&D process, reduce costs and facilitate scale-up. To this end, the consortium brings together 14 partners from seven European countries, including large companies, SMEs, technology centres and an association, with complementary expertise across the entire value chain. SUPREME-PILOTS aims to achieve a reduction of more than 35% in CO2eq emissions.
Finally, with a total EU contribution of €6,822,071, the expected impacts include the creation of at least four new bio-based value chains in Europe, the opening of new markets through future long-term replication, the promotion of public trust and social acceptance, and the addressing of standardisation needs.
Aitiip coordinates the project and is also responsible for coordinating the demonstrators of MOSES, AM3D, ARTIGO and CONVERZAR so that they can produce industrial products based on these thermoplastic elastomeric copolymers.
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CBE. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.Grant Agreement N. 101292474 – SUPREME – HORIZON-JU-CBE-2025 |
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