TotalEnergies Corbion and Multi Trade Group Bring Bioplastics Boom to Middle East

The world of bioplastics in the Middle East just got a big shake-up. TotalEnergies Corbion, a heavy-hitter in sustainable plastic innovation, is teaming up with Multi Trade Group to distribute its Luminy® PLA material across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider region. For those not in the know, Luminy® PLA is not your garden-variety plastic—it's a bioplastic made from renewable resources that doesn’t just hang around in landfill for decades. If anything, it can be reused, recycled (both mechanically and chemically), or industrially composted. I was actually surprised to learn it breaks down quicker than banana or orange peels in the right composting conditions – now that’s impressive!

The collaboration is more than just a handshake—Multi Trade Group will take the lead, bringing Luminy® PLA to converters, brand owners and manufacturers hunting for greener alternatives. The Luminy® range comes with a full toolkit: high-heat, low-heat, standard grades, and even PDLA for making tough as old boots compounds. It’s being pointed at everything from packaging and foodware to textiles and 3D printing, with options for recycled content up to 100%. That’s spot on for companies under pressure to slash their carbon footprints.

Asif Iftekhar, Multi Trade Group’s CEO, said this deal is about real commitment—“delivering sustainability, recyclability, and solutions that reduce our carbon footprint and waste impact,” to use his words. The signing took place in Sharjah, which feels a bit symbolic for the region’s fast-moving polymer sector. On the flip side, Derek Atkinson from TotalEnergies Corbion reckons Multi Trade’s local savvy is crucial to getting Luminy® PLA on the map here and helping business customers actually walk the sustainability walk, not just talk it.

And believe it or not, TotalEnergies Corbion isn’t just dipping a toe in – their PLA production plant in Thailand churns out 75,000 tonnes a year, and they’re pioneering chemical recycling so the recycled stuff performs just as well as the original. It means businesses don’t have to compromise on quality when choosing the eco-friendly route—a bit of a game-changer for regional manufacturers, if you ask me.

Governments around the Middle East are setting some noticable priorities—cutting down on single-use plastics, reducing emissions, and thinking more long-term about what happens to all the stuff we use. This tie-up might help local startups and established players alike swap out “business as usual” plastics for something a little more future-proof. As someone at Arageek who’s always rooting for innovation that actually sticks, it’s exciting to watch practical solutions—rather than just shiny promises—take centre stage. That said, changing materials is still a bit of a faff for many companies, and the true impact will depend on what gets adopted, not just announced.

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