Michelin to construct EUR60 mn demo plant for 5-HMF in France

French tyre company Michelin has announced what it says will be the construction of the world’s first industrial demonstration unit for the 5-HMF green chemistry-based molecule. This bio-sourced and non-toxic molecule can replace ingredients derived from fossil fuels in a wide variety of industrial fields. To be located on the Osiris platform in Péage en Roussillon, France, it will have a capacity of 3,000 tonnes/year, making this site the largest in the world for this molecule.

This project represents a total investment of EUR60 million, partly subsidised by the ADEME in France and the CBE JU at European level. It will allow for the creation of approximately 30 direct jobs and should begin its activities during 2026.

· Already used in the Michelin ResiCare resins, which are used in adhesive and bonding applications. its availability on an industrial scale will allow a potential market of over 40,000 tonnes to open by 2030, through the creation of a European industry, it adds.

· Michelin says the unit is in line with its strategy to innovate and its ability to develop other applications beyond tyres.

5-HMF, also known as 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, is a platform molecule with multiple possible derivatives. It is bio-sourced and non-toxic, allowing it to replace ingredients sourced from oil or those of concern. It is known as the “Sleeping Giant” due to its versatility and its ability to replace a wide range of conventional molecules. This molecule is obtained from fructose that has been transformed using green chemistry processes.

5-HMF will therefore be one of the rare monomers that meet the following characteristics: bio-sourced, non-toxic, available on an industrial scale in thousands of tonnes, and produced in Europe using European raw materials.

This project, entitled CERISEA, was developed within the framework of a partnership bringing together multiple industrial, institutional, and academic stakeholders.

Supported by the ADEME, it forms part of the France 2030 program, which aims to support industrial innovation and the ecological transition. It also benefits from support from the CBE JU at European level.

The European 5-HMF market is still emerging, as the molecule is produced solely in Asia, in very small quantities, and it remains prohibitive for industrial uses.

Already used in the manufacture of non-toxic adhesive resins developed by Michelin ResiCare, this molecule allows these resins to reduce operator and consumer exposure to harmful products. The production of this initial industrial scale unit will allow for safeguarding Michelin ResiCare’s supply and for lowering costs.

It also paves the way for the marketing of new materials in a variety of sectors, such as cosmetics, agriculture, industry, construction, transport, aeronautics, or electronics, as well as in many other fields of application. The projects launched demonstrate a potential market of over 40,000 tonnes by 2030.

Provision has been made for 20,000-tonne units to be duplicated via a license system, in order to develop a production network for this bio-sourced molecule, in conjunction with the project’s industrial partners.

“The launch of this initial unit in France, to produce a bio-sourced molecule essential for green chemistry, is a major milestone for taking Resicare’s activities to an industrial scale. Created at Michelin in 2016, this start-up at the cutting edge of innovation will be able to speed up the development of its high-performance and non-toxic resin offers for manufacturers. This new demonstration of the Group’s innovative power, the fruit of years of joint research with our partners, also heralds the creation of a new European industry,” said Maude Portigliatti, Director of the Polymer Composite Solutions division at Michelin and a Member of the Group’s Executive Committee.

Michelin began to explore alternatives to formaldehyde and resorcinol in the adhesive resins intended for its tyres as of 2008. In 2013, a technology for tyre applications was developed, without using 5-HMF.

In 2016, 5-HMF was integrated into the Michelin ResiCare formulae for resins intended for uses other than tyres, and initially for plyboard, after identifying a source at a small volume and a high price. After an initial attempt with another partner, Michelin joined forces with the IFPEN in 2021 to develop a more robust production process from fructose, with tests on various scales and engineering studies until the end of 2023.

Today, although it is not currently used in tyres, 5-HMF is in all the new Michelin ResiCare formulations, including for plyboard, abrasives, and moulded components.

The prospect of 5-HMF production on a much larger scale opens the way to even wider industrial uses of this bio-sourced molecule, says the French firm.